Debi, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure you can't use AD login when coming from SAS on Linux (unless maybe you have IWA setup on the servers). You ca use Windows Authentication to the databases when coming from a SAS session running in Windows, but when coming from a Limux platform you have to use database authentication. So an account has to be created and given server level and database level access (typically done by the DBAs). Usually service IDs are created for this purpose and then an authdomain with the credentials is created in metadata, associated with some sort of metadata group used for database access (at least according to some best practices). 1. SAS Access to ODBC and SAS Access to MSSQL Server are two different products, technically, but they can be installed and set up using the deployment wizard. You don't really need both, you can use ODBC for MSSQL server databases, though probably would need Acess to MSSQL server for more advanced features specific to MSSQL server (if there are any). 2. No idea about cost. You'd have to talk to your sale rep. I know that when I dealt with datadirect in the past (with a 9.3 installation) they charged several thousand per core, but in my current installation it came bundled since we licensed it as part of the contract. 3. Technically you could use other products like EasySoft, which is probably cheaper, but DataDirect partners with SAS and can be installed and configured with the deployment wizard. Usually once it is installed you have to set an environment variable for the installation path in SAS setenv_local file. Then you modify the ODBC.ini file fore your data sources. Check out pages 57-58 of this document: http://support.sas.com/documentation/installcenter/en/ikfdtnunxcg/66380/PDF/default/config.pdf#page63 ... View more