SAS Institute's Multidimensional Data Server First to Demonstrate Support for Microsoft's OLE DB for OLAP

Business Wire, March 11, 1998

CARY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 1998--SAS Institute Inc. today announced that its online analytical processing (OLAP) offering, SAS/MDDB(TM) Server software, is the first commercial OLAP server to demonstrate support for the Microsoft-defined OLE DB for OLAP interface. OLE DB for OLAP is a new open application programming interface (API) for communicating between OLAP database servers and OLAP client tools.

SAS/MDDB Server software supports OLAP providers on all major platforms, including Windows NT, UNIX, and mainframes. With the addition of support for OLE DB for OLAP, a wider variety of users can tap into the power of SAS/MDDB Server software on a broader range of hardware.

"Seeing SAS Institute providing multidimensional data through the OLE DB for OLAP interface was really compelling," said Steve Murchie, data warehousing product manager at Microsoft. "With a very short development effort, SAS Institute demonstrated successful access from multiple client viewers. This will provide millions of desktop clients access to world class data warehouses, through a standard, robust interface."

SAS/MDDB SERVER SOFTWARE

SAS/MDDB Server software is an integrated part of SAS Institute's decision-support architecture, an architecture that addresses the core data warehousing issues of data acquisition, cleansing, storage, and exploitation. SAS/MDDB Server software enables better decision making by giving business users quick, unlimited views of multiple relationships in large quantities of summarized data."

OLAP capabilities are an integral part of SAS Institute's leading data warehouse and business solutions," said Mark Moorman, SAS Institute program manager for business intelligence. "Our support for the new OLE DB for OLAP interface on all servers - mainframes, UNIX and Windows NT machines - will allow customers to have a wide range of choices for client access to the data warehousing power of SAS(R) software. Data warehousing, data mining, and OLAP technology provide powerful tools for high-end decision support systems."

DEMONSTRATION

Last month, Microsoft hosted a conference aimed at assisting developers building OLAP applications and tools using the OLE DB for OLAP specification. During a keynote address, SAS Institute was asked to demonstrate its SAS/MDDB Server software as a data provider using OLE DB for OLAP. Client applications from Cognos and Knosys successfully interfaced with SAS/MDDB Server software through the new interface.

"The demonstration of Cognos' PowerPlay(R) and a leading OLAP DSS, the SAS(R) System, is an important milestone in OLE DB for OLAP development and reflects the integration of two of the business-intelligence market leaders," said Tom Camps, Cognos director, product marketing. "We look forward to sharing this data-access solution with customers and delivering the real benefits of universal OLAP running against the SAS System and other leading OLAP engines."

"OLE DB for OLAP provides a degree of interoperability previously unavailable in business intelligence software," said Russ Whitney, R&D manager for Knosys. "Prior to OLE DB for OLAP, Knosys and SAS could have taken months to provide even the most basic compatibility between the SAS OLAP server and Knosys' advanced business analysis tools. In less than a week, we were taking advantage of the analytical power brought to bear by Knosys Socrates running against the SAS OLAP server."

WHAT IS OLE DB FOR OLAP?

OLE DB for OLAP, a Microsoft project previously code-named Tensor, is a new API that provides software vendors and application developers with an open interface to efficiently access and manipulate OLAP data. OLAP technology provides key data storage and analysis functions for data-warehouse applications. Until now, the OLAP market has lacked a standard. By providing a basis for interoperability, the new OLE DB for OLAP interface is expected to encourage innovation and competition in the OLAP marketplace, and open OLAP technology to a broader range of customers.

SAS Institute support for Microsoft OLE DB for OLAP will enable the SAS suite of OLAP tools, which includes SAS/MDDB Server software and other OLAP solutions, to integrate with Microsoft and other compliant vendors' tools. "With a standard API, SAS Institute can more effectively support our large customer base by incorporating existing tools into our complete OLAP architecture," said Moorman.

COMMITMENT TO OPENNESS

The announcement of SAS Institute's demonstrated support for the new interface represents another in a series of recent announcements highlighting SAS Institute's commitment to openness and cooperation with complementary software packages. SAS software already includes the ability to read and write most popular data structures, including DB2, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, and Sybase. SAS software is also fully Web-enabled, supporting Java and CGI.

"This strategy makes a lot of sense for SAS Institute, and has potential for great benefit to customers," said Bob Moran, director of decision support research at the Aberdeen Group. "Now, the SAS data warehouse becomes accessible from popular desktop tools. Openness and multiplatform support will provide customers with lots of choices."