Top 5 Challenges Faced By IBM iSeries Users That iSeries Outsourcing Can SolvePosted by Abel Willium on May 23rd, 2023 According to the most recent IBM i Strategy and Roadmap, there are more than 150,000 companies worldwide now running their business on the iSeries platform. Few companies rely on their iSeries software as heavily as they should; as more of these businesses turn to outsource iSeries operations, it’s important to understand what makes outsourcing an attractive solution. Let’s dive in! Fading iSeries ExpertiseThis is hands down the biggest challenge surfaced by every iSeries user — the inability to find the right expertise to deliver and maintain their IT solutions. IBM AS400 iSeries is still thriving, after completing 3 decades of service, still giving neck-to-neck competition to modern tech. It’s the supreme reliability and robustness of these systems that still embraces the trust of large enterprises. The hard truth of time is that it goes by and you can’t roll it back. The iSeries expertise is fading away with the engineers growing old and there will be a time when their expertise will retire with them. Have you imagined how worse would that situation be? It’s not that the new generation isn’t taking the lessons of iSeries, but it’s hard to cope with the demand for expertise with that shrinking pool of talent. iSeries users are struggling to find the right talent to manage their current systems. iSeries outsourcing can be a great alternative to make ends meet, perfectly. Whenever an iSeries user sees a need for iSeries expertise, they have access to the pool of highly skilled iSeries technicians, through iSeries outsourcing. Battle the Operational InefficienciesAs an IT leader, you are held responsible for mission-critical decisions, and improving operational efficiency is one of them. Operational inefficiencies become a bottleneck in the long run when left untreated! Legacy Servers and operating systems can stand tall as a challenge on your path to improving operational efficiencies. Besides the other responsibilities of an IT leader, it’s another critical addition that builds up the load. When you outsource your iSeries operations to an iSeries service provider, the company can provide scalable support based on the project and business needs. The benefits of increased operational efficiency include a reliable server infrastructure with a 24/7 support model that can include any number of server improvements that increase resiliency. Help Desk SupportWho doesn’t appreciate reliable support on-demand? Everybody does, right? Being an iSeries user, businesses are ever in need of dependable AS400 support services to have their back. Well, of course, it’s a great deal to have someone on the team itself to support during the downtunrs. But, it’s again an unpopular opinion among the iSeries users to find and have a well-versed iSeries expert on the team, forever. iSeries outsourcing is a proven alternative to avoid system or application failures. You can request on-demand support and never have to suffer during downturns. Upgrade & MigrationiSeries System Upgrades can be carried out with ease if the iSeries user has been consistent with the upgrades. But, if there is a fairly large gap between the last upgrade and the current one, it would be a good idea to rope in expertise. You simply can’t mess up here. The same goes for iSeries application migration. At some point in time, an iSeries user has to make a call on cloud migration, it’s obvious. iSeries migration is not as easy as lifting and shifting the code, there are technicalities involved and you can’t afford a mishap. May it be an upgrade or migration, it’s always a great idea to have access to top-notch expertise while you perform them. iSeries outsourcing is an easy and convenient route to take, to avoid complexities. Preventive MaintenancePrevention is better than cure! No leader would appreciate a system failure when the business is thriving at its peak. And, preventive maintenance is leveraged as one of the finest strategies used by leaders. iSeries outsourcing is hands down a great idea to consider when you are planning prevention strategies for your iSeries setup. You get to have a team of highly skilled iSeries experts as an extension to your in-house team. The team of experts performs routine checks for data leakage and loopholes and ensures that there is no room left for hindrance. Closing NotesiSeries platform has always been at its prime when it was about delivering to the expectations of businesses. Yes, new technologies are shaping up and offering great results but the essence of reliability can not be found. We have put out our level best to jot down the common challenges that an iSeries user faces in reality. And, iSeries outsourcing is a prominent resolve for most of them. Like it? Share it!More by this author |