For those in a hurry: video as text

This video is for all Hyperion Planning, HFM and Essbase customers out there. Are you also a little confused by all the announcements over the past few months regarding the Hyperion upgrade? Do you also have too little time and don't feel like spending hours in webinars to get answers that you can also get within 10 min? Then you have come to the right place.
My name is Philipp Ay. I have been in the Hyperion business for almost 20 years and have experienced several evolutionary steps of the software.
In this video, I will answer the following question for you: "Hyperion Upgrade 11.2 - What is going on?" As short and snappy as it gets.  
Welcome to your new favorite vlog "EPMFOX".
In the next 7 minutes, I will answer the following questions:
What are the facts? Do I need to upgrade at all?
What happens if I don't want to? How much will it cost me?  
I will round off the topic in further, separate spin off videos, but more about that later.  
Let's start with the first question:  

Chapter 1.1 What are the facts?
Fact 1: "Premier Support" for Oracle Hyperion On Premise version 11.1.x expires on December 31, 2021.   Please explain the terms Premier Support and On Premise.  What does this sentence mean in detail?
Oracle classifies software into three support categories: Premier, Extended and Sustaining Support. If a product is in Premier Support, it will be actively developed further, bugs are corrected and updates are delivered. If, on the other hand, a product is in Sustaining Support, it is no longer developed further and becomes obsolete.
On Premise software is software that can be downloaded from the provider, installed in the provider's own data center and operated there by the provider's own IT. The products HFM, Hyperion Planning, Essbase or FDMEE are all Hyperion On Premise products. So, simply put, it means that HFM, Planning, and Essbase in the old version 11.1.x will not be developed further as of January 2022.
Fact 2: As a successor, Oracle released version 11.2 last year.  Well, it's not a minor "update", but a major "upgrade", which in turn means more work. It is comparable to switching from Windows 7 to Windows 10.  
And that's what all the hype is about?
Well, the hype is mainly because various interest groups want to use this upgrade to sell their own or new products. Time pressure is created by "end of December", which is supposed to bring about quick decisions. It is pretended that HFM, Planning and Essbase are discontinued products.  Hmm, is that really so? Are HFM, Planning and Essbase discontinued products? Is it worth upgrading to 11.2 at all?  

Chapter 1.2 - Do I need to upgrade?
To answer the question, let's first look at what's new in 11.2. Logging into 11.2, everything looks the same as before. How come? Reason 1: Some additional components were abolished, namely the following. Never heard of them? Well, now you know why they don't exist anymore.
Reason 2: Changes are under the hood/ vielleicht eher: below the surface and are all technical.
•A system landscape is always an amalgamation (fusion? combination?) of software from different providers, which in their entirety mesh like cogs.  •For example, Hyperion requires an operating system on which it can be installed, a database in which the data can be stored, and a browser or Excel with which it can be operated.
 •To ensure error-free interoperation with these third-party tools, Oracle tests and certifies these tools.  •But what if the third-party vendor stops developing its software or discontinues support completely?  
•Then it's only a matter of time before things stop working or dangerous security vulnerabilities arise. By then, at the latest, your IT department will be on your doorstep demanding changes.
•With the 11.2 upgrade, Oracle is adapting its products to the latest software technologies. In doing so, it is pursuing the goal of making itself less dependent on third-party suppliers in the future. The 11.2 upgrade is supposed to be the last major upgrade.  
•And they go even further: They include Oracle Hyperion Tools in their Premier Support "Apps Unlimited" program. It provides for further development until at least 2032, with the possibility of annual extensions for an additional year.  
Huh, wait a minute, that sounds quite different. Is Hyperion about to end or not?  I'd better ask. Hey foxbot, can you give Oracle a call please?
With pleasure. Hello Oracle,  •Is Hyperion a discontinued product? No. •Will it continue to be supported until 2032? Yes. •Does it also mean that it will be developed further, are new functions coming? Yes. Ok, thanks. No further questions.
Here is a rough overview of what’s new in 11.2. Pick out the points that are relevant to you. By the way: You can express your own wishes via the Oracle Customer Connect website and vote on your favourite features.
Now let's get to the answer to the question: Do I need to upgrade?  Well, you don't have to. Especially not immediately. The world will continue to turn after Dec. 31, 2021.   The risk is not that HFM, Planning and Essbase 11.1 will stop working from 2022. The risk is that they will no longer be compatible with the rest of the software landscape in the medium and long term. For example, at some point you will no longer be able to retrieve your data from an 11.1x application via SmartView using the latest Excel version 2023, you will be stuck using Excel 2019.   Therefore: Yes, if you want to continue working with HFM, Planning, etc. and embed them in your system landscape, then you should upgrade in the medium term.   Let's move on to the last question:

Chapter 1.3 - What will it cost me?
License costs do not change - provided you have a current maintenance contract. If you don’t have one, you must not perform the upgrade.   The costs for the upgrade consist of the costs for  •the internal IT •the system service provider who installs Hyperion on the servers •and optionally consulting on the procedure and execution of the tests.  For a system environment of one production and one test environment with 3 servers each, you can assume about 10-15 consultant days.   Let's summarize the most important things:

Summary chapter 1  
Here again the most important in a nutshell:  Support for 11.1.2.4 will expire at the end of the year. No need to panic, the systems will still run in the medium term without updates.   11.2 is the technical basis for introducing new functions. Oracle guarantees further development until at least 2032.  
So, ladies and gentlemen, that's it. In a total of 8 minutes, you have now learned most of what is important. What are you going do with the remaining 52 minutes? I have a suggestion: Sign up below and don't miss the upcoming videos. Do you use Essbase or EPMA? Do you want to know how a migration works? Are you dissatisfied with the current software and want to improve things? Then follow me, because I got your back. See you in the next video!