Understanding SAP BusinessObjects BI Suite Licensing

Business Objects (BO) is a comprehensive suite of tools designed for data reporting and analytics within Business Intelligence (BI) platforms. The company Business Objects was founded in 1990 and experienced significant growth, boasting over 46,000 customers by the time it was acquired by SAP in October 2007. The purchase was finalized on January 22, 2008. Following the acquisition, SAP rebranded and integrated Business Objects’ products into its portfolio, creating the SAP BusinessObjects BI suite. SAP also leveraged Business Objects technologies to develop SAP Analytics Cloud, which combines BI capabilities. The SAP BusinessObjects BI suite encompasses various applications that empower users to explore data, conduct analysis, and generate visual reports.

Components of BusinessObjects BI Suite

The SAP BusinessObjects BI suite offers different licensing models, that have evolved over time. The various versions include different combinations of the following components:

1. Web Intelligence (WebI): A web-based tool for data analysis and report creation, allowing users to distribute reports or export them to formats like PDF and Excel.
2. Crystal Reports: Ideal for individual users and SMBs, this tool generates dynamic reports from multiple data sources, accessible both online and offline.
3. Dashboards: Enables the creation of interactive dashboards from reports featuring various visual elements like charts and gauges.
4. Analysis for OLAP: A tool for in-depth data analysis using Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) cubes.
5. Explorer: A self-service tool for data exploration and visualisation.
6. Analysis for MS Office: Integrates BI capabilities directly into Microsoft Office applications.
7. Lumira: A data discovery and visualisation tool for creating interactive dashboards and analytics applications.

SAP BO offers flexibility with deployment options, allowing customers to choose between on-premise or cloud solutions. The SAP BusinessObjects Private Cloud Edition provides a managed cloud environment for transitioning from on-premise solutions, while SAP Analytics Cloud combines BI, predictive analytics, and planning capabilities in a single cloud-based platform.

SAP BO Licensing Models Over the Years

SAP has employed various licensing models for the BO suite over the years. Customers can purchase BO components as a bundle with a single license for all, or individually to meet specific business needs.

You can identify your licensing model by referring to the naming convention and the year of your first BO license purchase. For example, if you first purchased “SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise, professional edition” in 2016, the naming and date correspond to the BO (BusinessObjects) Enterprise Professional Model from 2016-2018. This principle applies to all models over the years. Knowing your model ensures you apply the correct licensing rules and avoid the risks of unlicensed use.

Legacy Models (Pre-2014)

Before 2014, the licensing models – from Legacy (before 2009) to the BA&T BI Suite (2011 – 14) – required two types of licenses for each user needing BO access. A license for accessing the BO application and a Named User License (NUL). NULs were categorized into editor/admin or viewer roles, with different licenses for standalone (SA) and integrated (IN) systems.

Determining the required NUL is dependent on the user’s intended BO usage and the customer’s system type. NUL licenses are divided into editor/admin or viewer categories. Editor licenses are further split based on whether a user intends to edit a single component or multiple components. Viewer licenses allow users to view all components. Both the editor/admin and viewer licenses have two options: one for standalone systems (SA) and another for integrated systems (IN). The appropriate license is then selected based on the customer’s system configuration.

For example, if a customer is on the BA&T BI Suite Bundle model (2011-14), on a standalone system, each user would require:

• 1 BA&T BI Suite access license.
• 1 NUL if an editor (SA BI Limited NUL for an editor/admin user for a single component or SA Analytics Professional NUL for multiple components).

Alternatively, if a customer chooses to license the BA&T BI Component model (2011-14), on an integrated system, each user will require:

• 1 BA&T BI Components, BO access license.
• 1 component access license such as Analysis for OLAP.
• 1 NUL if an editor (Analytics Professional NUL for an editor/admin user for a single component BI Limited NUL for multiple components).

Simplified Licensing Models (Post-2014)

From the BI Suite (2014 -15) to the BO Enterprise (2019) models, the latter still being the most recent model, SAP simplified the licensing process. Instead of purchasing two licenses per user, only one license is required for these models. For bundle license models, users only need one access license regardless of the components being accessed.

For instance, under the BO Enterprise bundle model, each user requires only a Enterprise Professional license. The BO Enterprise Premium and BO Enterprise Professional bundles (2016 -18) differ slightly: the bundle was split into two, providing access to different components. The BO Enterprise Premium model is the more comprehensive bundle, offering access to a broader range of components and the BO Enterprise Professional provides access to a more limited set.

Similarly, licensing by components was simplified in 2014, as each user only requires one access license for the required components. For example, under the BI Component (2014) model, a user needing access to Analysis for OLAP would purchase just one access license for that component. The latest component-based model, Web Intelligence (2019), is slightly different; it provides access specifically to the Web Intelligence component only, which is the most commonly used.  If a customer requires access to additional components, they will need to purchase the BO Enterprise (2019) bundle model with access to all components.

SAP BusinessObjects Cloud Options

SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) is the go-forward platform for enterprise analytics. This platform offers integrated BI and predictive planning in a single application, providing business users with self-service access to insights and the ability to explore live data. SAP Analytics Cloud delivers business intelligence, enterprise planning, and analytic applications, with augmented analytics enabled throughout all workflows. SAC can extend existing capabilities for SAP BusinessObjects BI customers looking to modernise their analytics. It is available in two editions: Public and Private. The Private Edition features a dedicated system per tenant and allows upgrades to system memory. Licensing for SAP Analytics Cloud distinguishes only between BI and Planning, with main capabilities like analytics designer, predictive features, and all BI capabilities included in the BI license. Many SAPS BusinessObjects BI customers use SAP Analytics Cloud alongside their on-premise SAP BusinessObjects BI for modern analytics.

Announced in Q1 2021, SAP BusinessObjects Private Cloud Edition (PCE) allows customers to move their existing on-premise SAP BusinessObjects platforms to a private cloud environment managed by SAP. This edition includes the full SAP BusinessObjects platform capabilities, such as Lumira, Web Intelligence, Analysis for Office, and Crystal Reports. It is hosted on a hyperscaler (e.g., Azure, AWS, Google) or SAP Cloud Infrastructure and comes pre-configured with everything required to run the application as part of a standard service package.

SAP offers flexible pricing models with pre-defined “T-shirt” sizes – Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large – based on deployment needs such as the number of users or concurrent users. This allows customers to select the model that best fits their requirements.

Each option includes Platform Services, such as annual upgrades and flexible scheduling based on customer preferences. Additionally, the subscription provides connectivity to SAP Cloud Agent, Live Data Connect, and SAC Agent, enabling integration with SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP BusinessObjects On-Premise, and other SAP cloud applications as needed.

Commercially, SAP BusinessObjects PCE allows customers to cancel their existing on-premise agreements and transition to a simple cloud subscription model, based on per-user or concurrent user pricing. This subscription encompasses the software licence, infrastructure, and operational services required to run SAP BusinessObjects efficiently.

Licensing Metrics

SAP BusinessObjects BI suite is licensed as one of a few metrics, the most common being:

• Named Users.

This is the sole metric for the BusinessObjects Cloud licenses.

• Concurrent Sessions (CS): refers to the aggregate number of sessions accessing the software simultaneously. The CS count determines the maximum number of users accessing the BO system at any one time.

For example, with 50 CS licenses, only 50 users can be logged in at any given time. Should a 51^st user attempt to access the system they will be denied entry.

Do note, that if a user is assigned a CS license on one of the legacy models (pre-2014) and requires editor access they will also need a corresponding NUL.

The following are other metrics, that are less common:

• Public Documents (PD): Based on the number of executable objects on the platform. This metric was discontinued in 2021.

CPU: Represents the maximum total cumulative CPUs on which all the BO software may be installed and used. This metric was phased out between 2011 and 2014.

BO License Measurement Tool (LMBI)

To manage and evaluate licensing, SAP offers the License Measurement tool (LMBI). This tool allows customers to measure deployed license keys, evaluate user rights, and assess server metrics. It can also classify users as editors or viewers based on their activities within the BO system. The output from the LMBI remains local and is not automatically sent to SAP, making it essential for self-evaluations and audits to ensure compliance and optimal use of licences.

The different BO use functions—editor/admin and viewer—each have associated usage rights assigned to users. The LMBI evaluates these enabled rights for each component for every user in the BO system. Ensuring compliance and optimal use of licenses is crucial, as mismatches between enabled rights and purchased licenses can lead to unauthorized usage.

Future Roadmap

SAP plans to introduce SAP BusinessObjects BI 2025, focusing on enhanced report generation, information access, and integration with complex landscapes. This release, expected in Q4 2024, will mark a shift towards minor updates every two years, each accompanied by three years of Mainstream Maintenance.

Customers using SAP BusinessObjects BI version 4.2 should upgrade to version 4.3 by the end of 2024, as support for version 4.2 will cease. Version 4.3 brings a modern user experience and significant enhancements. Notably, some components will no longer be supported in SAP BusinessObjects BI 2025. These include:

• SAP Lumira
• SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise
• UNV universes
• SAP BusinessObjects Universe Design Tool
• SAP BusinessObjects Live Office
• SAP BusinessObjects Analysis, Edition for OLAP.

Mainstream maintenance for these components will end in 2025, with a recommendation to migrate to UNX universes where applicable.

SAP advises transitioning to SAP Analytics Cloud gradually by moving workloads incrementally to adopt advanced analytics in a flexible cloud-based platform. This approach allows for a smooth migration while leveraging the capabilities of SAP Analytics Cloud.

Conclusion

SAP BusinessObjects BI suite provides robust tools for data analysis and reporting, featuring flexible deployment and licensing options to meet diverse business needs. Staying updated with licensing models, using the LMBI tool for compliance, and planning for future upgrades will ensure you get the most benefit from SAP’s BI solutions.

For expert support and advice on managing your SAP BusinessObjects environment, reach out to JNC consultants. Our team is here to help you navigate licensing complexities and optimize your BI tools for maximum efficiency.