Barreling Towards End of Support for Hyperion 11.1.2.4

Hyperion EPM 11.2, the first major release of Hyperion in five years, reached general availability in December 2019. This date also represents the beginning of the end for Hyperion 11.1.2.4; the previous version of the software that will reach its end of support date in December 2021.

 
If you’re currently using Hyperion 11.1.2.4, you only have a limited amount of time to upgrade before the clock strikes midnight and you’re left with a version of the software ineligible for further fixes. Let’s take a look at Oracle’s support policies and discuss what end of support means for you.

Oracle’s Support Policies

Oracle has a three-pronged support strategy for its enterprise software offerings, including Hyperion. The list of Oracle support tiers is as follows:

Premier Support: Premier Support is the standard support policy for Oracle software, and is available for 5 years following the software’s general availability date. This policy covers software upgrades, comprehensive maintenance, certification with third-party products, and 24×7 assistance with service requests.

Extended Support: Extended Support is available for certain Oracle products for 3 years following the end of Premier Support. Accessing Extended Support comes at a cost: the standard technical support fee, as well as an additional charge based on the time since Premier Support has expired. Extended Support offers updates, security patches, and 24×7 customer support, but does not offer third-party certifications for new products.

Sustaining Support: Sustaining Support is available indefinitely for all active Oracle software licenses. Purchasing Sustaining Support provides access to upgrade rights, the Oracle knowledge base, and 24×7 customer support; however, the software will no longer receive updates or security patches.

End of Support means that Oracle has no obligation or guarantee to patch any new attack vectors in the software discovered after EOS. In addition, using an outdated version of the software means that you won’t enjoy access to new features or functionality in newer versions, which can make your business less competitive and less efficient.

With the Premier Support deadline for Hyperion 11.1.2.4 coming in December 2021, two alternatives present themselves: upgrade your Hyperion version, or move to the Cloud. Simply letting your Oracle support plan lapse is highly inadvisable.

If you rely on Hyperion for your EPM processes, you need to upgrade as soon as possible. While you might believe that you have plenty of time until 11.1.2.4 reaches EOS, you actually have much less time than you think. There are two reasons why you should start planning your Hyperion upgrade now.

First, Oracle Hyperion migrations require a great deal of time, money, and effort. Just implementing the migration can take months, let alone the other stages of the project: speaking with key stakeholders, gathering requirements, choosing the right migration partner, and negotiating and signing the contract.

Second, because IT budgets make up a noticeable portion of company expenditures, most organizations plan and set next year’s IT budget well in advance. If you want to perform the migration before December 2021, you’ll need to plan for it in the fiscal year that precedes (not includes) this date. Thinking ahead will also ensure that your preferred migration partner is available for the timeline you envision—the longer you wait, the harder it will be to find the right partner. To use my favorite analogy, imagine trying to book your favorite roofer after a large storm has passed through town.

Planning ahead and thinking strategically for your Hyperion upgrade will ensure that you continue to enjoy uninterrupted access to the platform, including essential security patches, bug fixes, and new feature sets. For more detail on this topic, check out my white paper, “It’s the Eleventh Hour for Hyperion 11.1.2.4—Here’s What to Do.”