The new SAS software enables real-time decision making by continuously analysing data as it is received. Analysing high-volume "events in motion," the new software is a form of complex event processing (CEP) technology preferred for critical data management and analytic applications.

SAS DataFlux Event Stream Processing Engine, available in December, incorporates relational, procedural and pattern-matching analysis of structured and unstructured data. The innovative design enables flexible deployment as a callable, embeddable service.

By drastically cutting time to action, this new software lets enterprises make critical decisions in time to be most effective. Traditional approaches, which apply analytics after data is stored, may provide insight too late to act.

"Combining high-speed, low-latency streaming data with deep, predictive analytics for risk valuations, surveillance and new trading strategies can be a key differentiator for firms that need to monitor exposures, liquidity and capital across portfolios on-demand during the trading day," said TABB Group Chief Executive Officer Larry Tabb.

"Firms that are wrestling with the challenges of risk, regulation and revenue growth need to be both faster and smarter in data management and analytics to turn information into reusable assets that better address client needs while improving efficiency and use of capital," said founder of the TABB Group, a financial markets' research and strategic advisory firm focused on capital markets.

SAS' efficient, scalable architecture offers high throughput and supports hot fail-over - if one processor fails, operations switch seamlessly to a backup. SAS DataFlux Event Stream Processing Engine, part of the SAS Information Management portfolio, also supports grid-based distributed processing for large-scale deployments.

"Competitive organisations must incorporate analytics into day-to-day decisions, modeling business processes they can enforce and monitor in real time. Traditional technologies examine what has already happened. SAS DataFlux Event Stream Processing Engine changes that, analysing high-velocity big data as it's coming in, before it's too late to act," said Jim Davis, SAS Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

Financial services applications
Global banks and capital markets firms must analyse big data for risk and compliance to meet Basel III, Dodd-Frank and other regulations. SAS DataFlux Event Stream Processing Engine merges large data sets for risk analysis with continuous data integration of internal and external streams. These data sets include market data feeds from Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, FIX, NYSE Technologies, International Data Corp and others.

SAS DataFlux Event Stream Processing Engine will integrate with the newest version of SAS High-Performance Risk, providing fast, in-memory valuations of large portfolios of complex financial instruments for market, credit and liquidity risk. It also offers interactive portfolio stress testing. Combining SAS DataFlux Event Stream Processing Engine and SAS High-Performance Risk, global capital markets and trading groups can analyse consolidated risk exposure across all portfolios and counterparties.

Other potential uses within capital markets include pre-trade risk analyses, consolidated order books, trading surveillance and fraud prevention applications.