1. A computer implemented method for direct access by a JAVA application to a SAS dataset, comprising: providing on a computer system a driver that accesses a SAS dataset, further comprising: extracting from said SAS dataset header information; using said header information to identify metadata information regarding data in said SAS dataset; and returning to said JAVA application a view of the SAS dataset as a database table, and enabling said driver to be operated by said JAVA application directly, without going through a SAS system, to read and write said SAS dataset, wherein said driver and said JAVA application comply with JAVA Database Connectivity (JDBC) standard, said JAVA application thereby being JDBC enabled.