The New Features and Benefits of the EBS 12.2 Upgrade

Upgrading Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) from 11i to 12.2 meant the introduction of numerous changes steered towards modern user experience, functionality advancements, streamlined installation, operational efficiency, and increased performance. In this post, we discuss the new features and the benefits of the Oracle EBS 12.2 upgrade. For a more in-depth dive into the changes, features, and benefits of the release, download our latest whitepaper, EBS 12.2 Upgrade: A Managed Services Approach. 

New features of EBS 12.2

1. Better GUI

The new Oracle EBS 12.2 offers a modern user experience with a new look and feel. It now has icon-based page navigation where users can select an icon to view a summarized list of recent notifications, and new user interactions that allow the end user to scroll through, detach a table, and work with a wider width. It also has new widgets that improve user productivity.

2. Online patching

Online patching allows the application of patches to an EBS 12.2 system while it is still up and running, greatly reducing patching downtime. Functionality leverages Oracle 11gR2 Edition-Based Redefinition features to support online patching, therefore allowing patching to be applied while the production system is fully operational.

3. WebLogic Server

WebLogic Server is the replacement for the Oracle Containers for Java (OC4J) application server used in EBS 12.0 and 12.1. WebLogic obtains data from the database making use of the context from the metadata dictionary (constructs HTML page) and then makes the HTML page available to the end user with the help of Apache (Listener). WebLogic is integrated with this tier planning to create hybrid applications using OAF-ADF and optimizing clustering performances.

4. Apps password change routine

There are some slight modifications to the apps password change routine in the E-Business Suite Release 12.2. These changes include extra options to change your password, along with some manual steps using FNDCPASS.

A new utility called AFPASSWD has been introduced. Unlike FNDCPASS, it requires no apps or system user passwords. This permits the separation of duties between the database administrator and the application administrator. Often both these roles are performed by the same DBA, but in large organizations there may be different teams managing Database and Application.

Benefits of the EBS 12.2 upgrade

1. Streamlined installation process

Users now have an option of installing the new EBS 12.2 on their existing database servers with the capability of carrying out installation into existing Real Application Clusters environments. Also, the use of native installation tools for Oracle Fusion Middleware and Oracle Database technology stack components has been streamlined.

2. Reduced patch downtime

Online patching enabled by edition-based redefinition of Oracle Database 11g has dramatically reduced patch downtime for Oracle E-business Suite. Users remain online while patches are applied. The user downtime in EBS 12.2 is minimized to a less cutover period with an anticipated maintenance window, enabling critical business operations and revenue-generating activities to continue during patching.

3. Support of Fusion Middleware by Oracle Apps 12.2 cloning

With the new support of Fusion Middleware by Oracle Apps 12.2 cloning, the upgrade to Oracle Fusion Middleware Release 12c (12.2.1) from previous versions of Oracle Fusion Middleware can now be made.

4. Microsoft Office 32 bit and 64 bit certified for Oracle web application

The following versions of Microsoft Office 32 bit and 64 bit are now certified with Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.2: Office 2007 (till October 2017), Office 2010 (till October 2020), Office 2013 (till April 2023), and Office 2016.

5. High availability provided from online patching

High availability is ensured with online patching as users remain online during the patching process and user downtime is limited to system restart time. Critical business operations and revenue generating activities are not interrupted, as the maintenance window in EBS 12.2 is predictable.

6. Direct upgrade to EBS 12.2 from earlier EBS 11i releases

A direct upgrade path is available from EBS 11.5.10.2 to EBS 12.2. Also, EBS 11.5.10.2 users can upgrade directly to EBS 12.2. (no EBS 12 intermediate release required). All EBS 11.5.10.2 users are required to apply the minimum baseline patch for Extended Support as per the description in Patch Requirements for Extended Support of Oracle E-Business Suite Release 11.5.10 (Document 883202.1). Users of the earlier EBS 11i releases (such as 11.5.7) need to be at the 11.5.10.2 level (plus follow the minimum baseline patch requirements for Extended Support) before they can upgrade to EBS 12.2.

To learn more about the new features of EBS 12.2 and to help you decide whether you should upgrade please contact Datavail today. With more than 600 database administrators worldwide, Datavail is the largest database services provider in North America. As a reliable provider of 24×7 managed services for applications, BI/Analytics, and databases, Datavail can support your organization, regardless of the build you’ve selected.