Thinking About Moving Your Data Off IBM i?

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You’ve been using the IBM i platform for decades. You’ve been with it from AS/400 to iSeries and finally to IBM i.

It’s been the solid base for your company to build and grow.

But your system administrators are getting curious. Is your reliance on tried-and-true technology keeping you from innovating?

Growing interests in things like business intelligence has only added fuel to the curiosity fire. Is your organization missing out by keeping data on IBM i? Should you be moving your data off IBM i?

In short, no. Don’t be so anxious to move your data off IBM i. Big Blue and IBM i vendors have been working in recent years to modernize the platform—and give you the same shiny new options you’d have if you switched.

So, before you think about moving your data off IBM i…

1. Consider What You Already Have

The grass is always greener on the other side. Right?

That’s one reason that you might be considering moving data off IBM i. You haven’t experienced life on the other side.

But, at the same time, you might not know just how good you have it in your own backyard. And that’s a shame.

So, here are some things you have on IBM i that you’d miss if you move your data to other platforms:

• Uptime ratios (you rarely need to reboot)
• Reliability (you don’t need to worry about things breaking)
• Security (the IBM i is the most securable platform around)
• Low costs (IBM i has one of the lowest total costs of ownership around)

No matter what an alternative solution promises, these performance factors are hard to improve upon. Plus, migrating is risky. You never know what unexpected consequences might arise.

Considering a business intelligence initiative? You don’t need to leave IBM i for that.

Have you tried data reporting on IBM i? IBM i makes it easier than you might think.

 The DB2 database is embedded, which eliminates potential headaches before they can ever begin. This makes it quick and easy to access and manipulate data. And it’s pretty simple to access other popular databases like Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, and Oracle.

2. Confront Your Assumptions About IBM i

IBM i is a Sunk Cost

You’ve heard your CFO talking about sunk costs. What if they decide the IBM i is one of them?

They shouldn’t. That would imply the IBM i is no longer delivering value. And any IT team who works with IBM i knows that is not the case.

IBM i is Just a Data Warehouse

Some people assume that IBM i is just a data warehouse. And while it has the capacity to be a data warehouse, the platform is capable of so much more.

IBM i Can’t Do Business Intelligence

You’ve seen the shiny business intelligence software out there. And you think, “IBM i could never support something that modern.”

But you’re wrong.

All it takes is the right team—or the right software—to turn your IBM i into a business intelligence powerhouse.

After all, IBM i has the data collecting and reporting capabilities that you need for business intelligence.

3. Contemplate Your Future on IBM i

Where is your organization’s technology going? What role will IBM i play in that future?

IBM’s Chief Architect Steve Will tackles this question all the time. He says in IBM i Systems Magazine, “Just remember that you are on a platform that has been delivering valuable new business capabilities for many, many years.

IBM continues to invest in the IBM i platform. And they keep making improvements to ensure the technology remains relevant as time goes on.

So, before you write off the IBM i, take a long hard look at its potential.

The IBM i is scalable with massive capacity, so it’s easy to manage and expand with your business. It has built-in data management capabilities that other platforms envy. Plus, additional disk space can be added on the fly without incurring huge expenses.