At present, several organizations are actively modernizing IT infrastructure including their AS400 systems. AS400 systems have been the pillar of performance for many operations in many sectors for more than three decades. Being an IBM creation, these machines are used for extensive application processing for data-driven sectors like Insurance, Banking, Manufacturing, Retail, etc.
Despite these benefits, a majority of enterprises are now progressively modernizing AS400 systems due to constant maintenance, talent dwindling, and other reasons. Another major reason for AS400 modernization is that the risk of hosting mission-critical applications and workloads on this hardware platform impacts business productivity at large. Therefore, IT leaders and organizations must opt for the AS400 cloud modernization approach. Migrating to a cloud ecosystem makes it easier for business users to concentrate on essential IT objectives, organize their IT applications, and manage the IT roadmap that has been premeditated.
What is IBM AS400?
IBM AS400 (commonly known as ‘IBM iSeries’ or ‘IBMi’) is an integrated system featuring hardware, an operating system, and several core functions like an integrated database. When compared to ‘IBM z’ (IBM Mainframe), the AS400 system offers better scalability, robustness, security, reliability, and low cost of ownership.
Though it is a reliable system, AS400 does have its fair share of drawbacks and challenges till now. Enterprises utilizing AS400 systems run into complications from time to time, such problems are:
• Retaining Talents - Since AS400 systems are traditional, the experts who operate with these systems are almost retiring. Therefore, operating these machines without supervision impacts the performance of business-critical applications.
• UI/UX – is one of the major challenges of AS400 systems. Using an iSeries system’s traditional green-screen interface can negatively impact the productivity and user experience of applications.
• Manual Intervention –The tasks that work on AS400 legacy systems and the server substantially necessitates manual intervention
• Operating System - IBM officially shuts its Program Provisional Fixes (PPFs) and Technology Refreshes (TRs) for AS400 7.2 OS users. Therefore, organizations using AS400 systems have the choice of upgrading to OS version 7.3 or 7.4. However, the chances of risks are higher while upgrading to a newer OS.
• Security Concerns - Although AS400 systems are highly reliable, external security threats while working with an older application, OS version, or database can make an organization’s legacy systems prone to threats
• Lack of Integration - Workloads or applications operating on AS400 systems remain isolated from the other software, thereby reducing the chances of integration for organizations
AS400 Cloud Modernization Roadmap
Organizations looking to effectively modernize their AS400 systems should hire an IBM i application modernization company to devise a customized migration approach. The developers align the modernization roadmap according to unique processes and business requirements. This approach enables greater efficiency, security, and user experience for companies. The modernization roadmap includes:
1.Understanding Requirements – At first, modernization experts analyze the existing AS400 system, the business model it supports, and understand the demands for migration. Accordingly, the experts devise a clear business case for each AS400 workload to be migrated.
2. System Assessment – A detailed procedure of system assessment helps migration experts gain a better understanding of the vulnerabilities in the present AS400 system, discuss the risks, map out priorities, and areas to perform major modifications.
3.Modernization Strategy – Once the evaluation part is completed, the experts organizing the modernization project team up with the in-house IT authorities to decipher the best migration plans and achieve the pre-defined objectives.
4. Implementation – In this phase, all the planning and organizing efforts come to reality. This phase includes a number of sections like the conception of programming, documentation, end-to-end testing, and many others.
5. Support & Maintenance – Understanding requirements for implementation, is considered the initial stage of the AS400 modernization project. It is after the implementation that the extensive phase two (“Support & Maintenance”) begins. The modernization team delivers real-time support and takes care of data security and compliance.
Benefits of Migrating AS400 to Cloud
Front-End Transformation
IT leaders and organizations no longer need to work in the green screen interfaces and scale up their business requirements and potentials with the cloud. Cloud migration also helps enterprises to include new user experiences, workflows, and functionalities. This leads to controllable operation.
Adopt Cloud Computing
Accessibility to cutting-edge cloud capabilities is an important advantage of IBM i application modernization. Transferring applications or workloads from AS400 servers to a cloud-based platform enables users to experience self-support provisioning, advanced scalability, storage on-demand, curtailed latency, and others. Moreover, AS400 cloud modernization helps the workforce to efficiently exploit innovative technologies like Machine Learning, Predictive analysis, IoT, and Artificial Intelligence to optimize project outcomes and user experience.
Coherent Execution
As mentioned before, operating with the retiring AS400 systems is becoming hard for SMEs and RPG technologists. Since IBM i is perceived as outdated technology, it necessitates more robust and skilled developers to provide 100% uptime. Migrating to a cloud ecosystem helps organizations leverage the digital workplace and supports business growth. As well, companies adopting a cloud environment can accelerate self-reliance among IT teams and gain solid experience in working with the cloud.
Reduces Operation Costs
It is clear that iSeries systems are used by leading business sectors for facilitating large-scale transactions. However, due to its non-integrative nature and lack of self-management features, AS400 support systems bring about higher maintenance costs. With cloud migration, large-scale companies can drastically curb infrastructure expenses. Likewise, smaller businesses can also gain access to comprehensive services at a reduced cost which would have been impossible with the iSeries systems.
Expels Malware Risks
The scalability offered by a cloud ecosystem is an apparent benefit. Be it a small-scale enterprise or a leading establishment, companies can rapidly scale up or down their process with the AS400 to cloud migration. This scalability also assures that IT teams can formulate and resolutely perform their migration with reliance. Besides, AS400 migration to the cloud platform will provide better business continuity and expel the possibilities of Ransomware attacks, on-site installation concerns, weather happenings, etc. Hence, cloud migration has been considered an effective AS400 modernization approach that delivers better business resilience.
Cloud-driven Insights
One of the major benefits of migrating to a cloud ecosystem is that it provides organizations with robust analytical and reporting abilities that can help decision-makers (CTOs/CIOs) in delivering insights. In the era of the digital workplace, the hybrid models of work continue to expand. Therefore, organizations should experience cloud-driven information insights to gain a competitive edge in the market.
Wrapping Up!
On the whole, migrating to a cloud environment helps organizations enhance application scalability and user-friendliness while eliminating AS400 systems’ hardware setup burden. With modernization, businesses can have the capability to keep up with the evolving security standards and effectively combat vulnerabilities.