AS400 Migration to Cloud

AS400 migration to cloud is a process that involves moving an organization’s IBM AS/400 environment (also known as iSeries, System i, or Power Systems) to a cloud-based infrastructure. This transformation is vital for enterprises seeking to modernize their legacy IT systems and harness the power of innovative cloud technologies.

AS400 Modernization

AS400 modernization goes beyond merely migrating data to the cloud; it involves re-architecting applications and business processes for seamless integration with contemporary cloud-native services. This transition often entails adopting modern programming languages, databases, and application frameworks to unlock new functionalities and promote innovation while preserving core business logic. Cloud migration can be a daunting task for businesses due to its complexities, such as ensuring minimal disruption in operations and maintaining data integrity. However, taking this leap is essential for organizations seeking to better adapt to rapidly evolving market demands. Migrating AS400 environments provides numerous benefits:

Increased agility through faster software development cycles
Enhanced scalability by tapping into limitless computing resources
Improved security measures provided by advanced encryption methods
Cost savings achieved by eliminating capital expenditures on outdated hardware
Better access control through centralized identity management

The concept of what is AS400 might seem archaic in today’s digital era, but it remains relevant because many organizations still rely on these legacy systems for mission-critical applications. AS400 systems were originally designed by IBM in the late 1980s as midrange computers providing powerful yet affordable computing capabilities for small-to-medium-sized businesses. Over time, AS400 evolved into a highly robust and reliable platform for managing enterprise-level workloads, including databases, transaction processing, and business applications. However, legacy IT systems like AS400 can come with downsides such as maintenance costs, limited scalability, and hampered innovation capabilities. Hence, migrating these systems to modern cloud infrastructure components becomes crucial for survival in the competitive landscape. Along the way, innovative solutions have emerged to make this journey to cloud for these applications lower risk. By way of example, Skytap offers enterprises to run AS400 workloads in the public cloud without refactoring or replatforming applications. This offers a practical first step the cloud for these trusted, mission critical workloads.

App Modernization Strategy

An app modernization strategy is essential in guiding organizations through the complex journey of migrating their legacy AS400 applications to the cloud. This process entails a careful assessment of existing application portfolios to determine which applications should be retired, re-platformed, or refactored based on their value and alignment with business priorities and which ones should be “lifted and shifted” to the cloud as-is to accelerate app modernization timelines while reducing business risk. A successful app modernization strategy ensures that organizations can capitalize on new technologies and methodologies like microservices architecture, containerization, and DevOps practices without compromising functionality or user experience. However, app modernization doesn’t alway mean replatforming or refactoring. With Skytap on Azure, you can migrate entire IBM Power estates, including applications, to the cloud without replatforming or refactoring.

Legacy data management is another crucial aspect of a successful AS400 migration to the cloud as it involves preserving and transforming valuable historical information for seamless incorporation into modern data platforms. This process often requires implementing data cleansing techniques, transforming legacy formats into industry-standard structures, and adopting advanced data integration tools to ensure smooth connectivity between disparate systems during migration.

AS400 to Cloud Migration

The process of AS400 to cloud migration has become increasingly popular in recent years as businesses and organizations seek to modernize their IT infrastructure and capitalize on the numerous benefits of cloud computing. This complex task requires careful planning, a deep understanding of the existing systems, and the utilization of various data center migration tools to ensure a smooth and successful transition. One crucial aspect of this migration process is legacy data migration.

Legacy data refers to information stored in older software or hardware systems no longer supported or maintained by their vendors. The challenge is transferring these valuable assets while maintaining their integrity and accessibility in the new cloud environment. This transfer can involve extracting, transforming, and loading (ETL) processes to convert legacy data formats into formats compatible with modern databases and applications. Another critical aspect of AS400 to cloud migration is legacy application migration. Organizations often rely on custom-built applications running on legacy platforms. These applications have been tailored to meet specific business needs over time but may need help to function efficiently in a modern cloud environment. It becomes essential for businesses to adopt a phased approach where they first analyze their existing applications, determine which ones require modernization or replacement, and then develop strategies for migrating these applications onto newer platforms like IBM Cloud or Microsoft Azure. Alternatively, some applications may be best suited for a “lift and shift” to the cloud which essentially supports moving them to the cloud as-is.

Workload Migration

Workload migration is a critical process for businesses that are looking to optimize their IT infrastructure, reduce costs, and improve overall operational efficiency. It involves the transfer of applications, data, and other workloads from one environment to another, often from on-premises servers, such as AS400, to cloud-based platforms like Microsoft Azure. The successful execution of workload migration ensures seamless operations with minimal downtime while leveraging the benefits of modern technology.

Azure Migration

Migrating workloads from an AS400 system to Azure involves several steps. First, organizations must assess their current infrastructure’s compatibility with Azure before developing a comprehensive migration plan. They need to identify dependencies between different workloads and map out how these dependencies will be addressed during the transition period. Then they can use specialized AS400 modernization tools designed specifically for facilitating this process. The primary goal behind this transition is to take advantage of the scalability, flexibility, and robustness offered by Azure services. More businesses today recognize the need to adopt cloud-first strategies to remain competitive and agile in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Azure cloud migration is the overall process of transferring workloads running on legacy systems or other cloud platforms to Microsoft Azure. This may involve migrating various components like infrastructure, data storage, applications, and network configurations. The primary goal behind this exercise is for businesses to access the full range of services offered by Azure while optimizing costs and enhancing operational efficiency.

Legacy application migration to Azure focuses on transitioning older software applications developed using outdated technology stacks to Microsoft’s cloud platform. This transition can sometimes require re-architecting or adapting existing applications so they can effectively run in a cloud environment while still delivering optimal performance and accessibility for users.