Since enterprises continue to spend on digital transformation and other tech trends that help them be more competitive, migrating to the Cloud is an effective option. However, real innovation comes in legacy application migration where cutting-edge technologies like Blockchain and AI are deployed.
Though legacy applications like AS400 offer better value to enterprises, there are numerous areas where they fall short, particularly around agility, cost, and maintenance. Hence, it’s time for businesses to adopt AS400 Cloud migration. By transitioning mission-critical applications from AS400 to the Cloud platform, enterprises can modernize workflows, speed up processes and eliminate risks, thus freeing up resources and time.
Is AS400 a Legacy System?
IBM-built AS400 also known as ‘IBM iSeries or ‘IBM I’ is an integrated system that provides exclusive hardware, Operating Systems, and other features like a combined database. Indeed, IBM’s AS400 System is a legacy system. In 2019, IBM terminated iSeries/AS400 hardware support and OS upgrades. Meaning that, AS400 systems no longer receive support, updates, or maintenance from their developer community or creators.
Despite this, it is still a crucial element for many world’s top business’s IT infrastructure. Many organizations still use AS400 Systems for hosting mission-critical applications and workloads. It controls vital applications in places like banks, medical institutions, and government agencies. Though it might sound like a trustworthy system, AS400 systems hold their fair share of downsides and challenges.
Challenges in Running AS400 Systems
- Expensive Maintenance – Maintaining AS400 systems over the long term can be exorbitant for enterprises. As said before, AS400 systems won’t receive updates or community support. As a result, they require maintenance support from IT staff. Over time, maintenance expenses grew up higher and impacts productivity.
- Reduced App Performance– Since AS400 systems are decades-old, continuing to use them can impact the performance of enterprise-grade applications. Besides, organizations can experience frequent app crashes and failures. Hosting enterprise applications in AS400 Systems prevents organizations from leveraging new technologies and can worsen their competitive edge.
- Lack of Integration Support – AS400 systems are incompatible with newer systems and applications, which can impact functionality for enterprises that have a combination of new and old technologies
- Data Siloes – Due to its non-integrative nature, the application data stored on AS400 systems cannot be shared with other platforms or departments using modern technology. This results in data siloes and the risk of the app data being lost or mishandled is higher.
By using AS400 systems, enterprises can’t experience the agility and flexibility to address crucial business requirements and attain development opportunities. That’s why hosting enterprise applications on Cloud platforms is essential. Migrating AS400 workloads and applications to Cloud enables enterprises to establish an infrastructure with superior scalability and flexibility.
6 Benefits of AS400 Cloud Migration
Cloud platforms like Google Cloud and Azure offer enterprises the flexibility to develop, deploy, and manage applications on a global, cost-efficient, and enterprise-level network. This significantly reduces dependency on complicated data centers or hardware and helps enterprises overcome expensive maintenance. On the whole, enterprises can focus on essential IT goals, scale resources properly, and fulfill both technical/non-technical necessities quickly.
Let’s look at the benefits in detail:
- Lessen IT Spending
Saving costs on IT infrastructure is one of the most common reasons for enterprises to migrate to the Cloud. Instead of anticipating capacity necessities beforehand, enterprises can make modifications on the go, offload idle assets, and effortlessly right-size resources based on application demands.
AS400 migration to Cloud also offers lower implementation costs because the need for additional hardware implementation is eliminated. This makes it an affordable choice for small and medium-sized enterprises since most Cloud platforms are available on a subscription basis and can be implemented rapidly with zero downtime.
- Enable Multiple Integrations
With Cloud-based AS400 migration, enterprises can get access to Cloud vendors’ (G-Cloud, Azure, and AWS) library connectors and create fully-functional workflows that operate at a better speed. This helps organizations harness the digital workplace environment. Typically, in the AS400 systems, performing integrations with other enterprise applications and data sources is a major concern. But, the obtainability of connectors in the Cloud platforms offers better scope for enterprises to execute integrations and synchronization. With such advantages, enterprises can easily meet present and future goals and acquire a competitive edge.
- Power Up Security
As per a recent survey, 35% of IT decision-makers and business users stated that AS400 systems make enterprises more susceptible to external threats. This is mainly because outdated AS400 systems are non-compliant with present application security standards and validation techniques. Hence, migrating applications from AS400 systems to Cloud can incredibly eliminate security attacks and protect application data efficiently. With superior control and transparency offered by the Cloud platforms, organizations can modify app security arrangements as per the latest standards.
- Improve Efficiency
With AS400 Cloud migration, enterprises no longer need to run and maintain separate data centers. This can create a huge impact on the IT teams. It’s because data centers and hardware equipment are difficult to maintain. IT experts have to spend more time developing and managing such traditional setups. Whereas, running enterprise applications from the Cloud, usually requires less time and effort from internal IT teams. The experts just need to perform fewer day-to-day maintenance activities since more technical responsibilities are handled by the Cloud platforms.
- Enhance Business Continuity
At large, enterprises that run AS400 legacy systems have to purchase additional equipment for executing app upgrades and enhancements. While migrating applications from AS400 to Cloud helps enterprises cut down the TCO, making it feasible for enterprises to host applications without disruptions and ensure better business continuity. Moreover, AS400 Cloud migration helps enterprises to pay for essential setup and reduce overprovisioning of resources.
- Incorporate Innovative Technologies
One of the key benefits of AS400 Cloud migration is that enterprises can access comprehensive Cloud functionalities. Transitioning workloads and applications from iSeries servers to the Cloud platform enables organizations to experience advanced scalability, lesser latency, self-service provisioning, and others. Moreover, AS400 Cloud migration helps enterprises harness the power of modern technologies like IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Analytics to enhance applications’ user experience, capabilities, and outcomes. With robust analytical and reporting capabilities, business users can acquire insights based on application performance.
Summing Up
The AS400 Cloud migration approach helps businesses improve their app’s scalability and accessibility while eliminating time-intensive hardware deployment and complexities. With this migration, enterprises can also have the ability to grow with dynamic security criteria, and market requirements, and actively combat risks.
