SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.3 (SAP BI 4.3) Released!

[Patrick_Perrier]

Source: Webi4Me

SAP BusinessObjects 4.3 SP00 Released!

June 12th, 2020

It has been exactly 4 years, 3 months and 5 days since the previous minor release of SAP BusinessObjects.  Time flies... SAP BI 4.2 was released on March 8th, 2016!

Well 4 years and many service packs, patches and hotfixes later, today I'm pleased to announce the first release of SAP BI 4.3 - version 14.3.0.3532!

Source: int33h.com

This version is announced to be supported for at least 7 years so that should take us to December 31st, 2027 at the earliest.  Who knows, maybe SAP BI 4.4 between now and then?!  You read this one here first ?

Timeline

• June 2018: SAP BI 4.3 first announced at SAP Sapphire

• Q4 2019: SAP BI 4.3 "Early" BETA

• Q1 2020: SAP BI 4.3 "Standard" BETA

• Q2 2020: SAP BI 4.3 "Extended" BETA

Source: Webi4Me

Source: SAP

What was released?

The usual suspects were released for a fresh Installation or Support Package:

• SBOP BI Platform 4.3 Server

• SBOP BI Platform 4.3 Client Tools (now only in 64-bit)

• SBOP BI Platform 4.3 Live Office

• SBOP BI Platform 4.3 Integration for SharePoint

• SBOP BI Platform 4.3 NET SDK Runtime

• SBOP BI Platform 4.3 Crystal Reports for Enterprise

• SAP Crystal Server 2020

• SAP Crystal Reports 2020

See SAP Note: 2936923

What's New?

There are several new features in this version of course.  Here are some slides.

Undoubtedly the biggest evolution with SAP BI 4.3 is with regards to the Enhanced User Experience via a new and Modernized User Experience.

The New Fiori Launchpad

Source: SAP

A Modernized and Simplified Web Intelligence

Source: SAP

A Rejuvenated User Experience

Source: SAP

Watch gregory.botticchio introduce and demonstrate live the new Fiori Launchpad and Web Intelligence in SAP BI 4.3 on YouTube.

Web Intelligence Data Model in SAP Analytics Cloud

Today in SAP BI 4.2 SP4+ it is possible to consume Universes as a data source in SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC).

From SAP BI 4.3, you go a step further and consume your Web Intelligence documents.

Source: SAP

More from SAP: What's New

Detailed blog by christian.ah-soon: SAP BI 4.3: What’s New In Web Intelligence and Semantic Layer

Deprecated and Catch up Features

Feature catch up and deprecated features for Web Intelligence in Business Intelligence 4.3

Deprecated features that no longer exist in 4.3 (see SAP Note: 2801797😞

• HTML Viewer in BI Launchpad

• Java Applet Viewer

• Desktop Intelligence Compatibility Pack (DCP)

• Upgrade Management Tool

• Report Conversion Tool

• SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards (aka Xcelsius)

• 
  
  
  
  • Dashboards and SAP BI 4.3 (SAP Note: 2739919)
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Dashboard Roadmap (SAP Note: 2579982)
  
  
  
  

• SAP BusinessObjects Explorer

• 
  
  
  
  • Explorer and SAP BI 4.3 (SAP Note: 2824537)
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Explorer Roadmap (SAP Note: 2679783)
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Explorer Remover Tool (SAP Note: 2930751)
  
  
  
  

• BI Widgets

• 
  
  
  
  • BI Widgets and SAP BI 4.3 (SAP Note: 2837139)
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • BI Widgets Roadmap (SAP Note: 2729987)
  
  
  
  

Delete deprecated content from BI Platform Repository after the update of BI 4.3.x (See Note: 2914654)

Feature Catch up (see SAP Note: 2937327😞

The features in the list below will be added in future support packages:

• Shared Elements

• SAP HANA Online Mode

• UI Customization

• Extension Points

• Freeze Header

• Send to FTP

• Query/ Document as a Web Service

• .TXT and .CSV as a data source

• Authoring intra-document links

Lumira Note:

SAP Lumira Server for BI Platform 2.3 and lower versions are NOT supported on SAP BI Platform 4.3 due to technical limitations: SAP Note: 2903302

Release schedule of SAP Lumira Server for BI Platform 2.4: SAP Note: 2465894

Download Location

These packages are available from (see SAP Note: 2936923😞

• Installations and Upgrades

• Support Packages & Patches

Upgrades and Migrations

Your Upgrade or Migration path will depends on which BOBJ version you are currently running:

• SAP BI 4.x

If you are running SAP BI 4.0, SAP BI 4.1 or SAP BI 4.2 you have the following options:

• 
  
  
  
  • Upgrade "in place" - I.e.: Install SAP BI 4.3 on top of SAP BI 4.x
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Upgrade "side by side" - I.e.: Like a migration, install a fresh SAP BI 4.3 server then move the objects
  
  
  
  

Note: I suggest reading my blog on "In Place" vs "Side by Side" Upgrades

Update: 26/06/2020 - My Latest Blog: Real Life Upgrade from SAP BI 4.x to SAP BI 4.3

• SAP BI 3.1 or earlier

This is a two steps process:

• 
  
  
  
  • You will need to migrate first from e.g. SAP BOXI 3.1 to SAP BI 4.2.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Upgrade (see above) from SAP BI 4.2 to SAP BI 4.3
  
  
  
  

Source: SAP Note 2921811

How did it go?

My test environment is running on an AWS EC2 t2.xlarge.  That's 4 Cores and 16GB RAM.

Note: You will need a new license key.  Your existing SAP BI 4.x key will not work.

To install SAP BI 4.3, you need to follow the exact same steps as in previous 4.x versions.

Products Installed:

• SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform Servers 4.3 - ONE

• 
  
  
  
  • 1/2 BIPLATS4300_0-70002684_P1.EXE
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • 2/2: BIPLATS4300_0-70002684_P2.RAR
  
  
  
  

• SBOP BI Platform Clients 4.3 - ONE

• 
  
  
  
  • BIPLATCLNT4300_0-70002771.EXE
  
  
  
  

Documentation

The usual documents have been made available on the SAP Help Portal:

• Released Notes & Fixed Issues: N/A

• Release Restrictions

• Release restrictions for Web Intelligence Rich Client in Business Intelligence 4.3

• Business Intelligence Platform Administrator Guide

• Business Intelligence Platform Installation Guide

• 
  
  
  
  • Windows
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Unix
  
  
  
  

• Business Intelligence Platform Upgrade Guide

Product Availability Matrix (PAM)

(Supported Platform)

Release to Customer (RTC): 12.06.2020

General Availability (GA): 12.06.2020

End of Mainstream Maintenance: 30.06.2025

End of Priority One Support Phase: 30.06.2027

• URLs:

• 
  
  
  
  • SAP BusinessObjects BI 4.2 Supported Platforms (PAM)
  
  
  
  

• 
  
  
  
  • Product Availability Matrix | SAP Support Portal
  
  
  
  

The most notable addition to the Relational Data Sources:

• Google BigQuery

Maintenance Schedule - What's Next?

• SAP BI 4.3 SP00

24.07.2020: SAP BI 4.3 SP00 Patch 1 (14.3.0.3569)

11.09.2020: SAP BI 4.3 SP00 Patch 2 (14.3.0.3625)

30.10.2020: SAP BI 4.3 SP00 Patch 3 (14.3.0.3677)

04.12.2020: SAP BI 4.3 SP00 Patch 4 (14.3.0.3715)

Week 4 (January 2021): SAP BI 4.3 SP00 Patch 5

Week 10 (March 2021): SAP BI 4.3 SP00 Patch 6

• 09.12.2020: SAP BI 4.3 SP01 (14.3.1.3701)

• SAP BI 4.3 SP02: Expected December 2021

Source: Maintenance Schedule

Source: BI Support Pack End of Life Dates

Conclusion

It's very exciting to see finally something new around SAP BusinessObjects!

Looking forward to testing and using it.

Next step.  Trying an in-place upgrade ?

Keep in Touch!

Hope this blog was useful.   Please do share your thoughts and comments.

Feel free to "like" and post it on social media!

Always happy to connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pperrier/

Take care... A+