1. BusinessObjects Isn’t Dead — It’s Rewired

If you’re running BI 4.3 today, you’ve probably noticed the writing on the wall:
BI 2025 is no longer a patch; it’s a full re-platform. SAP’s message is clear — BusinessObjects remains in play through 2035, but it’s evolving into a modern, cloud-friendly, hybrid-capable platform.

In short: SAP is doubling down on BusinessObjects for the long haul — just not the way it looked in 2015.

2. Goodbye Legacy Tech, Hello Java 17 and Cloud-Ready Architecture

BI 2025 leaves a trail of fallen soldiers in its wake:

• Support removed for AIX, Solaris, and NetWeaver Java.

• Out goes WACS and the old SharePoint/Portal integrations.

• In comes SapMachine JRE 17 (based on Java 17), setting a new baseline for performance and security.

If you’ve been coasting on ancient middleware and hoping SAP would blink first — they didn’t.
Time to modernise your app servers, OS, and JVMs if you want to stay in support.

3. The Platform Matrix Just Got Stricter

BI 2025’s Platform Availability Matrix (PAM) is now more opinionated than ever:

• Only 64-bit OS supported (Windows Server 2022+ and modern Linux distros).

• ARM and Power architectures are out.

• Tomcat 9 is the only officially certified web app server (with Java 17).

The rule of thumb: If it’s not in mainstream maintenance, SAP won’t help you unless they can reproduce the issue on something that is.

Translation — no more “it works on our box” excuses when your OS is three releases behind.

4. Datasphere, HANA Cloud & S/4HANA Take Center Stage

SAP continues the drumbeat toward hybrid analytics.
BI 2025 officially certifies direct and UNX access to:

• SAP Datasphere Analytic Models

• SAP HANA Cloud 1.0

• S/4HANA 2023 FPS1 and newer

In other words, BusinessObjects isn’t being replaced by Datasphere — it’s being integrated with it.

Expect smoother data federation, OAuth 2.0 authentication, and cross-cloud publishing to Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive directly from the BI platform.

5. Security & Authentication Overhaul

Big news for those of us managing authentication headaches:

• SAML and OpenID Connect (OIDC) are now first-class citizens.

• Supported identity providers: Azure AD / Entra, Google, and SAP IAS.

• Old-school authentication kits for Oracle E-Business Suite and JD Edwards? Gone.

If your security team has been nagging about SSO compliance — congratulations, BI 2025 finally plays nice with modern identity stacks.

6. What This Means for You — the BI Admin or CIO

If you’re still on BI 4.2 or even 4.3 SP4 thinking you’ve got time, the clock’s ticking.

Mainstream maintenance for BI 4.3 ends December 2026, and the jump to BI 2025 isn’t a patch-and-pray exercise — it’s an architectural upgrade.

Here’s my no-spin advice:

• Audit your landscape now — servers, OS, database, app servers.

• Plan your upgrade window early 2026 while vendors still support both sides.

• Test everything — from custom universes to publication destinations.

• Don’t wait for SP2 — this is the cleanest foundation SAP’s released in years.

   

7. The Bottom Line

The BI 2025 Statement of Direction isn’t just another PDF for your inbox.
It’s SAP’s strongest signal yet that BusinessObjects has a future — but only for those willing to modernize.

And if you’re still wondering how to get there without breaking what’s working today — that’s literally what I do.

⚙️ Need Help Planning Your BI 2025 Upgrade?

I’ve been knee-deep in SAP BusinessObjects since version 5 (yes, back when Desktop Intelligence was still cool). I’ve done over 100 upgrades — from five-user shops to global enterprises — and I know all the potholes on this road.

If you’re planning your BI 2025 assessment, migration, or architecture review, reach out — I’ll get you current, stable, and future-ready.

👉 Contact me here  to book a BI 2025 roadmap session.