In February 2020, SAP announced that it was extending its maintenance commitment for SAP Business Suite 7 software until the end of 2027, a good two years longer than its original commitment of 2025 and a nice six years into the future. There’s also optional extended maintenance available until the end of 2030, so anyone with a worry can find a way in the next 9 years.
For SAP, the maintenance for core applications in SAP Business Suite 7 was extended due to the company’s determination to make our customers successful. The extended commitment to SAP Business Suite 7 is at the core of this, providing our customers choice and flexibility in planning for the right path to the future.’
A soft-boiled SAP Business Suite 7
The extra mainstream maintenance for SAP Business Suite 7 is a sudden softening of a hard resolve for the company but shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity for companies to relax. Instead, they should be using the time wisely to make the move to SAP HANA as comfortable and seamless as possible. At ETZ Global, we’ve already updated our materials and website to ensure that customers are supported in their shift to SAP HANA and can help you make the move before the deadline turns hard once again.
There are myriad benefits to moving across to SAP HANA. In a recent slide by AWS entitled ‘Crossing the Chasm by 2027’, the company highlights some of the big wins of SAP HANA that include: real-time insights; simplified and streamlined business processes; lower total cost of ownership; and intelligent enterprise. It’s a hard-right turn from some of the complexities that have dogged the heels of SAP Business Suite 7 such as complex integrated system architecture and a rigid IT backbone.
SAP HANA: A value-driven alternative
The move from SAP Business Suite 7 to SAP HANA can be a seamless experience if handled properly. It’s also essential if the business wants to thrive once the deadline has been reached. After 2027, third-party databases such as Oracle, DB2 and MS-SQL won’t be supported for SAP implementations – only SAP HANA will be capable of supporting SAP. In addition, after the 2027 hard deadline, only SUSE or RedHat Linux will be supported to run the SAP HANA database.
Gartner, in a recent post examining the move and the impact on SAP customers on Oracle Runtime DBMS has said that, ‘Oracle runtime DBMS license pricing [is] more than double what it was three years ago, forcing SAP customers on the Oracle runtime DBMS to develop proactive strategies to deal with ongoing cost uncertainty.’
The deadline shift and the move towards SAP HANA can be supported by ETZ Global with our richly detailed SAP support strategy that provides companies with next-generation support and guidance. We can work with you to develop a clear roadmap to SAP HANA that meets your deliverables and company specifications, and that helps you avoid unnecessary expense over the next six years. Contact us to get SAP expertise and SAP migration support that’s designed for real businesses facing real decisions.
