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Cloud computing platforms can offer unprecedented scalability compared to traditional onsite or hosted servers, but adapting IBM i applications to x86-based cloud platforms has historically been a prohibitive challenge. But today, new solutions like Skytap and Infinite i make cloud platforms a viable option for organizations that depend on IBM i applications. We explain how in this blog.

IBM i 7.5 (announced May 3, 2022) is here, featuring a diverse array of enhancements that will help this environment stay as secure as possible while continuing to add new functionality. In the wake of threats like the Log4J virus, IBM continues its commitment to continually improving protections for what is already one of the most secure environments around.

In this blog, we provide a summary of some of the most important features included in the IBM i 7.5 update, followed by a more comprehensive feature list.

The retirement of a key internal IT resource can pose serious risks to a business’s operations, particularly if it is sudden or unplanned. The hiring market for specific technology skillsets is already challenging. And the labor pool is even smaller (and shrinking fast) for legacy applications. As retirement continues to diminish the availability of talent for legacy solutions, the potential disruptions caused by difficulty finding a replacement will only grow more acute.

2022 appears set to be a crossroads for many organizations. The past two years have been incredibly challenging for businesses, including a rapid shift to remote work, unprecedented supply chain crises, and more. We continue to be inspired by the extraordinary adaptability we saw from our clients in response. While the COVID crisis is by no means over, we have seen more and more organizations become well-adjusted to this “new normal.” 

IBMi 7.4, released in April, 2019, offers valuable new features that make this upgrade especially important. In particular, the 7.4 update offers some essential features for ensuring the most secure IBM i environment possible, including enhanced hashing for SQL queries, improved system tools, passwords, and more. 

Many IBM i-based systems have been successfully performing their business function for decades. Even though the Power i platform has a stable future through at least 2032, IT leaders sometimes assume that antiquation has come with age for this 30+-year-old product family. 

In our experience, this assumption is false. IBM i is not only a stable option that can continue performing well in support of business-critical systems but an inherently flexible system that can be readily integrated with a variety of new capabilities.

We often hear about the long term future of the Power i server as a source of worry for our clients. 

Businesses that rely on this platform should know that its long term future is officially secure: Power i and IBM i will continue to be supported by IBM for at least another decade (as we optimistically surmised back in 2016).

Businesses value the Power i running IBM i for its exceptional stability. From the hardware itself, to database-level architecture, the Power i offers a legendarily reliable platform. That’s precisely why so many organizations utilize it to run business-critical applications.

We have even heard an urban legend about a company that mistakenly plaster-walled off their Power i server during a construction project; they didn’t realize the mistake because the system continued performing flawlessly without much attention for years. But if this legend is true, they were very fortunate!

The IBM i platform has been a stalwart for many organizations over the past 30 years. Few platforms have comparable longevity and stability. But with that stability, comes the eventual retirement of employees who have been hands-on with the platform for decades.

Aside from the emotional impact of losing core, long-term employees, many companies also fear losing the copious skills developed while navigating the IBM i platform and the mission-critical enterprise applications on it over such a long period of time. In many cases, these long-term employees are the sole repository of intricate software program knowledge, including the mountain of software modifications made over the course of decades. A great deal of intellectual property is stored between the ears of these employees.

All is not lost!

Hire New IT Staff, Leverage Your Team, Or Supplement with 3rd Party Tools?

In our last blog post, we focused on preserving your investment in your IBM i legacy system by integrating newer applications that address your organization's need for more mobility. But to meet mobility goals for the future, IT leaders have more on their minds than their system alone. In this blog, we’ll address key considerations for preserving another significant investment; that is, your IT staff.