No IBM i core activation fees, no user fees – We pay IBM these fees when we buy our IBM POWER servers. And we don’t rebill you. No IBM HWMA, SWMA or Service Extension Fees - Leave annual escalating IBM support fees behind. Our IBM POWER servers include IBM HWMA and SWMA so you don’t have to pay. It’s already included in our monthly fee. Pay only for what you need – Today’s IBM POWER servers are way bigger than most IBM i users need. Most IBM i users can be more than satisfied with 1000-2000 … [Read more...]
An “Inside Job” That Could Have Been Prevented
When most businesses think of security, the most they think about is a firewall between the corporate network and the Internet. The internal corporate network is often very open to make it easy for people to work. The firewall on the outside is kind of like a hard exterior with a squishy inside -- nice for a piece of candy, not so nice for the security of your data. In fact, the IT community has long debated whether the threat of an internal or external attack is of greater concern for … [Read more...]
IBM i Applications and Cloud Portability – The Benefits Of Single-Level Architecture
I recently read a LinkedIn article, “The Real Costs of Cloud Application Portability”. Simply put, the article highlights trade-offs with workload portability and the use of low-cost native services unique to one cloud provider compared to the delay and extra cost to make your applications portable to a broader range of cloud providers. For applications that use Windows, UNIX and Linux, workload portability and cloud hosting can be a major evaluation factor, especially when planning for … [Read more...]
43 Aspects Of IBM i (AS400, iSeries) Cloud Hosting To Check Out Before You Proceed
If you are thinking about moving to the cloud, here are 43 aspects of hosting that are good to investigate. I don't pretend to know them all. If you can think of more please add your comments. Hosting Solutions 1) What servers and resource are provided by the hosting data center? What technology is offered (server, firewall, networking, backup, security, etc.)? How many servers? What are the server capacities, in terms of cores, CPW, memory and storage? What versions of OS400 … [Read more...]
Windows 10 And IBM i Access for Windows …And Why IBM SWMA Is So Important
IBM does not plan to support IBM i Access for Windows on operating systems beyond Windows 8.1. This IBM announcement is particularly important to IBM i(AS400) users who may plan to add Windows 10 and do NOT have IBM SWMA to get access to the replacement product, IBM i Access Client Solutions, which includes 5250 emulation, data transfer, printer output, console support, and more. For information regarding IBM i Access Client Solutions, refer … [Read more...]
A Co-Location Data Center Is A Smart Buy…Or Is It?
Let’s first look at the features and benefits of Co-Location and then share the hidden costs that make it 194% more expensive than a new, superior alternative that is one of the fastest growing hosting solutions out there for mid-sized companies. Co-location Data Centers are popular with mid-sized companies for many reasons. The benefits include: Risk mitigation, Greater security, Better roadmap for disaster recovery, … [Read more...]
Raising Demand For Skilled IBM i (OS400) Talent Fuels Cloud Hosting Growth
Frequently what we hear from prospective clients interested in IBM i Cloud Hosting is their need for IBM i (OS400) expertise. Many have aging IBM i talent planning on retirement and want to make plans for subsequent support for the years to come. Many have a background in other technologies (such as Windows or UNIX) with the responsibility to manage IBM i technology without the needed skills. Others are consolidating and looking to outsource their IBM i support. While cost savings … [Read more...]
4-Hour Upgrade IBM i (OS400) to V7R1 or V7R2
IBM withdraws support for IBM i V6R1 at the end of September 2015. Afterwards, V6R1 support is available with Service Extension which is an extra fee in addition to your IBM Software Maintenance support (SWMA). Even with Service Extension, there are no more PTFs for V6R1 and support is on a best efforts basis. Now is the time to upgrade to V7R1 or V7R2. And, you can upgrade your IBM POWER server in 4 hours – instead of a whole weekend. How is that possible? Check … [Read more...]
6 Misconceptions About IBM i (OS400) Cloud Hosting
With scary headlines about cloud computing, misconceptions are bound to occur. Here are 6 Common Myths: Myth 1 – Cloud computing is more expensive. Fact: It all depends. If you have an old AS400 that is paid for (may not even have maintenance or software support), are years behind in IBM i/OS400 upgrades, backup tapes go home in your car and you are just looking at your current costs (not including the time you may spend managing the server), cloud hosting will never be cheaper than … [Read more...]
What The Heck Does It Mean To “Colocate Your Server” At A Data Center…And Why Should I Care (A Lot)?
If you are an experienced IT executive, you probably already know that a colocation (colo) is a data center facility in which a business can rent space for servers and other computer hardware. Generally, the colo provides the building, cooling, power, bandwidth and security while the customer provides the servers and storage. Nevertheless, every day I talk to IT executives of small-to-medium sized businesses that are unfamiliar with colocation and why a data center makes sense; even those … [Read more...]