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Machine Learning · head to head

SAS vs VMware Carbon Black

SAS logo

SAS

Machine Learning

Analytics, AI and data management software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
V

VMware Carbon Black

Cybersecurity

Cloud-delivered endpoint protection and EDR, now owned by Broadcom and positioned alongside Symantec.

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SAS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: SAS sAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences; VMware Carbon Black broadcom's enterprise model concentrates direct sales and support on its largest accounts and moves everyone else to resellers, so a mid-size customer can lose named support contacts and face a substantially repriced renewal with limited notice.
  • They diverge on capability: SAS covers Statistical analysis, VMware Carbon Black covers Endpoint Standard.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SAS and VMware Carbon Black actually diverge.

Attributes where SAS and VMware Carbon Black differ
AttributeSASVMware Carbon Black
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, WebDesktop, Api
CategoryMachine LearningCybersecurity
Founded19762002

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in SAS

  • Statistical analysis
  • Machine learning
  • Forecasting
  • Text analytics
  • Optimization
  • Python
  • R
  • Hadoop

Only in VMware Carbon Black

  • Endpoint Standard
  • Enterprise EDR
  • Audit and Remediation
  • Single sensor
  • Live Response
  • Workload protection
  • Container security
  • Watchlists and feeds

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

SAS

  • Regulated statistical analysis and clinical reportingnot VMware Carbon Black
  • Enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platformnot VMware Carbon Black

VMware Carbon Black

  • A SOC that wants unfiltered endpoint telemetry to hunt over rather than only vendor-generated alertsnot SAS
  • A vSphere estate that wants workload protection deployed through the hypervisor instead of installing an agent in every guestnot SAS
  • Replacing signature antivirus after an incident where the incumbent product had no record of what the attacker didnot SAS
  • An organisation already inside a Broadcom or Symantec enterprise agreement that can consolidate endpoint onto an existing contractnot SAS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

SAS

  • SAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences
  • Most new and existing customers are routed through authorized resellers rather than buying direct
  • Cloud marketplace purchases require choosing between pay as you go and bring your own licence, each with different licensing terms

VMware Carbon Black

  • Broadcom's enterprise model concentrates direct sales and support on its largest accounts and moves everyone else to resellers, so a mid-size customer can lose named support contacts and face a substantially repriced renewal with limited notice.
  • Continuous EDR recording is retained for a defined window and longer retention is a paid tier, so the investigation you most need is often the one whose telemetry has already aged out, and that is discovered during the incident rather than before it.
  • The product assumes an operator: watchlists, policy tuning and alert triage are ongoing work, and organisations without a dedicated analyst or an MDR contract typically leave policies in monitor mode and pay for telemetry that is never reviewed.
  • The sensor operates in the same kernel and file-filter territory as other endpoint agents, so running it alongside an incumbent antivirus, DLP or backup agent commonly produces performance complaints and requires maintained exclusion lists on both sides.
  • Linux sensor support is tied to specific distribution and kernel versions, so a routine operating system upgrade can leave hosts without a supported sensor until a matching build ships, and anything outside the supported list gets no coverage at all.

Pricing, plan by plan

SAS

Free
  • SAS OnDemand for AcademicsFree
    • Academic use
    • Core SAS
  • SAS ViyaFree
    • Full platform
    • Cloud-native
    • AI/ML

VMware Carbon Black

On request
  • CB Endpoint StandardFree
    • NGAV
    • Behavioral EDR
    • Device control
  • CB Endpoint AdvancedFree
    • All Standard features
    • Threat hunting
    • Audit and remediation
  • CB Endpoint EnterpriseFree
    • All Advanced features
    • Advanced threat hunting
    • Live response

Which should you pick?

Choose SAS if

  • You need statistical analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Web.
  • You also want machine learning.
SAS review

Choose VMware Carbon Black if

  • You need endpoint standard.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want enterprise edr.
VMware Carbon Black review

Questions people ask

Is SAS or VMware Carbon Black better?
Neither clearly leads. SAS starts at Free and VMware Carbon Black at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SAS or VMware Carbon Black?
SAS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for SAS and On request for VMware Carbon Black.
Does SAS or VMware Carbon Black run on more platforms?
SAS runs on Linux, Windows, Web. VMware Carbon Black runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use SAS for free?
Yes. SAS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. VMware Carbon Black starts at On request.
What is SAS best used for?
SAS is most often used for regulated statistical analysis and clinical reporting, enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platform. Of those, regulated statistical analysis and clinical reporting and enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platform are not what VMware Carbon Black is typically brought in for.
What can SAS do that VMware Carbon Black cannot?
SAS covers Statistical analysis, Machine learning, Forecasting, Text analytics. VMware Carbon Black covers Endpoint Standard, Enterprise EDR, Audit and Remediation, Single sensor.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SAS: Does SAS offer a free trial?

Yes, SAS offers a free trial through a private trial environment for SAS Viya. Interested customers can request access by submitting a trial form on their website.

Source
VMware Carbon Black: Who owns Carbon Black now?

Broadcom. It acquired VMware in November 2023, and Carbon Black now sits in Broadcom's enterprise security business alongside Symantec. VMware branding is being phased out.

SAS: How does SAS price its software?

SAS does not publish standard pricing on its website. Instead, it uses a custom enterprise sales model where customers can choose between paying as-you-go or purchasing SAS Viya Enterprise. Specific pricing must be requested directly from their sales team.

Source
VMware Carbon Black: Why do the docs use names I do not recognise?

The product has been renamed repeatedly. CB Defense is now Endpoint Standard, CB ThreatHunter is Enterprise EDR and CB LiveOps is Audit and Remediation. Older community answers and runbooks still use the previous names.

SAS: What are my pricing options?

SAS offers flexible purchasing models including pay-as-you-go and enterprise licensing options. The company states they can help you find the environment that fits your needs, but specific terms must be discussed with sales.

Source
VMware Carbon Black: Does it replace my existing antivirus?

Yes on supported Windows, macOS and Linux versions, and running it alongside another antivirus is not recommended because the two agents contend for the same hooks. Check your compliance requirements, as some auditors still ask for a named antivirus product.

SAS: How do I get a pricing quote?

You can request pricing through their website by using the quote request form, requesting a customized demo, or contacting their sales team directly.

Source
VMware Carbon Black: Do I need a full-time analyst to run it?

To get value from Enterprise EDR, effectively yes. The prevention tier can run with part-time attention, but the hunting and recording capability is only worth its cost if somebody is querying it, which is why many customers buy it through an MDR provider.

VMware Carbon Black: How is it licensed?

Per endpoint, per year, with the capability tier determining the rate and workload and container protection priced separately. Extended EDR data retention is an additional line item.

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