Essbase Analytic Link (EAL) for HFM 11.1.2.4? Not yet…but soon
Essbase Analytic Link for HFM is a pretty cool tool that allows customers to spin off Essbase cubes based on HFM applications. Its a great way to get near real time Essbase trickle cubes continuously built from HFM data. You can also merge HFM data and other systems to create advanced analytic KPIs with greater detail. Changes in HFM are automatically pushed to Essbase in seconds without putting to much burden on HFM itself.
Now – we are very used to having the EAL developers far behind the EPM developers. As a matter of fact, the most current EAL version is 11.1.2.2.400, and that .400 patch-set finally got EAL supported with 11.1.2.3 and it was just released 4 months ago!
That’s a problem. But here is my biggest concern:
If you remember from my previous blog post on the extreme HFM platform changes, you will know the entire API and structure of HFM has ripped out and replaced. So it’s obvious that many, if not all, of the calls that EAL uses with HFM are no longer there. EAL is not only not supported with 11.1.2.4, it will certainly not work at all.
So here’s the question: If it takes the EAL developers a year to get up to compatibility with modern EPM versions simply going from 11.1.2.2 to 11.1.2.3… how long do you think it will take Oracle to produce a new version of EAL that will support an entirely new HFM 11.1.2.4 architecture?
Answer from Oracle: “We do not have a release target date”
The IT side take: [edit] I am now hearing that 11.1.2.4 EAL support should be released in the .100 next month. Very impressive, and great news to many customers.
Regardless, for the immediate time being, this is forcing some customers to consider not upgrading past 11.1.2.3 at this time.
For example, one customer needs to use EAL to spin-off Essbase cubes from HFM. However they would also like to purchase the new Tax Provisioning module available in 11.1.2.4. Seems they cannot have both… they will need to either implement EAL in 11.1.2.3 and not purchase the Tax Module, or implement 11.1.2.4 with the Tax Module, and not use EAL.
I will update when I get more information….
The I.T. Side 
And it doesn’t really help that the EPM Certification Matrix tells you that HFM 11.1.2.4 only supports EAL 11.1.2.4 as if the version was already available…
Yes I saw that too. Vaporware.
Per the latest info I have seen, EAL for EPM 11.1.2.4 is due to be released very close to the 11.1.2.4.100 PSU. This is supposed to be in the next month or so. So, looks like it might be sooner, rather than later :). Many large customers have been inquiring.
I can confirm that I am hearing the same thing. Impressive to get EAL up to speed so quickly with all the changes!