Longevity of ADS

[Former Member]

Hi there!

I am a fan of Advantage Database Server. All of the Windows-based Delphi applications I work on for my company are built off of an ADS database, and have been for close to a decade. Recently, there's been a push at my company to consider other database options because we're worried about the longevity of Advantage Database Server due to the introduction of SAP HANA.

I would rather not have to rebuild everything on another database, and I quite like the ease with which I was able to learn how to use ADS, but I understand the concerns about longevity. So, I'm asking you guys:

Why would you continue using or recommend Advantage Database Server instead of, say, Microsoft SQL Server?

Any feedback is much appreciated!

Thanks very much,

K.M. Williams

[MikePaola · Accepted solution]

Hi Marlene - SAP remains committed to the ADS product.  We are targeting an 11.1 SP for the end of June 2015 timeframe.  We are also targeting to release a new major version, v12, in the Sept-Dec 2015 timeframe.  I am glad to see that you've been an ADS fan and hope that with SAP's ongoing commitment to the product, we can continue to deliver versions that meet your requirements.

Regards, Mike

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Mike,

I just posted over in Devzone, but I'll post here as well.

When do you think you will have more information on 12?  I have clients quite literally freaking out that version 11 end of life is December this year.  That is panicking a lot of them.  We had a big meeting about transitioning time from version 11 to 12.  And I have a NUMBER of clients still on 10 because they're too scared to even invest in 11 fearing 12 will never come.

More information will help us developers save us from having to lose clients or us having to switch to a a different product to avoid losing our clients.

Also-  possibly you guys could discuss with the higher ups extneding version 11 End Life another 6 months so clients will be comfortable knowing they can take time testing production environments and not have to make the jump for 11 (or even 10) to 12 so fast.

Thanks,

Chris

[MikePaola · Accepted solution]

Hi Chris - as stated in my reply above to Marlene, we are still targeting an 11.1 SP for end of June 2015 and v12 for the Sept-Dec 2015 timeframe.

As for v11 end of mainstream maintenance (EOMM), I'm not sure where you read that it is December 2015.  As shown on the ADS Platforms Matrix (see here: http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-35432), the v11 EOMM is currently set for December 31, 2016.  As we get closer to that date, we will evaluate along with Engineering whether it makes sense to push it out further to allow for migration.

Regards, Mike

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the quick update Mike.

I have passed that along to the customers.  Not sure exactly the document they were looking at, but in our big customer conference we had in December two of our clients had copies of something that were taken off of either the devzone site I think.  And I can't be sure how old that was.

I gave them the link you posted today, and that dramatically alleviated concerns.

Thanks.

Chris

[MikePaola · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the feedback Chris - glad it helped alleviate concerns.

Regards, Mike

[Former Member]

I have been waiting for VS2013 support for over a year. I like advantage but for me I can't wait any longer.

I am in the process of converting all my apps to MS SQL.

Some of my customers will move, others won't but I want to be able to offer a database that is mainstream.

There has been little noise from SAP for quite a while.