The purpose of this blog is share insights about IBM servers and hosting that is way more than users need.
Disclaimer: IBM i is an operating system. iSeries and AS400 are servers. I use these terms interchangeably to make it easy for folks to find this information on the web.
Background
As an IBM i Power Business Partner and cloud hosting provider, I often encounter overprovisioning when working with prospective clients looking for current technology solutions.
Overprovisioning refers to allocating more resources—such as storage, memory, or computing power—than a system or application actually needs. This can lead to wasted resources and increased costs.
Frankly, I am still surprised by how often IBM users have been sold servers with significantly more resources than necessary.
What Is Overprovisioning?
Overprovisioning is the practice of assigning excess resources to a system or application beyond what is required for optimal performance.
Why It Happens:
- Anticipating Future Needs: Organizations may overprovision to prepare for potential growth or demand spikes.
- Performance Optimization: In some cases, reserving extra resources (e.g., additional SSD storage) can improve performance.
- Cloud Resource Packaging: Cloud providers often bundle resources together, which can lead to overprovisioning when users require only a small portion of the package.
Examples:
- Assigning a virtual machine more RAM than it actually uses.
- Allocating more storage space to a database than needed.
- Choosing a larger cloud instance than necessary.
Why Does This Happen?
Based on my experience, two key factors contribute to overprovisioning:
- Lack of Awareness: Many users and resellers do not fully understand how efficient IBM i applications are or how server performance is measured (in CPW, or Commercial Processing Workload). Many IBM i experts with this knowledge have aged out of the industry.
- Oversized Server Sales: IBM continues to produce increasingly powerful servers, often exceeding the needs of small to mid-sized users. Additionally, some resellers may be incentivized to sell larger, more expensive servers for higher profits.
Consequences of Overprovisioning
- Higher Costs: Paying for unused resources increases operational expenses.
- Wasted Resources: Overprovisioning is inefficient and unsustainable.
- Obscured Resource Needs: Excessive provisioning can mask actual usage patterns, making it harder to optimize resources.
How to Avoid Overprovisioning
- Monitor Resource Utilization: Regularly track resource usage to identify inefficiencies.
- Conduct Capacity Planning: Assess actual needs before provisioning resources.
Unfortunately, many small to mid-sized IBM i users lack the training or expertise to monitor resource utilization effectively.
What’s the Solution?
- Ask Your Provider: Interview your server or hosting provider to understand how they provision resources and why.
- Ensure Flexibility: Make sure resources can be monitored and adjusted as needed for optimal performance.
Need Help?
If you need guidance on right-sizing your IBM i environment, feel free to reach out:
📞 Call me at 714-593-0387
📧 Email me at [email protected]
