Please be aware that IBM has announced that they intend to withdraw hardware maintenance (HWMA) for your 8202-E4D effective December 31, 2020.
Review Your Options And Start Planning For The End Of Your IBM 8202-E4D HWMA.
When IBM 8202-E4D HWMA expires, here are your choices:
1) Do Nothing. Run your server until you get an error or it fails and then reach out to a 3rd party maintenance company to fix it when it breaks.
2) Get IBM Extended HWMA (when available) or 3rd Party HWMA.
3) Get A New On Premise Server.
4) Host Your IBM Applications In The Cloud.
Let’s Explore Your Options:
1) Do Nothing. Over the years, I have seen many IBM users “Wait Until It Breaks”. If your business is not highly dependent on your server and you can afford to be down for 2-10 days before parts and a qualified engineer can be onsite, this is your least cost option. After all, your server was paid off a long time ago.
Even so, certain parts become more difficult to find. Also, as the spare used parts age they become less reliable. I have seen many users have to replace disk units, tape drives and power supplies every 2-6 months to keep their servers functional. And, they may experience extraordinary delays until parts can be located. In fact, a few years ago we helped a distributor recover from a failed server. He was down for a month because 1) parts were hard to find, 2) we needed a qualified engineer who knew how to work on this server the backup was incomplete.
Caveat Emptor – Buyer Beware.
2) Get IBM Extended HWMA (when available) or 3rd Party HWMA. Clearly this is an option to extend the life of an aging server.
IBM has not yet announced pricing for Extended HWMA. I think it is fair that we can expect this to be announced as we get closer to the EOS date.
On the other hand, you will discover non-IBM HWMA can be less expensive than IBM.
That said, there is still the issue of reliable parts availability. Remember, the spare parts are used and no longer in production. While replacement parts may test good from the parts center, there is no telling how long the parts will work in production at your location.
You may also experience related delays for parts to arrive. You may also have subsequent parts failures which can disrupt operations.
Some parts, like the 8202 system board, are serialized to the server. If you lose the system board and your hardware provider does not have the special IBM software to re-serialize the system board, your server will never come back.
3) Get A New On Premise Server. As I know my clients, no one wants to spend money they don’t have to. And when they do, they want their money’s worth.
Well, the new IBM POWER servers offer a terrific value. In most cases, your new server may be less expensive than the one you are replacing.
While your current server may perform adequately, the new IBM servers are smoking fast. You will probably see your workloads complete 2-4 times faster. (Sorry, you have to put up with faster performance.)
Further, the transition from your current server to a new IBM server is straightforward. That’s one of the beauties of IBM i.
4) Host Your Applications In The Cloud. Cloud hosting for your IBM i applications has compelling benefits.
First, you don’t have to deal with server and technology management. Your hosting provider handles all the IBM server stuff…server error messages, PTFs, Technology Refreshes, and Version Upgrades. They handle your backups. Your applications are safe in a secure data center with redundancy and disaster resilience.
(On the other hand, if you really like talking to computer salespeople every 3-7 years about an upgrade, don’t consider cloud hosting.)
Cloud hosting can be less expensive than an on premise server. You see, when you buy a server, you may never use its full capacity. Getting a new server can be like buying a 500,000 square foot building when you only need to rent a 1,500 square foot office. It’s a good idea to get a hosting comparison when considering a new on premise server.
Or, if you plan to migrate to a different platform, cloud hosting can provide an interim environment as you transition from your current server to your new system.
Start Planning Now.
Now is the time to start looking at your options to prepare for the inevitable loss of IBM 8202-E4D HWMA scheduled for December 31, 2020.
If you need help, email me at blosey@source-data.com or call me at 714-593-0387.
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