As I’m sure you’ve heard, Premier Support for Oracle’s EBS 12.1.3 ceases at the end of December 2021. At that point, Oracle will provide Sustaining Support for this earlier version of EBS. For organizations still running on EBS 12.1.3, that means despite paying for support as part of your licensing, you won’t receive the following:
- New updates, fixes, security alerts, data fixes, critical patch updates
- New tax, legal, and regulatory updates
- New upgrade scripts
- Certification with new third-party products and versions
- Certification with new Oracle products
The pending change in support requires organizations reliant on EBS 12.1.3 to make some significant decisions. You can sustain the status quo, upgrade to a more recent version of EBS or use the opportunity to migrate some or all of your operations to Oracle Cloud Applications. The critical point with the latter—you can baby step into the Cloud. It doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing affair.
Each path comes with considerations. Let’s walk through each so that you can make the best decision for your organization.
Staying with the EBS 12.1.3 Status Quo
Can you stick with EBS 12.1.3? You absolutely can. Does it introduce an increasing amount of risk and hassle to your organization? There’s a high likelihood it does. It’s important to remember that EBS 12.1.3 is over a decade old. So while your staff may be comfortable using it, it doesn’t offer the functionality that newer EBS versions provide.
If you stick with this old favorite, you’ll continue to pay for support as part of your licensing fees. But as I mentioned before the level of support is significantly limited. This decision is somewhat of a non-decision—you’ll be kicking the can down the road until you do decide to make a change. I’d say that should be sooner rather than later.
Upgrading to EBS 12.2
You can also upgrade to EBS 12.2. Given that this version is also several years old, you’re still upgrading to an older technology. However, you would get the benefit of Oracle Premier Support, which is significant. Choosing to upgrade does require an investment of money and time—the lift is primarily on your IT team to implement and then test the new version with users.
Beyond Oracle support, consider the following…
- What new functionality does your team want or need?
- Is that provided by 12.2?
- If not, is it offered via Oracle Cloud solutions?
With Oracle’s R&D focus on Oracle Cloud, the company likely won’t be adding new significant features to its on-premise EBS systems. So you may not benefit much from added capabilities, even if you do upgrade. But on the plus side, you can minimize disruption and keep your staff working on a familiar system.
Should You Move to the Oracle Cloud?
Finally, you could use the end of EBS 12.1.3 as your opportunity to begin the migration to Oracle Cloud. This option sets your organization up to take advantage of all the benefits that Oracle Cloud offers. But it is a significant shift, culturally and technology-wise. With Oracle Cloud solutions, you transition the burden of maintenance and upgrades to Oracle. You also gain access to a whole range of solutions designed to streamline, automate and integrate your business processes. These added capabilities can provide efficiencies, cost savings, and even new revenue opportunities.
Even so, a wholesale cloud migration can seem overwhelming. That’s why augmenting EBS 12.1.3 or upgrading to EBS 12.2 and augmenting with specific modules, such as Oracle Procurement Cloud or Oracle Supply Chain Management Cloud, can be a smart approach. You can begin to experience some of the advantages the Oracle Cloud provides and then proceed with a full migration at a pace that works for your organization. The good news is that the transition from EBS to Oracle Cloud applications is relatively seamless. Oracle Cloud applications and EBS share similar terminology, workflow functionality, and similar processes.
Considering moving your EBS instance to the Oracle Cloud? Download our latest eBook to explore key considerations.
So, What is the Path Forward for EBS 12.1.3 Users?
There is no one exact right path. Instead, evaluate your most pressing priorities as you face the end of EBS 12.1.3. Look at what’s available via Oracle Cloud and how this lines up with your current and future needs. The certainty here: EBS 12.1.3 Premier Support is ending. But in figuring out your response, you have the opportunity to prepare your organization with the technology required to compete and win in the future.
Need some support in navigating Oracle EBS and Cloud options? Please email me with questions or concerns.