From Oracle EBS to Cloud: How to Future-Proof Your Business

Oracle has recently announced that by 2033, they will be ending support for Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) and focusing on cloud solutions like Oracle ERP Cloud.

While 2033 may seem like a long way off, the decision to move to the cloud should not be put off. Implementing a cloud migration strategy takes time and planning, and waiting until the last minute can lead to unnecessary process complications and disintegrations. How to migrate on-premise workloads to Oracle Cloud is essential but it’s important to note that this doesn’t mean you need to make the transition immediately. By starting to plan and understand your options now, you can ensure a smooth and cost-effective transition when the time comes.

Oracle provides different levels of support for EBS to meet the unique needs of different customers. These support levels range from basic technical support to comprehensive managed services. However, as more organizations embrace cloud computing, planning a transition from an existing EBS environment to the cloud is becoming increasingly critical. A carefully planned migration can help businesses reap the benefits of cloud computing while minimizing disruption to their operations. This blog will explore the different levels of EBS support provided by Oracle and why planning a move to the cloud is crucial at each level.

Levels of Oracle EBS Support

1) Oracle Premier Support

Oracle Premier Support is the initial support stage that typically lasts up to 5 years from the release date of the Oracle EBS solution. It provides essential services like critical patch updates, technical support, and access to ‘My Oracle Support.’

If your business currently uses an Oracle product on Premier Support, starting planning for the future is essential, even though the deadline for ending support is in 2033. As the EBS products move closer to the end of their Premier Support phase, it becomes increasingly important to plan a move to the cloud to avoid potential risks associated with unsupported software.

2) Oracle Extended Support

Oracle Extended Support is a secondary phase of EBS support that enables businesses to extend the life of a specific application or solution beyond the designated deadline by paying an additional fee. This option is available for up to three years after the Oracle Premier Support period ends. This level of support includes all the services provided in Premier Support, as well as access to critical bug fixes and security patches.

However, substantial support fees may be associated with keeping a solution or application operational using Oracle Extended Support. Extended support costs 10% of the existing support fee in the first year, 20% of the current support fee in the second year, and 20% in the third year.

It is worth noting that while Oracle Extended Support is available, access to critical bug fixes and security patches becomes more limited. Hence, businesses should aim to reduce their reliance on Oracle EBS over time to avoid the need for extended support. Planning a move to the cloud can help ensure that your system remains secure and up-to-date.

3) Oracle Sustaining Support

The Oracle Sustaining Support phase is the final support stage after the Premier, and Extended Support phases have ended. Users can access technical support, updates, bug fixes, critical patch updates, upgraded scripts, and other limited licenses during this stage. However, this phase intends to sustain or maintain a platform instead of facilitating progress. Businesses may need help with encryption and legislative challenges, including security threats and non-compliance with regulatory guidelines.

Despite receiving minimal support during this phase, users must still pay the same monthly support costs. Without any further updates or patches, systems can become increasingly vulnerable to security threats and performance issues. While this phase may not be an immediate concern, it is crucial to plan for the future and explore options for upgrading to a more advanced solution like cloud to help mitigate these risks and provide access to the latest technology.

Don’t Go to the Cloud Alone – Why Seek Managed Services?

Moving from an existing EBS environment to the cloud can be a complex process that requires specialized skills and expertise. Here are some reasons to help you understand how Datavail’s managed services program can help plan this transition seamlessly:

Expertise: Datavail provides you with a team of seasoned experts who have over 12+ years of experience in cloud migration and can guide you through the process. They can help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure that your migration is successful.

Cost Savings: Datavail has significant economies of scale, which enables us to provide cost-effective solutions for customers looking to migrate to the cloud. We can help you reduce your maintenance costs compared to what you were paying to maintain your existing EBS environment. This allows businesses to free up funds to invest in other areas, such as innovation or expansion. In addition, we offer optimization services to help you streamline your cloud environment, reduce costs, and improve overall efficiency.

Security: Datavail ensures that your data and applications are secure in the cloud. We help you implement best practices for security and compliance and provide ongoing monitoring and management to detect and mitigate security threats. This also includes proactive maintenance and patching, as well as regular security assessments and compliance monitoring.

Flexibility: Datavail’s strong assessment programs help our experts to analyze what is best suited for your organization. We then offer you flexible options for cloud migration, such as a lift-and-shift approach, which can help you minimize disruption to your business operations and ensure a smooth transition.

Support: Datavail provides comprehensive support services, including 24/7 monitoring, rapid response times, and personalized support from a dedicated team of experts. This can help businesses improve their service levels and ensure that critical applications remain up and running.

Maximizing ROI: By extending the life of your existing applications, Datavail can help customers maximize their return on investment. This allows businesses to continue to benefit from the functionality of their existing systems while planning their migration to the cloud or other modern solutions.

Leverage Datavail’s Managed Services and Navigate the Future of Your Business

With Oracle ending support for its E-Business Suite by 2033, your business may be tempted to try to salvage existing on-premises legacy application environments due to familiarity and resistance to change. However, utilizing Oracle support mechanisms can quickly become extremely expensive and difficult to navigate. Therefore, your business should begin implementing a cloud migration strategy instead of restricting yourself to the financial and data-oriented complexities of moving through various stages of Oracle support.

At Datavail, we offer a wide range of EBS and Cloud managed services to help businesses support their existing EBS application portfolio while planning to future proof your enterprise by making the cloud move. Our team of experts can help you navigate the complexities of the Oracle support mechanisms and guide you through the cloud migration process.

Review our whitepaper, “Lift and Shift On-Premises E-Business Suite to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure,” for further insight into the various benefits of cloud environments and how to undergo a cloud migration. Feel free to contact our team of experts to discuss your needs and help you understand the wide variety of benefits your business can take advantage of by partnering with Datavail to utilize managed services and plan your journey to the cloud.