Background
Norby Distributing Co. is a retail chain of 11 stores in Iowa and Kentucky. Headquartered in Dubuque, IA, the stores sell hunting and fishing equipment, housewares, automotive goods, apparel, hardware, lawn and garden supplies, paint, pet supplies, sporting goods, tools, and a mix of product lines in animal health, livestock feed, workwear, fashion clothing, candy and snacks, and toys.
Norby relies on an IBM POWER 9 9009-41G with Horizon Retail software to support its 100 users.
End Of Life Notice Spurs Version Upgrade
In August 2023, Norby’s IBM Business Partner notified Bill Black, System Administrator, that IBM i OS V7.3 was End of Life effective October 1, 2023.
Bill explains, “We wanted to do the version upgrade. However, because it was our busy season, we delayed the upgrade until January 2024.”
Mark Breisacher’s Proficiency And Professionalism
Source Data assigned Senior IBM i Expert Mark Breisacher for this project.
Bill continues, “Mark was knowledgeable, attentive to our needs, and really gave us insight and explanation throughout the process to keep us updated on how it will all work.”
Effective Version Upgrade Preparation
“Mark guided us over a few weeks before the upgrade, suggesting troubleshooting commands we could run in preparation.
“To make the upgrade safe and easy for us, Mark initiated the full system Save21 backup of our current system on a Friday evening at 6:30. This backup completed within just 3 hours
“After the backup was complete, Mark started the upgrade to V7.4. The following morning, when the upgrade to V7.4 was complete, Mark conducted another Save21 backup so we had a backup copy of our system at V7.4.
“We knew we were safe to start testing everything.”
Smooth And Seamless Migration
Norby Distributing Co. experienced a smooth upgrade under Mark’s expert guidance.
“Mark made the version upgrade process easier and smoother than we had expected. Norby’s retail stores had no disruption. The whole experience was hassle-free. We noticed better performance, but we were just happy that it was all working, which is what we were hoping for.”
Bill Black Recommends Source Data Products
“I would absolutely recommend Source Data Products for an IBM i version upgrade. Mark was very thorough, very professional, and kept us well informed throughout the whole process.”
