Signposts On The Road To Fusion Applications

When Oracle announced the Fusion concept in early 2006, we were told that the journey to Fusion Applications would be an evolutionary trip. Sure enough, step by step, Oracle is making progress down the road to delivering Fusion Applications in 2008. As we travel down this road, Oracle’s incremental releases amount to signposts along the road to help us figure out how we’ll reach our destination. This seems like a good time to check the signposts, taking stock of where we’ve been and where we’re going.

The engine driving the Fusion architecture, Fusion Middleware, began taking shape over a year ago with the initial release of the applications server. The components of Fusion Middleware are the tools that will drive the integration and business process orchestration, business activity management, reporting and user interface features of Fusion Applications.

We have an even better feel for integration and business process orchestration with the recently-announced Applications Integration Architecture. This is the framework by which consolidated processes can span across the various Oracle Applications products.

Fusion Intelligence, which is based on Siebel Analytics, gives us some clues as to how Fusion Applications will look and feel. It also tells us how Oracle is willing to adjust their design and branding plans to accommodate changes and opportunities in the marketplace.

In my discussions with various Oracle folks, I’ve formed the impression that much of the current effort in developing Fusion Applications is centered on writing Functional Design docs. I’ve also formed the impression that the conceptual emphasis will be based on horizontal business processes that cut across vertical application modules – thinking about functionality in terms of an acquisition business process may make more sense than considering the functionality of a purchasing application. Now, I could be wrong about all these impressions but, until Oracle unveils the product, my impressions are just as good as the next guy's.

So, to obtain a good sense of where we’re going with Fusion Applications:

1) Check out the Fusion Middleware components

2) Investigate the Applications Integration Architecture

3) Take a look at Fusion Intelligence

4) Start thinking in terms of horizontal business processes rather than vertical application modules.

In traveling down the road and checking the signposts, we’ve gotten a better vision of where we’re are and how much further we have to go to reach our destination. Step by step, we’re learning more about the details of Fusion Applications. I suspect that, over the next few months, we’ll learn quite a bit more…which should help us all in planning for the future.

For Whom The Bell Tolls

"...therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." John Donne, Meditation XVII, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, 1624.

That's a line with deep meanings. It later formed the basis for Ernest Hemingway's 1940 novel "For Whom The Bell Tolls." The idea, without too much digression on my part, is that the ringing bell represents death or some type of end. As we're all intertwined in this existence, whenever the bell tolls, it represents some type of loss for each of us.

So, do you E-Business customers hear the bell ringing? It tolls to signify the end of Premier Support for E-Business Suite versions 11.5.7, 11.5.8, and 11.5.9 under Oracle's Lifetime Support program:

• If you're on 11.5.6 or earlier, your Premier Support expired in July 2006.

• Premier Support for 11.5.7 terminated in May 2007

• 11.5.8 Premier Support will end in November 2007

• Premier Support for 11.5.9 expires in June 2008
  

In considering what the loss of Premier Support means for those of us on these versions, it's important to keep in mind the current types of Oracle Support. In very simple terms, it lays out as follows:

• Premier Support is the type of support we all get when we purchase Oracle apps products.

• Extended Support comes into play after Premier Support expires. It preserves the service level of Premier Support for an additional period of time, but customers pay an increased cost for that service. Important note: Oracle is not offering Extended Support for any of the E-Business versions listed above.

• Sustaining Support allows customers to contact Oracle Support and get help diagnosing issues. However it's very important to remember that Sustaining Support does not include new updates, fixes, security alerts or critical patch updates. If you uncover a new issue on a product in Sustaining Support mode, you will be advised to upgrade to a release still eligible for Premier Support. All the products listed above have or will transition into Sustaining Support immediately after their end dates for Premier Support.

So, the upshot here is:

• If you're currently on 11.5.6 or 11.5.7, you're figuratively walking the circus high-wire without much of a net to catch you when you fall. Upgrading as soon as possible should be one of the top priorities in your shop.

• If you're on 11.5.8, you should be planning to upgrade by November 2007 to avoid joining those 11.5.6 and 11.5.7 folks in their high-wire act.

• If you're on 11.5.9, you should at least be considering a plan to upgrade before June 2008.
  

And to what version should you upgrade? Either 11.5.10.2 or Release 12. Upgrading to 11.5.8 or 11.5.9 only means you'll repeat the process again within the next year. And, for those of you who care about longer range planning:

• Premier Support for 11.5.10.2 ends in November 2009; Extended Support will be offered through November 2012.

• Premier Support for Release 12 ends in January 2012; Extended Support will be offered through January 2015.

You can read more about Oracle's Lifetime Support program here. Now, will you all please do something about that ringing bell so that we can all get some sleep?

Demystifying Fusion - Oracle Business Processes

The next eLearning session in OAUG's "Demystifying Fusion" series will be presented on June 7. The session, titled "Introduction to Oracle Business Process Models", will focus on business process modeling and analysis for Fusion. The session will outline Oracle's approach, methodology, and business process models, along with suggested uses for Oracle's business process models.

"Introduction to Oracle Business Process Models" will be presented by Pat Krebs. Pat is Oracle’s Director of Business Process Engineering and is responsible for the definition, control and oversight of Oracle’s application business processes.

The web-based presentation will take place on Thursday, June 7, at noon EST (US) and again at 5 p.m. EST (US). Admission is free if you are an OAUG member, but the available seats are going fast. You can find out more and sign up for one of the sessions here.