The purpose of this blog is to highlight key trends I see with IBM i support. Disclaimer: IBM i is an operating system. iSeries and AS400 are IBM servers. I use these terms interchangeably to make it easier for folks to find the information they seek on the web.
Weekly I write about my observations based on talks with clients, IBM i users, and industry experts.
As obvious as it may sound, IBM i users want expertise – reliable, responsive and relevant expertise.
For a variety of reasons, reliable, responsive and relevant IBM i expertise seems harder to come by these days.
IBM i Expertise Is Retiring
Many of the clients that move to Cloud400 do so because their in-house talent has left or will soon retire.
Additionally, many share with exasperation how less informed and inattentive their Business Partners (BPs) are. I frequently hear that their BPs are slow to respond, misinformed, and often cannot answer questions about IBM software and practices. It seems the skilled and knowledgeable BP expertise is retiring as well…and not getting replaced.
What about new education for IBM i users?
From what I see, hear and read, more content is available for Windows, UNIX and Linux than for IBM i, particularly for insight about the OS and RPG programing.
IBM i Expertise In Demand — But Unfulfilled Requests Continue
While I hear about the need for IBM i talent for administration and programming, I also have many IBM i administrators and programmers ask me about jobs and project opportunities.
Given the demand I sense and the available talent, I do not understand why IBM i opportunities go unfulfilled.
Perhaps it is a combination of a shrinking pool of skilled IBM i expertise, rising demand on in-house IT departments (too stressed to hunt down and evaluate the talent) and the offered pay is lower than what IBM i talent historically has received (i.e., I see Windows talent paid way less than IBM i talent, so IBM i talent thinks, “heck, the pay is less than I expect for a higher level of grief in a location I do not like, retirement looks a whole lot better.”)
Support Group Cutbacks
For me, I find it increasingly difficult to find relevant answers to sophisticated questions…and it takes me longer to get the answers. Clearly, there are cutbacks with key support groups.
I Am Thrilled With My IBM i Support Team
Even so, I am thrilled to have the talented, experienced and resourceful team of IBM i experts I have to support our growing client list and satisfy their needs for IBM i Version Upgrades, new POWER9 and POWER8 servers (yes, there are still very valid reasons to get a POWER8 instead of a POWER9), and new IBM i cloud hosting users.
In particular, IBM i cloud hosting offers IBM i users an exceptional value. Hosting clients tell me how much they appreciate highly concentrated, cost-effective access to IBM i expertise to support their application environment.
Want to learn more about how our team of IBM i experts can help your company, email me at blosey@source-data.com or call me at 714-593-0387.
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