What to Expect After the Business Objects XI 3.1 End of Life?
As a Business Objects user, you might be well aware that Business Objects XI 3.1 will soon reach its end of life. The end of life date for this version is set for December 31, 2020, and this means that the software will no longer be maintained, supported, or updated.
Business Objects has informed its users that they have the option to upgrade to the latest version, SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.3, or migrate to another BI solution. This article explores the consequences of the end of life of Business Objects XI 3.1 and the benefits of upgrading to the latest version.
The Consequences of Business Objects XI 3.1 End of Life
The end of life of Business Objects XI 3.1 means that users will no longer receive updates, patches, or support for the software. This ultimately leads to security vulnerabilities because security vulnerabilities are no longer fixed. One significant drawback of running on unsupported software is that you may not be able to meet compliance regulations. This could lead to legal complications and the loss of confidential data.
Furthermore, Business Objects may no longer support third-party integrations or add-ons, which could cause problems with existing IT systems. Additionally, the outdated software may lack features required for handling modern data types, such as big data, and could lead to hindering company productivity.
Benefits of Upgrading to SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.3
SAP’s latest BusinessObjects BI 4.3 version offers an upgrade path for existing Business Objects users, enabling them to avoid the consequences of using unsupported software while reaping the rewards with new functionality and advancements. SAP BI 4.3 has been engineered to meet modern-day data integration and reporting challenges.
The version improves upon its predecessor significantly, including accommodating new data types and offering much faster queries to databases. Moreover, the new release now includes Web Intelligence, the most significant and improved front end for Business Objects. The upgrade also results in a higher return on investment (ROI) because of the newly added functionalities, better performance, and user experience, and a more robust architecture.
Migrating to Another BI Solution
If upgrading does not interest you, one other option is to migrate to another BI solution. Many BI products compare to Business Objects, such as Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, and Qlik. However, choosing another product would require significant retraining of your team and significant initial investment. Still, it may be worth noting that a migration may present an opportunity to reevaluate your current BI strategy altogether, considering the new features and capabilities that other products offer throughout their BI solutions.
Conclusion
The end of life of Business Objects XI 3.1 suggests that it is important to consider upgrading to SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.3 or migrating to another BI solution as it ensures the security of your data and helps in increasing productivity. Upgrading to the latest version of Business Objects will provide you with more robust architecture, added features, and better performance. Alternately, moving to another BI tool can be a chance to fine-tune your current BI strategy. Ultimately it is up to the company to decide what it will do as we proceed towards Business Objects XI 3.1 End of Life.
