ID-INFO blog
IBM i: Replacement or modernization?
Your organization has been using the same IBM i-based system for years, even decades.
Everyone in your company would like to replace it with a more modern ERP system. Sounds like an easy decision, doesn’t it? Not so fast.
Apart from the disruption caused by replacing a system that affects almost every department and team member, the cost of a project like this can be astronomical. Of course, there’s the cost of the software itself, and most likely the cost of additional support, but there are also hidden costs.
Here are just some of the issues that many organizations don’t realize will arise during an IBM i replacement project.
What are the hidden costs of replacing your IBM i?
Replacement costs for your IBM i
1. The reports
The IBM i relational database encourages users to create their own reports, especially when they take into account the power of native queries (WRKQRY). After years of use, hundreds or even thousands of these reports are usually floating around the system. Whether these reports are intended for customers or used to collect data for business decisions, they will be difficult to replace.
2. Interfaces with third-party systems
Replacing your IBM i will require you to examine which of your additional systems and integrations are critical, and which are unnecessary or can be replaced. And, don’t forget, you may need to update or even replace some of these third-party tools in order to integrate properly with your updated ERP.
3. Data conversions
Since IBM i has typically been in place for years (or decades), it’s very common to have a large collection of historical data. We’ve seen files with hundreds of thousands of records, or even over a million lines. This amount of data makes conversion extremely difficult, requiring more time than many of our customers anticipate when starting a project.
4. The forms
The biggest sticking point for a replacement project? These are often forms. Think about the number of forms used in your organization. Invoices, purchase orders, delivery notes, credit notes, AP checks, payroll checks, etc. are used.
5. IT talent
Migration to a new hardware and software system leaves the existing IT team homeless. Your company must then either train your existing team on the new hardware and software, or hire a new team. In any case, you can expect to spend a lot of time bringing the team up to speed.
6. Data backups
You know that your existing data backup system, which is linked to the OS/400, will have to change with a software replacement. But have you thought about the implications of this change? This could mean new hardware and tapes, a change in backup processes and thorough testing of new systems. All this takes time and extra resources.
7. High availability/disaster recovery systems
If these systems are in place, then, like your data backups, they will need to be visited, modified and, of course, tested.
8. System administration – OS/400 versus an unknown system
Managing an IBM i system is very different from managing other hardware platforms. When introducing a new technology, you’ll either have to train your existing administrators on the new hardware/software system, or hire a whole new team. As we discussed with your IT talent, in all cases you’ll spend a little more time bringing the team up to speed.
9. Third-party systems running under OS/400
The list of third-party software systems running on OS/400 is long. These systems will have to be replaced or migrated to the new hardware stack.
10. EDI
And last but certainly not least, EDI. The first thing to consider when replacing your IBM i while taking advantage of EDI is whether the existing EDI tool will be ported to the new system, or whether it will have to be replaced. If it needs replacing, you’re now considering both an IBM i replacement and an EDI replacement. The second thing to consider is the mapping of data in and out of the new system. Whether or not you replace your EDI as well as your ERP, you’ll need to develop a new plan to keep your data consistent between systems.
Ouch.
Still with us? That’s a lot to consider (and pay for), especially when, in most cases, the IBM i is still a perfectly usable system. You can get a newly updated and modernized ERP system without replacing everything that’s been around for years. By upgrading your IBM i, you benefit from all the advantages of a modern system, while retaining much of the business logic, talent and third-party tools in place.
Modernizing IBM i
The most important thing to bear in mind when upgrading is that the IBM i is still an excellent back-end system. It’s powerful, reliable and has never reported a virus. Based on our expertise and experience, the IBM i is an excellent platform for businesses. This system stores large quantities of data perfectly, and is the right place for complex business logic. We also see that the typical RPG developer is more than just a developer. Usually, these people have years and years of business knowledge and help the business unit get things done. So when asked to modernize an IBM i system, it’s best to use some of the existing tools alongside some new ones, employ some new strategies and unleash the power of IBM i!
What about the costs of not upgrading your IBM i?
Okay, so you’ve realized that completely replacing your IBM i is a lot more expensive than you thought. But do you really need to modernize your system? Can’t you keep doing what you’re doing? Unfortunately, not upgrading your IBM i also comes at a cost. Here are just some of the reasons why you can’t afford not to upgrade your IBM i.
Operating costs of an obsolete system
Ultimately, it costs more to run an obsolete system than to run a current one. The older the technology, the more likely it is to fail, and the less likely you are to find a reasonable solution. In fact, IBM itself no longer provides direct support for upgrading older AS/400 and iSeries servers. Staying up-to-date with your IBM i version means easier access to resources when you need them.
Lack of compatibility with current requirements
Running an older version of IBM i could mean a lack of access to more than just support services. Older systems are generally not compatible with new hardware and software solutions, requiring costly workarounds to implement new tools.
What’s more, legacy systems may no longer be up to the challenge of coping with the huge amount of information storage and processing required in today’s world. Now, the IBM i is awfully powerful, but when you’re running 20-year-old code on 40-year-old hardware, there’s no way to meet today’s needs while following best practices. Do it right; modernize your system to meet today’s business requirements.
NoToS ID INFO’s infrastructure experts are at your disposal to help you with your IBM i modernization projects.
Original article from briteskies: https: //bit.ly/301f9rq
NOTOS-iD INFO’s infrastructure experts are on hand to help you with your IBM i modernization projects. Contact us on 01 88 32 12 34, or via contact form.