At present, mid and large-scale businesses prefer to run mission-critical applications on legacy systems like IBM AS400 due to its higher security. However, many organizations are exploring ways to lessen the cost of running and maintaining AS400 systems. Besides, the need to facilitate faster application delivery, reduce manual effort, and acquire visibility into how IT impacts the business is increasing. This is driving organizations to consider AS400 migration initiatives to substantially improve system scalability, agility, and operational efficiencies.
What is AS400?
AS400 is an IBM-built integrated system introduced in 1988. This system is designed for enterprises to host mobile or web applications that keep the business running effectively. With an exclusive Operating System known as OS/400 and a hardware system known as AS/400, businesses can experience robust data processing and management capabilities. Report Program Generator (RPG) is the language commonly used by developers for programming AS400 systems. It has been estimated that around 60,800 enterprises across the world use AS400 systems within their infrastructure.
Why AS400 Cloud Migration is Crucial
Simply put, AS400 Cloud migration means deploying the portfolios of AS400 applications on the Cloud to cut down on costs and improve scalability, without any alterations. By migrating to Cloud, AS400 users can get access to a wide range of Cloud capabilities, such as computation, analytics, storage, and networking. With these capabilities, organizations can host AS400 applications with enhanced flexibility and ultra-high uptime while reducing system complexity and expenses.
In addition, Cloud offers users the ability to integrate preferred technologies and tools with AS400 applications. This enables organizations to make feature improvements, manage complexities and meet their business objectives with ease. Experts from the right AS400 migration services provider can perform application migration to the Cloud platform with minimum risk and maximum efficiency.
Here’s a list of top Cloud platforms that experts prefer during AS400 migration:
IBM Cloud - Since the AS400 system is an IBM creation, it makes sense that many experts leverage IBM Cloud when migrating AS400 applications. This platform is known for its robust security, disaster recovery options, and automation.
Google Cloud- With Google Cloud-based AS400 application migration, enterprises can have Google’s 24/7 support plan and gain access to a wide range of powerful Cloud resources.
AWS – By migrating AS400 applications to Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud, enterprise users can get access to ‘Infinite i’, a built-in suite that allows them to effectively recompile and deploy AS400 applications on Cloud.
Azure – Similar to AWS, the Azure Cloud platform supports a smooth migration and deployment of AS400 applications with the use of ‘Infinite i’.
Benefits of AS400 Cloud Migration
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Pay-Per-Use Model
When enterprises migrate their on-premise AS400 applications to Cloud, they only need to pay for the computing resources they use. This allows organizations to shift their application working model from CapEx (Capital Expenditure) to OpEx (Operating Expenditure). For instance, if an enterprise wants to use a server for a week, the Cloud makes it pretty much possible. However, with traditional data centers, businesses need to purchase a server and maintain it permanently. Overall, AS400 Cloud migration helps organizations pay for prerequisite setup and minimize overprovisioning of resources.
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Scalability
Moving AS400 applications to Cloud enables enterprises to access resources with a greater capacity and performance. This eventually allows them to scale the application up and down according to their workload requirements. This will help businesses make their applications agile, and flexible and meet the growing end-user demands rapidly. AS400 migration to Cloud can also help enterprises in expanding their business and unlocking new opportunities to evolve and adapt.
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Security
In general, Cloud migration delivers state-of-the-art data security. By migrating AS400 applications to Cloud, business users can drastically reduce the risk of data leakage and piracy. It’s because Cloud possesses robust Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) functionality and other key features like authentication control, encryption techniques, extensive control, network hardening, and more. The obtainability of disaster recovery and multi-factor authentication capabilities can reinstate business data in a matter of seconds and ensure service continuity even during any unforeseen disaster. Besides, businesses can protect their AS400 application’s data with greater compliance and ensure safe authentication without any interruptions. AS400 Cloud migration approach offers the maximum level of security and agility to enterprises.
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Integration Support
Typically, in AS400 systems, enabling integrations with other data sources and applications is a challenging task. However, the accessibility of connectors in the Cloud platform enables business users to enable integrations and synchronization. With AS400 Cloud migration, organizations can leverage the Cloud platform’s pre-designed connectors and build fully-functional workflows that automate several processes. This helps organizations harness the digital workplace ecosystem. With such benefits, organizations can easily fulfill present and imminent objectives and gain a competitive edge.
Summing Up
Migrating the AS400 application to Cloud is a great way to take advantage of Cloud resources and lessen operational costs. Migration might be a complicated process, but with the right IBM AS400 support and expertise, enterprises can successfully transition their AS400 applications and workloads to Cloud with zero risk and disruption. With the right approach and strategy in place, Cloud-based AS400 migration doesn’t have to be an intimidating task.
