What’s New in SAS 9.4 M9: A Technical Deep Dive

SAS 9.4 maintenance release 9 is expected in June 2025. The release brings a host of updates that improve security, simplify administration, and modernize the platform and also maintains standard support with SAS into 2030. Whether you’re planning an upgrade or just staying informed, here’s a breakdown of what’s new and why it matters.

Operating System Support: What’s In and What’s Out

SAS has updated its list of supported operating systems for SAS 9.4 M9. If you’re running any of the following, you’re in the clear:

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.10+ or 9.1+
• Oracle Linux 8.10+ or 9.1+
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15+
• Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025
• Windows 10 or 11 for desktop users

However, support has been dropped for older systems, including:

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
• Oracle Linux 7
• Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2

If you’re still using one of these, you’ll need to upgrade your OS before moving to M9.

Security Enhancements: Stronger, Smarter, Simpler

Security is a major focus in M9, with several key improvements:

• Automated TLS Setup: Configuring Transport Layer Security is now much easier. Instead of manually editing configuration files and managing certificates, much of the process is now automated—saving time and reducing errors.
• Improved TLS Documentation: Updated guides provide clearer, step-by-step instructions, making it easier for both new and experienced admins to implement secure connections.
• Centralized Certificate Management: SAS now offers centralized control over internal Certificate Authority (CA) certificates (not including web server certs). This ensures consistency, reduces manual effort, and minimizes the risk of expired or misconfigured certificates.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): The SAS middle tier now supports MFA for web applications, including integration with SAS Authenticator and Google Authenticator. MFA is also integrated with Single Sign-On (SSO), allowing secure, seamless access across SAS applications.
• Quarterly Security Updates: SAS has committed to regular security patches. Notably, 12 security issues that couldn’t be resolved in M8 have now been addressed in M9.
• Stricter Metadata Controls: New restrictions on metadata changes in pre-code help prevent unauthorized or accidental modifications.

TLS Automation and Flexibility

TLS configuration across the SAS environment has been streamlined. New automation tools allow administrators to enable or disable TLS with minimal effort—ideal for testing environments or phased rollouts. This flexibility ensures secure communication without adding administrative overhead.

Third-Party Software and Dependency Management

SAS 9.4 M9 includes a major overhaul of third-party components:

• Over 8,000 JAR File Changes: SAS is actively reducing the number of third-party JAR dependencies, aiming to bring the count down to around 1,500 in future releases. This will result in a leaner, more maintainable platform.
• 500 Third-Party Products: M9 includes around 500 third-party tools, with 70 new additions and 150 updated to newer versions. This ensures compatibility, performance, and security across the board.

Java 21 and Platform Upgrades

SAS 9.4 M9 ships with Java 21, the latest long-term support (LTS) version. This brings enhanced performance, better memory management, and stronger security features.

Maintenance and Platform Enhancements

• All Previous Hot Fixes Included: M9 rolls up all hot fixes from M8 and earlier, simplifying the upgrade process and ensuring a stable, up-to-date environment.
• Platform Suite Upgrade: The SAS Platform Suite is being upgraded to version 14.1, which includes:
  • IBM Spectrum LSF 10.1.0.14
  • IBM Spectrum Process Manager 10.1.0.14 These updates improve workload management and job scheduling capabilities.

SAS/ACCESS Enhancements

M9 includes numerous updates to SAS/ACCESS, with a standout performance boost for Google BigQuery. These improvements help organizations working with large-scale cloud data warehouses achieve faster, more efficient data access.

Conclusion

SAS 9.4 M9 is more than just a maintenance release—it’s a significant step forward in terms of security, performance, and manageability and demonstrates SAS’ continued commitment to version 9.4. Whether you’re upgrading soon or planning for the future, these enhancements make a compelling case for moving to the latest version.

Want to dive deeper into the details? Reach out to Katalyze Data and let’s chat!