I recently read a LinkedIn article, “The Real Costs of Cloud Application Portability”.
Simply put, the article highlights trade-offs with workload portability and the use of low-cost native services unique to one cloud provider compared to the delay and extra cost to make your applications portable to a broader range of cloud providers.
For applications that use Windows, UNIX and Linux, workload portability and cloud hosting can be a major evaluation factor, especially when planning for the future. If your workload is not portable you could get locked into a provider with a difficult, expensive path to move to something better in the future.
IBM i Makes Workload Portability Easy
It made me think how fortunate IBM i users are because application portability is so easy thanks to the inherent design of IBM i.
IBM i Applications Move Easily To New OS Versions, New Servers Or To Cloud Hosting
Quite simply, IBM i applications benefit from IBM’s single-level architecture. Single-level architecture makes it easy to develop applications, upgrade to newer operating system versions, and migrate to newer servers.
As IBM i users, we don’t have to deal with complexities common with other platforms because of single-level storage.
Single-level architecture also makes it easy to move to the cloud. In its simplest form, you send an Option 21 Backup to your cloud provider and they restore it on an LPAR or sever for your dedicated use.
IBM i Applications Move Easily To Different Cloud Hosting Providers Or Back To On Premise
If you want to change cloud hosting providers or move your hosted IBM i application back to an on premise environment, get an Option 21 Backup to your next environment.
Single-Level Storage Is A Key Differentiator For IBM i
Over the years of helping clients migrate their IBM i applications to Cloud400, I encountered many Windows and UNIX users that expected cloud hosting IBM i applications would be especially difficult.
How come?
Two reasons.
First, they all told me of their struggles – successful and unsuccessful – to move their Windows/UNIX applications to the cloud. It turned out to be way more complex than they planned.
Second, they were unfamiliar with IBM i. Because they did not know IBM i, they thought it would be harder.
Once up on Cloud400, they all were unexpectedly thrilled how easy and straightforward the transition was.
I’d Rather Be Lucky Than Smart
You may know the old expression, “I’d rather be lucky than smart.”
Well, IBM i single-level storage makes IBM i users lucky and smart.
For whatever reason, IBM i users picked the right operating system.
And it makes workload portability a “walk in the park.”
I would love to hear what you think.
Please leave your comments.
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