Date:         Fri, 12 Nov 1999 12:29:59 -0500
Reply-To:     "Muhlbaier, Lawrence H." <lawrence.muhlbaier@DUKE.EDU>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Muhlbaier, Lawrence H." <lawrence.muhlbaier@DUKE.EDU>
Organization: Duke Clinical Research Institute
Subject:      Re: PC SAS 6.12 accessing PC Oracle V7 database
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Starting with version 7, SAS access to SQL server is through ODBC.  The
reason is Microsoft (not SAS), as ODBC is the supported connectivity for
Microsoft SQL Server.  I've used it and it is a lot faster than it used to
be, and generally stable.

In version 6 of SAS, the SAS Access to SQL Server is dependent on drivers
provided by Sybase to Microsoft.  As SQL Server develops, more and more
features of the server will be unavailable using that old driver.

BTW, those ODBC connectivity tools are not 'free.'  They are bundled and you
are paying for them when you license the associated product.  Vendors put a
lot of time into their development, and they are generally made to enhance
the connectivity.  As every tool has overhead, vendors can choose to support
additional connectivity methods, and some (like Oracle) do.

Doc
Arjen Raateland wrote:

> amichiel@earthling.net wrote:
> >
> > The below is all true.  Oracle ships with a free MS Windows ODBC driver
> > that can be installed on desktops as desired.  However, using the free
> > Oracle ODBC driver and the free SAS ODBC driver and another desktop
> > Database or Data-aware tool (such as MS Access, Lotus Approach, Lotus
> > 123, MS Excel) you can pull data IN then OUT into SAS.  It is WAY more
> > slower than SAS Access, and has limitations, including the column name
> > limit (without any remapping).  SAS Access Oracle should be the best
> > performing tool, rather than SAS Access ODBC and the free Oracle ODBC
> > driver.  If you want to run a proc compare - directly against the
> > Oracle data (leaving the data in place - so to speak), then SAS Access
> > is your best approach, and SAS Access Oracle the best choice (IMHO).
>
> How does the above apply with SQL Server instead of Oracle?
>
> For SAS version 6.12 there is an Access to SQL Server product, but I've
> heard/read rumours, that in version 8 SQL Server access has to be done
> with SAS/Access to ODBC (simply because MS want it this way). I.e. no
> more Access to SQL Server in version 8. My early experiences with ODBC
> weren't favourable, but I must admit many years have passed since.
>
> Firstly, I wonder if the ODBC thing, being a generalized interface under
> Windows, comes bundled with base SAS.
>
> Secondly it would be nice to know about performance over the ODBC
> interface as compared to the proprietary one. Not just speed, but also
> correct data interpretation (e.g. support for date formats etc.),
> correct sorting of national characters etc.
>
> Thirdly, is there any sense in getting a new license for Access to SQL
> Server at this point in time where version 8 is around the corner?
>
> Thanks for reading and sharing your views with the newsgroup.
> --
> Arjen Raateland
> Finnish Environment Institute
> SAS Support
> phone +358 9 4030 0350

--
Lawrence H. ('Doc') Muhlbaier           muhlb001@mc.duke.edu
Assistant Research Professor
Duke University Medical Center          919-668-8774 (office)
DUMC 3865                               919-383-0595 (home)
Durham, NC 27710-7510                   919-668-7057 (FAX)