IBM i expert retiring
Your IBM i Expert Is Retiring. What Happens Next?
When the person who has managed your IBM i/AS400 environment for years, or decades, retires, the problem is bigger than filling an IT position.
They may hold critical knowledge about applications, interfaces, jobs, backups, users, workarounds and business processes that is difficult to replace.
Source-Data helps organizations understand the environment, evaluate the practical options and determine how much IBM i expertise they truly need going forward.
The business risk
Why This Is a Business Continuity Issue
- Institutional knowledge may live primarily with one person.
- Custom RPG or third-party applications may still run important business processes.
- Interfaces to Microsoft/x86 or other systems may not be well documented.
- Backups, DR, upgrades and recurring jobs may depend on long-established routines.
- Recruiting a replacement with the same depth of IBM i and application knowledge can be difficult.
- A replacement hire may not make economic sense if IBM i is no longer the organization’s long-term strategic platform.
The paths available
Your Practical Options
| Option | When it may make sense |
|---|---|
| Hire a replacement IBM i professional | IBM i remains strategic and there is enough ongoing work to justify a dedicated role. |
| Use outside IBM i expertise or managed services | You need reliable expertise but may not need a full-time replacement. IBM i managed services |
| Move IBM i infrastructure to a hosted environment | You want to reduce the infrastructure and expertise burden while continuing to run IBM i. Hosted IBM i and managed expertise with Cloud400 |
| Use a bridge strategy while transitioning off IBM i | You are replacing applications but still need IBM i for a defined period. If IBM i is not the long-term platform |
| Retain IBM i primarily for data and archive access | Operational use is declining, but historical records or compliance access remain important. |
Knowledge transfer
Before Your Expert Leaves: What to Capture
- Applications and the business processes they support
- Custom code and third-party software
- Interfaces and dependencies
- Scheduled jobs and operational routines
- User and access administration
- Backup and recovery procedures
- Disaster recovery process
- Vendor contacts and software agreements
- Known performance issues and workarounds
- Open projects, upgrades and risks
Proof: IBM i expert retirement
Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative
John Wieser, Director of Information Systems & Technology, was preparing to retire after 35 years. Finding someone who viewed IBM i as a long-term career path was difficult.
Minn-Dak evaluated Cloud400 as a way to address both the expertise issue and the cost and capital burden of continuing to manage the environment internally.
“I would 100% recommend Source Data Products and Cloud400. Cloud400 is a no brainer. Everything went easier than expected, the performance is awesome, and you’ll be in a better place to not have the burden of keeping your server current.”John Wieser, Director of Information Systems & Technology, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative
Needs before solutions
How Source-Data Approaches the Decision
The first question is not “How quickly can we move you to the cloud?” It is “What does your business actually need after this person leaves?”
- What applications still matter?
- What expertise is currently concentrated in one person?
- How much day-to-day IBM i administration will remain?
- What risks need to be addressed before retirement?
- Is IBM i strategic for the next decade, or only the next few years?
- Would managed services, hosting, a hybrid approach or staying on-premises make the most sense?
Questions
Retiring IBM i Expert Answers
Do we have to replace our retiring IBM i administrator with another full-time employee?
Not necessarily. The right answer depends on how strategic IBM i remains, the workload, the applications and the amount of ongoing expertise required.
Can an outside provider manage our IBM i environment?
Yes. Managed IBM i expertise can be an alternative when an organization needs coverage and specialized skills but not necessarily another full-time internal role.
Should we move to the cloud because our IBM i person is retiring?
Retirement is a reason to reassess the operating model, not proof that cloud is automatically the right answer. Source-Data recommends assessing the applications, workload, expertise requirements and future plans first.
What should we document before our IBM i expert retires?
At minimum, document applications, interfaces, recurring jobs, backups, recovery, access, vendor relationships, custom code, workarounds and known risks.
Your IBM i Expert Is Retiring. Let’s Identify Your Best Options Before They Leave.
In a brief, no-obligation conversation, we’ll help you identify the critical questions to address, the expertise you’ll need going forward, and whether hiring, managed services, or cloud hosting makes the most sense.
No cost, no obligation and no sales presentation. Just an experienced first look at your situation.