My main use cases are data analytics, reporting, and data transformation. It helps in handling large data sets efficiently using CAS, which is an in-memory processing engine. My primary use case is to analyze large-scale data and generate actionable insights.

In a recent project, I used SAS Viya Platform to analyze sales performance data. I first performed data preparation and transformation to clean and structure raw data from multiple sources. Then I leveraged CAS for fast in-memory processing of large data sets. After that, I built an interactive dashboard in Visual Analytics to track KPIs such as revenue, growth, and regional performance.

On a day-to-day basis, I use SAS Viya Platform mainly for data preparation, analysis, and reporting. I regularly work on data cleaning and transformation to make data sets analysis-ready. I also monitor data refreshes and validate data accuracy to ensure reliable reporting. Based on that, I update dashboards or create new reports in Visual Analytics.

The best features SAS Viya Platform offers are that it is fully managed by SAS, so no infrastructure setup is needed. It is a cloud-native SaaS architecture. It also provides high-performance processing with CAS, which is an in-memory distributed engine for handling larger data sets. SAS Viya Platform gives me an end-to-end analytics platform where I can perform modeling, visualization, and deployment. Additionally, it offers powerful data visualization capabilities.

A hidden gem I find really valuable in SAS Viya Platform is the in-memory architecture of CAS combined with parallel processing. It is not just fast, but it allows handling larger data sets seamlessly without performance bottlenecks. Additionally, new features and fixes are rolled out without any downtime or manual efforts, which is the main advantage of this.

SAS Viya Platform has significantly improved my organization's data processing and reporting efficiency. Previously, handling larger data sets used to take more time, but with CAS in-memory processing, performance has improved considerably. Overall, it has enabled faster and more data-driven decision-making. Due to parallel and in-memory computing, data processing time has been reduced significantly for my organization. The SaaS model has also reduced infrastructure and maintenance overhead, allowing us to focus more on delivering business value. SAS Viya Platform has improved the speed, scalability, and accessibility of data, leading to more efficient and informed decision-making.

Using SAS Viya Platform, I saw approximately a thirty to forty percent reduction in data processing time due to CAS in-memory computing. I also reduced manual reporting efforts by approximately forty to fifty percent through automation and self-service dashboards, which definitely saved resources for my organization. For example, the weekly sales report that previously took three or four hours to prepare manually is now available in less than an hour through automated dashboards. While extracting a direct revenue impact is difficult to quantify, the platform has clearly improved efficiency, speed, and decision-making quality.

There are some areas of improvement I would mention regarding SAS Viya Platform. New users may find it complex initially, as its learning curve can be steep. Understanding CAS and different components is very challenging for a new user. The cost is also quite high; SAS Viya Platform via SaaS can be expensive compared to some open-source or other cloud alternatives.

There are also some limitations in Visual Analytics. While it is easy to use, it could be more flexible compared to Power BI or Tableau. These are the main improvement areas where SAS Viya Platform should focus.

I would add some additional pointers about needed improvements in SAS Viya Platform. Regarding customer support, it is good, but the response time for complex issues can sometimes be slower than expected. The documentation and learning resources are not very beginner-friendly, making it challenging for beginners to navigate.

Regarding integration, it could be smoother with Databricks, Snowflake, and Power BI, but it is more complex than it should be. Since updates are automatic, users are sometimes not fully aware of changes or new features that are being updated, as compared to Power BI, which publishes updates on its website. SAS Viya Platform should work on these aspects.

I have been using SAS Viya Platform for the past two years.

I advise others looking into using SAS Viya Platform to leverage the CAS engine effectively to get the best performance for larger data sets. It is important to have well-defined use cases before adopting SAS Viya Platform, whether it is reporting, advanced analytics, or machine learning. You should also invest time in learning the platform as there are initial learning curves involved. Proper planning of data architecture and integration with existing systems is crucial. Monitoring cost and usage is also important, especially with SAS Viya Platform. SAS Viya Platform is a very easy-to-use platform. I would rate this product an 8 overall.