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IBM i 7.3: Sunset on the Horizon

Posted by John Huntoon

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IBM i 7.3 - Sunset on the Horizon_V3If your business-critical applications are still running on this version of IBM i, now is the time to begin planning to migrate to a newer release.

In this blog, we break down the key details.

IBM i 7.3 Reaches End of Support in 2023

As predicted by their longstanding product roadmap and confirmed in this recent announcement, IBM will begin phasing out IBM i Version 7.3 in 2023. Here are the key dates you need to know:

  • April 28, 2023: IBM will officially stop marketing version 7.3
  • September 30, 2023: IBM will officially stop supporting version 7.3

IBM i version 7.4 was released in April 2019, so this timing marks the normal, phased sunsetting of an older version of IBM i. You can find a breakdown of key features in the 7.4 update (including some valuable security enhancements) in our blog here. Reporting by IT Jungle, however, suggests (and our own experience confirms) that a substantial number of users remain on version 7.3.

The move to 7.4 did introduce SQL compatibility issues for some applications by removing the option to process queries in the native query engine instead of the SQL query engine (SQUE) introduced in 7.2. Subsequent IBM i PTF’s (product temporary fixes) were made available to solve the underlying issue with the SQL query engine, but this issue did delay the upgrade to 7.4 for many users with affected applications. PSGi will continue to work to ensure that this issue is resolved for all our customers’ applications by the end of 7.3’s support life. 

As of May 2022, IBM i 7.5 is also available (we explain its most valuable updates here). The good news is, continued investments in the Power i / IBM i platform will continue to pay off well into the future: IBM has confirmed that it will continue support through 2032. We explain how users will benefit from another decade of value from Power i / IBM i in our blog here.

Work with the IBM i Experts to Manage Your Update

In our experience, challenges like new updates (especially with lingering application compatibility issues) can be a great fit for an expert application support provider like PSGi. While companies now face a more urgent timeline for updating to the newest version, the benefits are often worth the investment! But the work required can place a major strain on internal IT teams.

PSGi has a proven track record of helping manufacturing and distribution companies get the most out of their IBM i applications. We take pride in taking the time to understand our client's business requirements, and using this knowledge to develop and execute a long-term strategy that is aligned with present and future organizational needs.

If you are concerned about the move from IBM i 7.3, or would like assistance managing the operating system upgrade, we encourage you to reach out to the PSGi team for assistance.

Reach Out to the IBM i Experts

Tags: IBM i Platform, IBM i Cloud