SAP support pack upgrade

[Former Member]

Dear Experts,

There has been a discussion with my colleagues to discontinue support pack upgrade. But we are not able to reach to any consensus. We would require your opinion on the same.

Background of the discussion:

Since we are using SAP-EH&S in highly customized manner, support pack causes more issues rather than improvements. Each time we have to invest lot of efforts while testing the system after support pack is applied. We have to stop all the development work for 2 months.

I need to know:

- What are the implications of discontinuing support pack upgrades?

- SAP will no longer provide support for current SAP-EH&S module after 2020. What possible issues can we face if no support pack upgrade is done? I believe after 2020 other module would be used, so we are looking for only next 5 years or so.

- Have there been any other module (highly customized) facing similar issues?

- Do we lose support from SAP if we don’t upgrade the system?

I tried to approach SAP as well but couldn't get a straight answer.

Thanks,

Apoorv Bhargava

[christoph_bergemann]

Dear Apoorv

in regards of:

What are the implications of discontinuing support pack upgrades?

=> you will never get "legal updates". A support package is not only a "fix"; but sometimes SAP is delivering new solutions based on legal topics. Good example is "SVT". This is shipped with a Support Package only; you should not never ever try to implement the more than 100 OSS notes manually

=> you will never get "error" fixes; yes you can implement one OSS after the other (if neededI but this is the wrong approach

=> if you would like to do "major upgrade" (e.g. SAP 6.0 EnhPack7) you need to go through the whole process; and only by high level SAP releases you will get the "newest" functions

On the top only by installing SP or Upgrade you will get updates in property tree (only if you buy legal content from SAP the story would be different)

In regards of:

Background of the discussion:

Since we are using SAP-EH&S in highly customized manner, support pack causes more issues rather than improvements. Each time we have to invest lot of efforts while testing the system after support pack is applied. We have to stop all the development work for 2 months.

Be happy that you only need 2 months; in most cases more than that is needed,

In regards of:

SAP will no longer provide support for current SAP-EH&S module after 2020. What possible issues can we face if no support pack upgrade is done? I believe after 2020 other module would be used, so we are looking for only next 5 years or so.

Anybody has the same situation here. After 2020 clearly SAP must deliver a solution (alternative etc.); (and you can extend maintenance period as well)

- Have there been any other module (highly customized) facing similar issues? => I am pretty sure that SAP SD, SAP Mm etc. is the same story

- Do we lose support from SAP if we don’t upgrade the system? = in my opinion no. But if you need to strat OSS the story is always the same: they will come back and ask you to implement SP etc.

A lot of SAP services exists to help you in your situation. But you can help yourself. One option is;

a.) create first a "sandbox" with current SAP ERP release and prepare EHS

b.) then compare your set up to standard set up and list" differencies"

c.) start of analyzing: what can be done to get "closer" to standard

d.) start with "quick win" standardization and the generate a list of "subprojects" to take care the other differences so that may be after a short time (may be only one year) you are much closer to SAP standard

In regards of:

Since we are using SAP-EH&S in highly customized manner => as long as you are using only customizing you are in "Standard". There should be less problems in update/upgrade; only if you have adpated SAP codings etc. you have a problem.

C.B.

PS: may be check as well:

[former_member215519]

Hi both, can you share more about below part? Any web link for this? Did not aware of this 2020 change.

Thanks.

===================================================================

SAP will no longer provide support for current SAP-EH&S module after 2020. What possible issues can we face if no support pack upgrade is done? I believe after 2020 other module would be used, so we are looking for only next 5 years or so.

Anybody has the same situation here. After 2020 clearly SAP must deliver a solution (alternative etc.); (and you can extend maintenance period as well)

==========================================================================

[christoph_bergemann]

Dear John

you are "misinterpreting" the situation. There is a general SAP maintenance strategy in place. EHS is part of ECC which is part of SAP ERP. SAP ERP is "maintained". What will happen 2020 nobody knows..

But there is an official place to look: This is SAP marketplace

So don't panic; in the past the situation was the same (with SAP 4.6, etc. etc.) and SAP delivered always a solution (e.g. may be we get SAP ERP 7.0 instead of 6.0).

C.B.

[former_member215519]

Hi Christophe, ok, i see. Then it's not too bad