Yes - when you upgrade/migrate from a lower configuration to higher, you are purchasing a new license, with more capability. There is a cost related to this.
When moving from, in your example, the ES Suite to PADS Professional, this is from the PADS Layout based ES to the Xpedition based PADS Professional layout. You can migrate you libraries and designs to Professional, but these are not intended to go back and forth with designs.
We'll be working on getting the message out to the world! We're talking about re-invigorating the PADS users groups around the globe. These will be done along with our channel partners. Also, we'll have a webex for our customers when PADS VX.1.2 is released and share what's new in the release, as well as this new messaging about PADS.
To you last point - your current investment of what you spent is protected - you do not need to purchase a PADS Professional at list price - it is an incremental upgrade fee. Also - PADs Professional comes dual licensed with PADS Standard Plus!
Jim