SAP NetWeaver BW 7.5 has been a stalwart in many SAP landscapes, enabling enterprises to consolidate, transform and report on large volumes of business data. But that era is drawing to a close. SAP has confirmed that mainstream maintenance for NetWeaver 7.5, and therefore BW 7.5 on NetWeaver, will end on 31 December 2027, with optional extended maintenance available until 31 December 2030.
This sunset has significant implications. It affects not only technical support but also your broader data strategy, operations and cost structure.
Risks and pressures of staying on BW 7.5 too long
Extended support might sound like breathing space but relying on a system in or beyond “extended maintenance” comes with increasing risks and costs such as:
#1: Diminishing vendor support: After 2027/2030, fixes, updates and compliance patches will stop
#2: Tooling deprecations: BEx tools dependent on Excel are being phased out
#3: Security exposure: Future bugs or vulnerabilities will not be patched
#4: Rising maintenance cost: BW 7.5 expertise is becoming scarce
#5: Technical debt & stagnation: Innovation in legacy systems is slowing down
#6: Integration friction: BW 7.5 struggles to keep pace with hybrid data cloud data environments
Considering your next step
When evaluating options, there’s no one size fits all. Below are the key strategic paths:
#1: Stay on BW 7.5 with extended maintenance: Short term relief, but high long term cost.
#2: Upgrade to SAP BW/4HANA: Supported through 2040, better performance and simplification.
#3: Move to SAP Datasphere: A cloud native, scalable and future ready platform.
#4: Adopt a hybrid approach using BW Bridge: Transition gradually, using SAP’s bridging technologies.
Why SAP Datasphere deserves your attention
SAP Datasphere (formerly SAP Data Warehouse Cloud) represents SAP’s evolution toward a modern, cloud first, hybrid data environment.
#1: Modern architecture: Built for the cloud with flexibility at its core
#2: Self-service modelling: Empowers both IT and business teams to work independently yet cohesively
#3: Leverage your BW investments: BW Bridge and Model Transfer allow you to migrate without starting over
#4: Preserve business context: Retain your established semantics from SAP S/4HANA
#5: Unified data fabric: Combine SAP and non SAP data within a single environment
#6: Agility and innovation: Continuous updates, integration with AI and machine learning and improved scalability
Practical considerations before you move
Like any transformation, moving to Datasphere needs planning and realism. Keep these points in mind:
#1: Migration effort: Understand what needs to move and what can be retired
#2: Cost and operations: Plan for new subscription and management models.
#3: Performance trade offs: Hybrid data landscapes can introduce latency
#4: Feature parity: Some BW features are not yet replicated in Datasphere
#5: Governance and security: Roles and permissions need redefinition
#6: Ecosystem maturity: Best practices continue to evolve
A practical roadmap for transition
Here’s a structured, low risk approach to moving forward:
#1: Assessment and discovery: Map your BW landscape and identify dependencies
#2: Proof of concept or pilot: Test Datasphere on a small, controlled use case
#3: Phased migration: Move workloads in manageable stages
#4: Parallel operations: Run BW and Datasphere concurrently during transition
#5: Front end Adaptation: Migrate reporting tools to Datasphere
#6: Governance and operations stabilisation: Redefine roles and train users.
#7: Decommission legacy BW 7.5: Retire or repurpose once confident in the new setup
The takeaway
The end of mainstream support for SAP NetWeaver BW 7.5 signals more than just a technical deadline. It’s a turning point for how your organisation manages, integrates and draws value from data.
Taking a proactive, planned approach now can reduce risk, avoid disruption and lay the foundation for a more agile and scalable data landscape in the future.
If you’re ready to start shaping your roadmap, now is the time to explore what SAP Datasphere can offer.
Read more on SAP Datasphere.
