Products & Solutions / Enterprise Data Access

SAS/ACCESS® Interface to Teradata

A convenient way to access and use data stored in Teradata

Teradata is a massively parallel (MPP) database that can support many users by simultaneously loading and extracting table data and processing complex queries. SAS/ACCESS software is the foundation of SAS enterprise data management capabilities. It reads, writes and updates data regardless of the native database or platform. SAS/ACCESS Interface to Teradata is an out-of-the-box solution that provides direct connectivity between SAS and Teradata, using Teradata utilities for optimized data loads and extracts.

Benefits

  • Integrate data stored in Teradata with data from other sources.
  • Access data directly, easily and securely with a native interface.
  • Gain faster performance and reduce network traffic.
  • Simplify the data loading process.
  • Easily manage applications where data changes over time.
  • Support both technical and business users.

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Features

  • Seamless and transparent data access
  • Flexible query language support
  • Performance features
  • Metadata integration
  • Optimization

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Benefits

  • Integrate data stored in Teradata with data from other sources. SAS/ACCESS engines provide seamless and transparent read/write/update access to more than 60 data sources, including relational and nonrelational databases, PC files and data warehouse appliances. SAS Data Surveyors are specialized engines specifically for accessing enterprise applications. SAS/ACCESS to Teradata enables you to load, retrieve, process and transfer data between Teradata and SAS so you can easily use all of your enterprise data with SAS Analytics to gain new insights for your organization.
  • Access data directly, easily and securely with a native interface. No SQL expertise or custom coding of extractions is required. You get a high degree of control over data security because SAS/ACCESS honors and augments the native security of the target data source. SAS enables a transparent approach by making data sources appear as though they are a native SAS data type, which facilitates interaction with SAS procedures, the SAS DATA step and SAS solutions. In addition, users are also able to interact directly with the data source using native data source capabilities.
  • Gain faster performance and reduce network traffic. SAS/ACCESS Interface to Teradata provides the ability to push down complex Teradata-specific SQL, SAS formats and a number of SAS software's most popular procedures to Teradata for processing so they can execute in Teradata without the need to first move the data into SAS. SAS formats are basically mapping functions that change an element of data from one format to another. You can also use SAS to define custom formats that replace raw data values with formatted character values.
  • Simplify the data loading process. SAS/ACCESS Interface to Teradata supports the Teradata Parallel Transporter (TPT) API for loading data. The TPT API provides a consistent interface for FastLoad, MultiLoad and MultiStatement inserts, simplifying and accelerating the loading of data into Teradata. The interface also tracks checkpoint information so it is easier to restart failed data loads. While taking advantage of the TPT, SAS/ACCESS integrates with the Teradata Workload Manager to keep data moving as efficiently as possible.
  • Easily manage applications where data changes over time. SAS/ACCESS Interface to Teradata supports Teradata's built-in support for temporal data – data with a time element. Temporal data makes it easy to manage applications where data changes over time or has a time reference (i.e., valid at a specific point in time). SAS supports Teradata's temporal qualifiers and temporal data types at the table, connection and query level.
  • Support both technical and business users. These out-of-the-box access solutions require minimal training and knowledge transfer. Business users will typically use SAS reporting and analytical capabilities, which can seamlessly access third-party data. Technical users may also access the data transparently, or they can interact directly with the data sources using SQL or other database-specific query languages.

Features

Seamless and transparent data access
  • Broad coverage of data sources and platforms enables you to integrate data from across your organization.
  • Includes the option to access data without detailed knowledge of the database or SQL. The appropriate SQL queries are generated from the interface and passed to the data source for execution.
  • Includes the option to use SQL if so desired.
  • Provides the ability to create federated queries that span multiple data sources. The queries are surfaced as a database object that can be used with all SAS solutions.
  • Makes use of security mechanisms inherent in the database.
Flexible query language support
  • Transparent data access options surface data with minimal knowledge of the data or the need for complex SQL.
  • A custom SQL option lets users create their own SQL statements or modify automatically generated SQL.
  • Mapping SAS functions to database-specific functions enables them to be processed directly inside the database, providing the best possible performance.
  • Teradata 13 provides a number of enhancements for temporal data support, and SAS/ACCESS provides the necessary features and functions so you can take full advantage of these features.
Performance features
  • Multithreaded read interface uses threaded kernel technology and native APIs.
  • Data read and writes are highly optimized with buffering, compressions, threading, etc.
  • Provides full support for Teradata Table Types, including PI, UPI, NOPI, PPI and MPPI table partitioning schemes.
  • Includes push-down optimization for SAS format publishing and the SAS_PUT() function as well as popular SAS procedures, including PROC FREQ, PROC RANK, PROC REPORT, PROC SORT, PROC SUMMARY, PROC MEANS and PROC TABULATE.
  • Temporary table support enables tables to be accessed by multiple SAS processes. This provides performance gains when the same data is required for different steps in a session.
  • Includes transparent support for bulk-load options, taking full advantage of Teradata Parallel Transporter (TPT) API features and functions. There is no need to understand different bulk loaders or bulk-load options for Teradata. Just set the SAS bulk-load option to "yes" and SAS uses the most appropriate capabilities.
Metadata integration
  • Database metadata can be accurately maintained within the SAS Metadata Repository.
  • Data jobs are registered via the SAS Metadata Server so they can be used in a variety of SAS solutions. Register data once, then use it in many places.
Optimization
  • Support for native storage options, including temporary tables, table types, join indexes and table partitioning schemes.
  • Translates native database data to the appropriate SAS data type for optimized processing.
  • Includes national language support.

System Requirements

Host Platforms
  • HP/UX on Itanium: 11iv3 (11.31)
  • HP/UX on PA-RISC: 11iv3 (11.31)
  • IBM AIX on POWER architectures: 6.1 and 7.1
  • IBM z/OS: V1R10 and higher
  • Linux (32-bit): Novell SuSE 10 and 11; RHEL 5 and 6
  • Linux x64 (64-bit): Novell SuSE 10 and 11; RHEL 5 and 6
  • Microsoft Windows (32-bit): Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista*, Windows 7**, Windows Server 2003 family, Windows Server 2008 family
  • Microsoft Windows on x64 (64-bit): Windows XP Professional for x64, Windows Vista* for x64, Windows 7** for x64, Windows Server 2003 family for x64, Windows Server 2008 family for x64
  • Solaris on SPARC: Version 10 Update 8
  • Solaris on x64 (x64-86): Version 10 Update 8

* NOTE: Windows Vista supported editions are: Enterprise, Ultimate and Business.
** NOTE: Windows 7 supported editions are: Enterprise, Ultimate and Professional.

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