Please be aware that IBM has announced that they intend to withdraw hardware maintenance (HWMA) for AS400’s and iSeries effective January 31 2019 through October 31, 2020*.
IBM is telling us that it is more difficult to get parts for these servers. So, they have announced that after the termination date, no more hardware support.
Review Your Options And Start Planning For The End Of Your IBM HWMA.
When IBM HWMA expires, here are your choices:
- Do Nothing. Run your server until you get an error or it fails, and then reach out to a 3rd party maintenance company to fix when it breaks.
- Get 3rd Party HWMA
- Get A New On-Premise Serv.
- Host Your IBM Applications In The Cloud.
Let’s Explore Your Options
Do Nothing. Over the years, I have seen many IBM users “Wait Until It Breaks.” If your business is not highly dependent on your server and you can afford to be down for 2-10 days before parts and a qualified engineer can be onsite, this is your least cost option. After all, your server was paid off a long time ago.
Even so, certain part becomes more difficult to find. Also, as the spare used parts get older, they become less reliable. I have seen many users with 20 year old servers have to replace disks units, tape drives and power supplies every 2-6 months to keep their servers functional. And, experience extraordinary delays until parts could be located. In fact, a few years ago we helped a distributor recover from a failed 9402-400. He was down for a month because 1) parts were hard to find, 2) we needed a qualified engineer how knew how to work on this server (IBM stopped selling this specific server in 1994), and 3) the backup was incomplete.
Caveat Emptor – buyer beware.
Get 3rd Party HWMA. Clearly this is an option to extend the life of an aging server. And, you will discover non-IBM HWMA can be less expensive than IBM.
That said, there is still the issue of reliable parts availability. Remember, the spare parts are used and no longer in production. While replacement parts may test good from the parts center, there is no telling how long the parts will work in production at your location.
I have one client that seems to need a new power supply every 3 months for his 9406-820. The source for these power supplies only provides a 30-day warranty at most.
You may also experience related delays for parts to arrive. You may also have subsequent failure which can disrupt operations.
Get A New On-Premise Server. As I know my clients, no one wants to spend money they don’t have to. And, when they do, they want their money’s worth.
Well, the new IBM servers offer a terrific value. In most cases, your new server will be less expensive than the one you are replacing. Sometimes by as much as50% less than what you originally paid for your current server.
While your current server may perform adequately, the new IBM servers are smoking fast. You will probably see your workloads complete 2-4 times faster. (Sorry, you have to put up with faster performance.)
Better still, you will discover the cost of IBM hardware and software support is less than your current server. A LOT LESS. You will probably find that IBM support is 30%-70% less than what you spend now.
Further, the transition for your current server to a new IBM server is straightforward. That’s one of the beauties IBM i/OS400.
Host Your Applications In The Cloud. Cloud hosting your IBM i applications has compelling benefits.
First, you don’t have to deal with server and technology management. Your hosting provider handles all the IBM stuff…PTFs, Technology Refreshes, and Version Upgrades. They handle your backups. Your applications are safe in a secure data center with redundancy and disaster resilience. (On the other hand, if you really like talking to computer salespeople every 3-7 years about an upgrade, don’t consider cloud hosting.)
Cloud hosting can be less expensive than an on-premise server. You see, when you buy a server, you may never use its full capacity. Getting a new server can be like buying a 500,000 square foot building when you only need to rent a 1500 square foot office. It’s a good idea to get a hosting comparison when considering an on-premise server.
Or, if you plan to migrate to a different platform, cloud hosting can provide you an interim environment as you transition from your current server to your new system.
Start Planning Now.
Now is the time to start looking at your options to prepare for the inevitable loss of IBM HWMA.
For more details, call me at 714-593-0387 or email me at blosey@source-data.com
*End of Service Dates For IBM Servers:
Between January 31, 2019 to October 31, 2020 IBM will stop supporting legacy POWER servers.
If you have 9406-520 or 9407-515, hardware support stops on January 31, 2019.
If you have 9406-170 or 720, game over on January 31, 2020.
If your server is 820, 830, 840, 250, 270, 525, 570, 595, 800 or 810, no more hardware support after October 31, 2020.
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