For SAP ECC6 on enhancement packages 6 to 8, mainstream maintenance ends on 31 December 2027. Moving to SAP S/4HANA is a substantial project, whether as a system conversion or a new implementation. JD Edwards is in a different position: Oracle offers Premier Support for EnterpriseOne 9.2 through at least 2037 and delivers new features as updates to 9.2. Whichever system you run, a planned comparison is better than a decision under deadline pressure.
IFS is a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP for Product-Centric Enterprises
The clock is real. The path is a choice.
In our conversations with manufacturers and utilities across the Benelux, the same questions keep coming back. SAP offers optional extended maintenance for ECC6 (EhP6–8) until the end of 2030, at a premium of two percentage points on the maintenance basis; customers who do not take it move to customer-specific maintenance. JD Edwards customers can stay on 9.2, with Premier Support through at least 2037 and continuing updates. For them, the question is whether 9.2 still fits their asset, service and project processes, not whether support ends.
Our observation: when a move to SAP S/4HANA is in practice a new implementation, it is worth comparing that destination with alternatives on the same terms. How long a transition takes depends on scope, number of sites, custom code, data quality and the capacity of your own team. We estimate it in the assessment rather than quote a standard figure. Starting early leaves room for a real comparison.
What the dates say
- SAP ECC6 (EhP6–8): mainstream maintenance ends 31 December 2027; earlier enhancement packages are not covered by this date
- Optional extended maintenance runs to the end of 2030 at a premium of two percentage points; without it, customer-specific maintenance applies
- JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.2: Premier Support through at least 2037, reviewed annually by Oracle; new features arrive as updates to 9.2
Two routes out, one deliberate choice
You do not have to decide everything at once. These are the routes we see working at asset-intensive companies between 50 and 750 million euro in revenue.
IFS next to SAP: move operations first, decide finance later
Not ready to replace the ERP core? You can move asset management, field service or MRO to IFS Cloud while SAP keeps running finance. Operations get modern tooling now; the ECC6 decision gets room to be made properly instead of under deadline pressure.
- IFS Cloud EAM, FSM or MRO next to SAP finance
- Integration designed for your scope: which data flows, which system owns it and how it is tested
- A smaller first scope, with a go-live date planned in the assessment
Why this route works for doubters
- No big-bang risk on the finance core
- Proof of value before the platform decision
- Every step already counts if you replace ECC6 later
Replace ECC6 with IFS Cloud
If you are re-implementing anyway, compare the destination on its merits: one platform for ERP, asset management and service, built for manufacturers and utilities, with Industrial AI embedded and your people in control of every decision that matters.
As a public reference, IFS reports that pharmaceutical company Karo Pharma completed phase one of its IFS Applications 10 implementation in seven months, going live in June 2020 and replacing several legacy systems. That project was delivered with IFS Success services, not by Eqeep, and was not an SAP migration.
- One operational record for ERP, EAM and service
- Phased delivery with the IFS Success framework
- Evergreen updates instead of a next big migration
What replaces the ECC6 stack
- Finance, supply chain and manufacturing in IFS Cloud
- Customizations rebuilt as configuration where possible
- Twice-yearly releases keep you current, no re-platforming
JD Edwards: supported and updated, so compare on fit
Oracle offers Premier Support for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 9.2 through at least 2037, reviews that date every year, and delivers new features as updates to the existing 9.2 release. Staying on JD Edwards is therefore a valid option. A move makes sense when your processes need capabilities that fit better elsewhere, and whichever destination you consider, Oracle Fusion, NetSuite or IFS Cloud, deserves the same comparison.
For asset-intensive operations, that comparison deserves more than the path of least resistance. IFS Cloud is built around assets, projects and service, which is exactly where JD Edwards shops in manufacturing and energy tend to live.
What to weigh before you decide
- Any move, to IFS Cloud, Oracle Fusion or NetSuite, is a new implementation
- Which JD Edwards customisations still carry business value
- How each option supports your asset, service and project processes, tested with your own scenarios
From assessment to the years after go-live
A takeout migration starts with facts, not licenses: which processes ECC6 or JD Edwards actually runs, which customizations carry real value, and what coexistence versus replacement costs over five years. From there we deliver in phases, with your people making the calls that matter at every step.
After go-live, Eqeep can take on application management. For SPIE Nederland we provide the IFS service desk and Application Management Service; for a new environment, we agree the handover to support during the project.
What the assessment gives you
- Process and customization inventory of your current ERP
- Five-year cost comparison: stay, coexist or replace
- A phased plan with a realistic date for the first go-live
A destination validated by analysts and your peers
IFS was named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP for Product-Centric Enterprises, recognized for both ability to execute and completeness of vision.
Users rate it highly too: according to IFS, it was the only vendor in the Customers’ Choice quadrant of the 2025 Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Cloud ERP for Product-Centric Enterprises, with an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 and 89% willingness to recommend, based on 106 reviews in the 18 months to 28 February 2025.
Why that matters for a takeout decision
- Independent confirmation, not vendor promises
- Rated by product-centric companies like yours
- Based on 106 verified reviews over 18 months
The CFO guide to legacy ERP modernization
How finance leaders build the business case for leaving a legacy ERP: cost of standing still, migration economics and the questions to ask any vendor, including us.
Questions before leaving SAP ECC6 or JD Edwards
Do we have to leave SAP ECC6 before 2028?
No. For EhP6–8, mainstream maintenance ends on 31 December 2027. Optional extended maintenance runs to the end of 2030 at extra cost; after that, or without it, customer-specific maintenance applies. Because the length of a transition depends on scope and data, it pays to decide well before the date you are working towards.
Can IFS run next to SAP instead of replacing it?
Yes. Asset management, field service or MRO can move to IFS Cloud while SAP keeps running finance. The integration needs its own design: data flows, ownership and testing. This route lets you prove value before the platform decision.
JD Edwards 9.2 is supported until at least 2037. Why consider a move?
You do not have to move. Oracle provides Premier Support and new features on 9.2. Consider a move when your asset, service or project processes need more than your current setup offers, or when your customisations have become hard to maintain. We compare the options against your own processes.
How long does a takeout migration take?
It depends on scope, sites, custom code, data quality and your team’s availability. A coexistence scope is usually smaller than a full replacement. We estimate the timeline in the assessment and deliver in phases rather than one big bang. For reference, IFS reports that phase one of Karo Pharma’s IFS Applications 10 implementation took seven months; that was not an Eqeep project.
Who runs the environment after go-live?
Eqeep can, if you want us to. For SPIE Nederland we provide the IFS service desk and Application Management Service. For a new environment we agree the handover to support during the project, with your people in control of every change.
Want to discuss your own situation? Discuss your IFS question.
New articles appear in our newsletter. Subscribe to the newsletter.
