The ability to store your SAS programs
on the server provides an effective method for change control management.
For example, instead of embedding the SAS code into client applications,
you can centrally maintain and manage this code from the server. This
gives you the ability to change your SAS programs and at the same
time ensure that every client that invokes a stored process always
gets the latest version available.
The stored process concept
becomes even more powerful when you consider that these SAS programs
can be invoked from multiple client contexts. For example, you might
deploy Java applets and Windows applications that invoke your stored
processes. If your strategy is to use a multi-tiered architecture,
you can use Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) technology, for example, to
invoke the same stored processes from an application server.
Using stored processes
also enhances security and application integrity because the programs
that access your sensitive data are contained on the server instead
of being widely distributed with the client applications.