SAS Visual Analytics is now available for work groups and midsize businesses. The new version of SAS’ visual data exploration software, combining business intelligence with analytics, includes added graphical display options and analytical capabilities.

With self-service SAS Visual Analytics, executives have instant access – via PCs or tablets – to visual reports or mobile dashboards that are based on the latest data.

SAS originally introduced SAS Visual Analytics in March 2012. The new version, now available on hardware platforms typically used as departmental-size servers, brings SAS to work groups regardless of data size.

“With powerful data exploration and display abilities, SAS Visual Analytics is more than just a simple business intelligence product. Merging BI and analytics in one fast, easy-to-use package, SAS sits at the crossroads of several technologies that customers are anxious to see converge,” said Jim Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, SAS.

The new scalability makes SAS Visual Analytics a starting point for organizations seeking data visualization or wanting to add analytics for fact-based decisions. Its self-service option for business users to explore data frees IT departments from the constant barrage of information requests.

In addition to support for departmental hardware platforms, SAS Visual Analytics now offers new graphical and analytics features, including forecasting, multiple-regress model options, interaction between multiple visuals, dynamic filtering, new visualizations and more.

Credit visualization

“SAS Visual Analytics is a fast and easy-to-use solution for our analysts to detect correlations in our business data,” said Bernd Bütow, Managing Director at Creditreform. “The result is improved quality and accuracy in forecasting. SAS Visual Analytics is so easy to use that we don’t need additional training.”

Creditreform makes more than 24 million credit reports from 26 countries in Europe plus China available around the clock.

High-performance analytics

SAS High-Performance Analytics Server, another SAS in-memory solution, is also offering new deployment options. Customers who previously required a dedicated blade server rack or a database appliance from Teradata or EMC Greenplum can now run the modeling software on hardware platforms used for other applications.

“Customers unable to justify a dedicated system for SAS High-Performance Analytics Server can now reap its benefits on in-place hardware,” said Davis. “With no additional hardware costs, they can run models that once took days or hours in minutes or seconds, and produce business insight on demand on any size data.”