The future of EAServer

[Former Member]

Sybase/SAP have been quiet about EAServer for a long time. Is it yet another good product that will be allowed to wither until it is discontinued?

I have some ideas about EAServer futures and would like to hear what everyone else thinks.

I think that they should go back to the version 5.5 code line, clean out all the Java only stuff, change the name back to Jaguar and make full production use of it included with the PowerBuilder license.

[Former Member]

Can only agree with Rolands' original statement

go back to the version 5.5 code line, clean out all the Java only stuff, change the name back to Jaguar and make full production use of it included with the PowerBuilder license.

[Former Member]

I wonder if appeon could release a replacement

[Former Member]

Not sure we need to, between the capabilities of PB to deploy business logic as .NET server components and SAP possibly adding this capability to NetWeaver and HANA Cloud as well, it just doesn't make sense for Appeon to double-up on this effort. 

[Former Member]

Hi Armeen;

  You bring up some good points. However, the only way I can see (guess) that SAP will proceed to integrate NVUO's into NetWeaver will be to use the EAS's "Application Server Plug-In" (ASP) that allows the JVM to host the PBVM in any J2EE server. While this would certainly work and be a quick to market path for SAP to support PB in NW - it would also incur the following overhead & risks:

1) EAS's 6.x architecture used a "bean" wrapper on all C++ based NVUO's which made them instantiate and run slower. The ASP product uses the same EAS 6.x code and thus would incur the same performance degradation.

2) The ASP would still force NW to run with the overhead of the PBVM (single threaded, non-reentrant, 32bit dinosaur)

3) EAS's 5.x architecture was C++ based which was much faster. However, with NW & ASP the PBVM would still get dragged down in all the J2EE interop's.

4) Keeping the PBVM in the picture would mean that multi-threading, fully re-entrant & 64bit support would be prohibited.

  The BIG opportunity for Appeon and HUGE benefit to the PB community to support NVUO's in the Appeon Server would be (IMHO) ...

a) No PBVM (the Achilles heel of PB these days)

b) NVUO's could run as proper C++/C# objects

c) Appeon could eliminate the "bean" wrapper when running as a .Net deployment

d) Appeon Server is already multi-threaded, re-entrant & 64bit compliant

etc

  Now, financially and technically - this would not be a "light" undertaking for Appeon and of course has the higher risk factor of a poor ROI considering the R&D necessary to make that architecture happen. What would be "kool" though is if <hint> SAP drooped some "coin" on Appeon to make this happen </hint> and helped mitigate the risk.

  Anyway, maybe some day an interesting avenue for Appeon to pursue. In the mean-time though ... I think Appeon can begin to decommission their EAServer R&D and Support activities.

Regards ... Chris

PS: Also, will SAP even bother with PB in NW?     ==> an interesting item to check on during the PB road map presentation on Dec 3rd at PBUGG! <==  

[Former Member]

Dear All,

EAS License ENDS.

OMG...

So whats next....

What will our customer will do ?

What will our company do ?

What will happens to our NEW customer ?

Now what will we do ?

Any ALTERNATE ?

Thanks

Naveed Amir

[Former Member]

What will be the Migration plan then ?

What will be the ALTERNATIVE of EAS, SAP is providing.

Thanks

Adeel Imtiaz

[Former Member]

They haven't said anything official but since NetWeaver is an SAP product, that is the likely direction. They would have to produce a NetWeaver plug-in to support PowerBuilder.

[Former Member]

The problem with that is the new licence costs. Also I would not hold my breath on that one.

I believe that the way forward is to convert to FAT client and then to Appeon if you need to deploy to a server.

I can see that people will settle for a FAT client application. We are currently working on a a plan to deliver the FAT client conversion as a service (with Appeon conversion after if required). Subject to how big the market demand is for such a service.

Cheers

David

[Former Member]

Hi David;

  Yes, Appeon already today would allow you to deploy your PB applications to .Net, Java and Linux based servers, make your code 64 bit complaint, multi-threaded and re-entrant (no PBVM). So that "tact" is an interesting strategy for sure. 

Good luck!

Regards ... Chris

[Former Member]

Hi Roland

I have asked SAP about EAS many times and have not had a reply. We support customers who are concerned about their future and would like to be able to give them some path for the future.

Although I have not had anything concrete these are the facts...

1. If you search for EAS on SAP's site you will not find it.

2. If you go to the EAS page on the Sybase site you will be directed to NetWeaver.

3. There has been no talk about EAS for years.

4. There are still EBF's being released, last one March 2013.

5. Support for EAS was all okay up until the end of last year when the support guys were merged into SAP, after which we have struggled to get any response to problems.

It will wither and die!

I'm not sure that people will more to NetWeaver as the cost of doing so would go a long way to redeveloping in an alternative technology, away from PB as well. I suspect we will loose the customers over time.

"This is just my opinion, you understand"

Regards

David

[Former Member]

Hi David;

   FWIW: Even InfoMaker still does not appear on SAP's website either and Sybase promised last February that they would have this fixed by March ... and now its April!   

  I feel your pain! 

Regards ... Chris

[Former Member]

Perhaps the changes are still awaiting moderator approval?

[Former Member]

Well gentlemen (and ladies) I have been given an answer about EAServer.....

With respect to EA Server:

End of Sale  23^rd October 2013

End of Life  31^st August 2014

End of mainstream maintenance 31^st January 2015

  Currently there is no replacement road map

Just thought I would share that info as I had not heard it before.

Happy days.

[Former Member]

Hi David;

  Thanks for sharing (I think)!  

  FWIW: Given what was happening at Sybase's EAS team prior to SAP's purchase ...this does not surprise me at all. I had predicted this EOL coming for a quite few years now.  

  The next big question is whether SAP will provide a migration path to NetWeaver for EAS/PB customers & Applications?

Regards ... Chris

[Former Member]

Hi David,

is there a "official link" for the announcement "End of Sale"?

I haven´t found the announcement up now.

Thank´s

   Helmut

[Former Member]

Not that I have found. I received the information as a reply to a direct question.

[Former Member]

Thank´s David. I have started an official request.

[Former Member]

Hi Roland;

  I would have to agree with Bruce's observation at this juncture in EAS's product life. All SAP needs to do is resurrect the "Application Server Plug-In" piece of EAS and make it work with SAP's Application Server (AS) NetWeaver (NW). That would allow NW to host the PBVM and expose NVUO's as a JavaBean or Web Service from inside of NW. At that time - it would make no sense (to me at least) to keep two AS's around.

  The EAS architect and original project manager have been out of the EAS piture for quite some time and no new development has been seen for years now either. So I suspect that it will just be left to "wither away" - as you said - as more people look for alternative AS platforms.

Regards ... Chris

[Former Member]

The discussion I've heard lately is towards making PowerBuilder components deployable as servlets into NetWeaver.  Given that direction, I would expect to see EAServer wither until it's discontinued.  They probably don't need to have two application server offerings, and it looks like NetWeaver would be the candidate to continue with going forward.  Sorry, but just my $0.02.