Preface

SAS is used for various functions in the development and maintenance of data warehouses because of its reputation of being able to handle so-called big data. SAS software has been in existence a long time, and has been implemented in many large, data-intensive environments, including data warehouses.

This book provides end-to-end coverage of the practical programming considerations to make when involving SAS in a data warehouse environment. Complete with step-by-step explanations of essential concepts, practical examples, and self-assessment questions, the book helps you begin to make decisions about the roles SAS should play in your data warehouse. It will teach you how to design arrays and macros to standardize extract-transform-load protocols, as well as how to develop strategies to optimally serve data warehouse customers.

You will learn the pros and cons of storing data in SAS, how to document and design ETL protocols for SAS processes, and how the use of SAS arrays and macros can help improve input/output (I/O) efficiency. You will also examine approaches to serving up data using SAS, and how to connect SAS to other systems to enhance the data warehouse user's experience. By the end of this book, you will have a foundational understanding of the roles SAS can play in a warehouse environment, and be able to choose wisely when designing your data warehousing processes involving SAS.