SAP BW/4HANA 2021 is a release of SAP's HANA-optimised data warehouse, a modern, simplified successor to classic BW built specifically for SAP HANA. The BW/4HANA line is maintained through successive releases rather than long single-version extensions.
It became generally available on 25 October 2021. SAP mainstream maintenance runs until 31 December 2027 — the date from which SAP ceases routine corrections, security notes and legal/regulatory updates for the release. Crucially, SAP offers no extended-maintenance phase for this release, so the mainstream date is a hard cut-off rather than the start of a paid extension — there is no buying of extra time at the version level. That leaves a workable but finite window; given that SAP transformations routinely run multi-year, scoping and budgeting should be underway rather than deferred.
The forward path is a newer BW/4HANA release (an in-place upgrade), or SAP Datasphere for customers moving analytics to the cloud. Because the line is continued via new releases, staying current means periodic release upgrades.
Data and analytics teams on BW/4HANA 2021 should plan a release upgrade ahead of its mainstream date; no extended phase is offered, so currency is maintained by moving up the release line, not by paying for an extension.
Independent reference tool. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by SAP SE. Product names are referenced as plain text for identification only. Always confirm dates against SAP's official Product Availability Matrix and your support contract.