
The Future of SAS 9: A New Era of Innovation
As the technology landscape rapidly evolves, organizations rooted in SAS 9 find themselves on the precipice of change. At the recent SAS Explore 2023 conference, key company figures, including SAS CTO Bryan Harris, painted a fresh picture of the future for SAS 9 and its integration with SAS Viya. The announcement sparked excitement among developers and business analysts keen to harness the full potential of their tools as they navigate a digital transformation.
Connecting to SAS Viya: Bridging Two Worlds
Starting with SAS Enterprise Guide 8.4, users can now connect their existing analytics environments to the more modern SAS Viya platform, showcasing SAS's commitment to continuous innovation. This capability allows companies to leverage their established workflows while benefiting from the new capabilities of SAS Viya without losing momentum in their existing projects. For many, this means a smoother transition as they consider AI and analytics' growing importance in strategic decision-making.
Support for SAS 9: A Commitment to Legacy
With the release of SAS 9.4 Maintenance 8 in early 2023, SAS initiated a multi-year support strategy intended to ease customer concerns about phasing out older versions. Announcing a plan to provide updates until January 2028 and anticipating Maintenance 9 for June 2025, the SAS team ensures organizations can continue utilizing their current platforms. This approach is crucial as businesses increasingly rely on AI learning and analytics to make informed choices.
The Integration of Programming Languages: A Game Changer
During the conference, the introduction of SAS Viya Workbench resonated with developers, marking a shift to a lightweight, cloud-native coding environment. The Workbench supports native coding experiences in SAS, Python, and R, empowering users to select their preferred programming language. This flexibility is vital in fostering innovation as organizations increasingly explore how AI science could transform their analytics capabilities.
Training Pathways: Preparing for the Future
With the evolution of SAS tools, it's becoming essential for users—especially in the AI learning community—to upskill on these new technologies. Educational resources, online training, and community support are crucial for fostering a skilled workforce ready to make the most of SAS Viya and its connections to AI technologies.
Adoption Challenges and Strategic Opportunities
While the pivot to AI and Viya platforms brings promising opportunities, challenges persist. Organizations must carefully navigate the complexities of migration, ensuring that data integrity and user familiarity remain intact. Moreover, companies must weigh the benefits of immediate integration against the costs and logistics of transitioning to new systems.
The journey to adopting these new tools offers thrilling possibilities for innovation and data analysis, enabling companies to leverage their datasets in unprecedented ways while aligning with AI technology’s future.”
Adopting effectively will require a proactive approach from organizations—what decisions will you make with this timely information?
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