The purpose of this blog is to identify the elements to make up the on premise server total cost of ownership so you can determine your options to upgrade to a new on premise server or move to the cloud to host your IBM I (iSeries/AS400) applications. Disclaimer: IBM i is an operating system. iSeries and AS400 are servers. I use them interchangeably to make it easier for users to find this information when searching on the web. Every day I speak to IBM i (iSeries/AS400) users to help them … [Read more...]
IBM i (iSeries/AS400) Version Upgrade In 4 Hours.
We can upgrade your IBM POWER i (iSeries / AS400 system) to V7.2 or V7.3 in about 2-3 times your System Save time. That’s about 2 - 4 hours depending how much data you have. We can do this wherever you are. Because we have already done IBM i version upgrades 1000’s of times all over North America. In fact, we have upgraded IBM users from Guam to Ghana. Perhaps you’re wondering, “How the heck is that possible? A version upgrade or moving to a new server generally takes a … [Read more...]
IBM i (AS400/iSeries) Upgrade Season Is In Full Bloom
The purpose of this blog is to briefly summarize key factors happening right now that affect IBM i version upgrades. Disclaimer: IBM i is an operating system. AS400 and iSeries are names for servers. I use them interchangeably so users can more easily find information on the web. IBM i upgrade season is in full bloom as users upgrade to V7.2 or V7.3. As IBM users know, IBM software support (SWMA) is no longer available for V5R4 and V6R1. 5/1/2018 - IBM i 7.1 SWMA Will Be SE … [Read more...]
IBMi V7.2
More To Love About V7.2 The Following Feature Came From Posts by Steve Bradshaw of Rowton IT Specialist Steve Bradshaw is the founder and managing director of Wolverhampton, UK-based Power Systems specialist Rowton IT Solutions and technical director of British IBM i user group i-UG. He has been a key contributor to PowerWire since 2012 and he also sits on the Common Europe Advisory Council (CEAC) which helps IBM shape the future of IBM i. Performance Monitoring Performance Tools are … [Read more...]
Why Migrate To IBM i V7.2?
Upgrade To V7.2 For IBM Support AND SAVE MONEY The most compelling reason to move up to V7.2 is to stay on a supported version of IBM i OS. As you may know V5R4 and V6R1 are not actively supported. V7.1 support and enhancements are withdrawn April 30, 2018. You can still get support if you pay for Service Extension. Before you conclude “I’ll just stay at V7.1 with Service Extension”, find out the cost. Once my clients understand the cost for Service Extension --- and it is … [Read more...]
If An IBM i Server Could Talk, You’d Never Hear These 5 Excuses
There’s a lot of talk these days about cognitive computing and artificial intelligence. Well, let’s pretend for a moment your IBM i can talk. Here are 5 excuses you will never hear from your IBM i server. 1) “I just froze up and started deleting files because I got hit with ransomware.” The IBM i object–oriented architecture does not permit frightful software like ransomware to exploit an IBM i. 2) “I just got a virus. I won’t be working right.” Again, the IBM i object–oriented … [Read more...]
We Just Made IBM i Version Upgrades Better: They Take a Lot Less Time And Cost Less, Too!
An IBM i (OS400, i5OS) version upgrade generally takes 10-20 hours (depending on server spend and number files) though unexpected surprises can extend that, sometimes even forcing you to start all over again on some future weekend. During this time, the server is in a restricted state. This means all users must have any access shut off, no jobs can run and the entire server is dedicated to the version upgrade process. For users running two or three shifts a day, a 20-hour restricted state … [Read more...]
IBM i V5R4 Support Now Available Through 9-30-17 – Extended 1 More Year!
IBM has just announced today service extension support for IBM i Operating System V5R4. The extended service extension offering extends support for IBM i Operating System V5R4 for an additional year, from October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. The extended support covers usage and known and new defect problems. A service start date of October 1, 2016 or later and the service end date of September 30, 2017 or earlier must be manually entered by the user. For further details, contact … [Read more...]
6 Unexpected Things You Need To Know About Our 4 Hour IBM i (OS400) Version Upgrade
Our approach to IBM i version upgrades is different. Our Clients know it to be WAY BETTER 1. Way Less Time: This approach does not require 1 or more weekends of downtime to upgrade OS400 to the latest release. Restricted downtime is dramatically limited – in most cases, it’s about 2x – 3x your save time depending on the amount of data, or about 2 to 4 hours for most of our clients. 2. No Surprises The unexpected surprises are discovered before anyone comes onsite to go live. If … [Read more...]
4-Hour Upgrade IBM i (OS400) to V7R1 or V7R2
IBM withdraws support for IBM i V6R1 at the end of September 2015. Afterwards, V6R1 support is available with Service Extension which is an extra fee in addition to your IBM Software Maintenance support (SWMA). Even with Service Extension, there are no more PTFs for V6R1 and support is on a best efforts basis. Now is the time to upgrade to V7R1 or V7R2. And, you can upgrade your IBM POWER server in 4 hours – instead of a whole weekend. How is that possible? Check … [Read more...]