The purpose of this blog is to provide you a practical explanation of IBM’s plans to withdraw support and maintenance services for 8203-E4A, 8202-E4B, 8202-E4C and other IBM POWER6/7 servers.
What Does No More Service and Hardware Support for POWER6/7 Mean To You? Really?
On September 19, 2017 IBM announced its plan to terminate services for IBM POWER6 and most POWER7 servers.
IBM wants you to know that they will discontinue hardware support for servers POWER 6 on March 31, 2019 and most POWER7 on September 30, 2019*. (*See effected servers below.)
Don’t Let Time Run Out On You – Start NOW To Get The Resources You Need
If you run your business on 8203-E4A or 8202-E4B/C, start checking out your options NOW before time runs out.
In my experience, IBM POWER users need 6 to 9 month to prepare and plan for a smooth transition to a new POWER server.
My concern for you is talented IBM i expertise is limited. If you do NOT have a plan in place by July 2018, you may be scrambling to find the resources you need to meet the March 31, 2019 deadline.
What can you do?
1) You will be able to get IBM hardware support up to March 31, 2019…and no later than that.
2) You can consider non-IBM hardware support.
3) You can migrate to a new POWER8 server.
4) You may consider a used 8202-E4D POWER7 server. (Probably not a really good option, really.)
5) You can move your IBM i applications to a hosted solution, like Cloud400.
What is right for you?
Which of the above options is right for you depends on your situation.
If you have a clear commitment to your IBM i applications, the new IBM POWER8 offers tremendous performance. More than likely, the POWER8 will be less expensive than what you paid for your current POWER server.
Even so, I generally see new POWER8s sell in a range of $25,000 – $65,000… and more… depending on client needs. For many, that is just too much to spend.
If you are OK with non-IBM hardware support, this may be your lowest cost option.
Just be aware that some used parts are harder to find. And, if you lose a motherboard, for example, your recovery option is a replacement server …. Which can take days to arrive and may involve new software keys (which also causes delay …and in some cases, will NOT be made available.)
IBM i Cloud Hosting – Low Cost And Flexible With IBM i Expertise
When your IBM i future is uncertain, or you have made the decision to migrate to a new platform, an IBM i hosted solution offers affordability and IBM expert support.
You have a lot of flexibility. Your hosting term can be quarterly to a few years. Your hosting can be terminated when you no longer have a need.
In some cases, a used server may be an attractive option. While the initial cost of a used POWER7 8202-E4D is less than a new POWER8, be advised that to transfer your IBM licensed software (RPG compiler, Query, Client Access, etc.), you will need to buy Software Maintenance (SWMA) and After License Fee
(ALF). SWMA and ALF can range from $4,500-$10,000 on top of the initial server purchase price. Securing SWMA and ALF may also be a delay because the used server you buy must be registered in the IBM equipment database before you can buy it. It can take weeks to get IBM to update their records with your used server information. (Many folks I talk to find a used server is not that attractive.)
Need More Help?
While I may think the options are clear cut, most folks I talk to are busy with running their business…not makes changes to their server.
If you need more help or clarity with your option, let me know I can help.
* IBM Servers Effected By March 31, 2019/ September 30, 2019 End of Service
POWER6 POWER7
8203-E4A 8202-E4B
9407-515 8202-E4C
9408-515 8205-E6B
8204-E8A 8205-E6C
9117-MMA
For more details, call me at 714-593-0387 or email me at blosey@source-data.com
Leave a Reply