SAS Viya: modernize your analytical platform with more performance, flexibility, and control

The evolution of analytics

We are experiencing a moment of accelerated transformation in the way organizations handle their data and make decisions. Increasingly, the growing complexity of business challenges requires more agile platforms, with greater processing capacity, integration with open source languages, and cloud availability.

While many companies still operate with on-premise platforms or traditional architectures, technological modernization has become a strategic imperative — not only to reduce operational costs but also to respond more quickly to market opportunities and risks.

It is in this scenario that solutions like SAS Viya gain prominence, as they allow for scaling analytics and artificial intelligence with greater efficiency.

What is SAS Viya?

SAS Viya is the new generation of the SAS analytics platform, developed with a cloud-native and highly scalable architecture. It supports multiple languages (such as Python and R), integrates machine learning and deep learning capabilities, and allows for the automation of analytical tasks in integrated and efficient workflows.

Unlike previous versions, SAS Viya is designed to work in any environment: public, private, or hybrid cloud. Additionally, it offers a more intuitive interface, browser access, and open APIs that simplify integration with other business systems.

SAS Viya natively integrates advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, combining generative AI, automation with agents, intelligent assistants, and synthetic data to accelerate and simplify analysis. Additionally, solutions such as Viya Copilot, which explains and optimizes models, the "Agentic AI" framework for autonomous agents for automated decision-making, and Data Maker, which generates complex synthetic data like multitables and time series, enable the transformation of data into value with greater speed, confidence, and impact.

Advantages of SAS Viya over traditional platforms

The transition to SAS Viya represents a significant leap in terms of agility, collaboration, and efficiency. One of the main advantages is the reduction of operational complexity: less time spent on maintenance and greater focus on innovation and delivering value.

From a technical point of view, SAS Viya stands out for: 

• Higher execution performance with a cloud-native engine;
• Ability to integrate with open source code;
• Consumption-based or user-based licensing;
• Continuous access to updates and new features without disruptive migrations.

How to approach a migration to SAS Viya

Migrating from a SAS 9 platform to Viya is not a simple upgrade — it is a strategic transformation. This migration should be planned in stages: assessment of the current ecosystem, identification of critical processes, compatibility analysis, and design of the new architecture.

There are tools from SAS itself, such as SAS Content Assessment, that help map assets and pave the way. Furthermore, it is important to ensure that the new platform is aligned with the organization's governance, security, and compliance practices.

Como pode a Timestamp apoiar a modernização da sua plataforma SAS? 

Timestamp has a highly specialized team in SAS environments, made up of dedicated consultants with proven experience, as evidenced by multiple official certifications in both SAS 9 and Viya.

Our work encompasses a wide range of competencies, including Administration of SAS environments, Programming in SAS Base, Reporting, Risk Management, Customer Intelligence (CI), and other key areas, ensuring comprehensive support tailored to the specific needs of each client.

Currently, we manage more than 10 SAS platforms simultaneously, in Europe and Latin America, both in on-premise environments and in the cloud.

We provide 24x7 services with a flexible model that adapts to the needs of each organization. Our support model includes prevention, operation, transition, and continuous improvement, allowing organizations to focus on their core business while we ensure the performance and security of the analytical platform.

How much can the Viya licensing cost?

The licensing of Viya is more flexible than the traditional model, with options tailored to consumption and the size of the teams. To help companies estimate the cost of the transition, SAS provides an interactive 'Pricing Calculator', which can be used to simulate scenarios and better understand the budgetary impacts.

If you'd like to know the investment required to implement SAS Viya and explore other benefits of the platform, you can find the SAS Viya Calculator at the end of the article.

Modernize with confidence

The modernization of the analytical platform is more than a technological upgrade — it is a strategic step to strengthen the organization's competitiveness. SAS Viya offers the best of both worlds: the analytical robustness of SAS and the agility of the cloud.

With the right support, migration can be carried out in a planned, safe manner and with quick returns. Timestamp has the experience, resources, and knowledge to be your partner in this modernization process. Join us.

SAS VIYA CALCULATOR