In a world obsessed with cloud-first, app-first, and AI-first technologies, legacy systems often get a bad rap. For many IT leaders, “legacy” has become synonymous with “outdated,” “rigid,” or “expensive to maintain.” But that perception couldn’t be further from the truth – especially when it comes to the IBM i (AS400) platform.
Despite being labeled as legacy, AS400 is one of the most secure, resilient, and reliable computing environments available. Enterprises across industries – finance, manufacturing, logistics, and even tech – still run critical applications on IBM i for good reason.
The real problem isn’t the platform. It’s how the platform is supported. Without proper modernization and support practices in place, even the most powerful system can appear obsolete.
This blog breaks down how modern AS400 support services can extend the useful life of IBM i, delay or even eliminate costly migrations, and unlock new business value – without touching your source code or disrupting business operations.
Why Enterprises Still Rely on AS400
Before diving into modernization tactics, let’s revisit why AS400 has stood the test of time:
· Uptime and stability: 99.999% availability makes it perfect for mission-critical workloads
· Security: Built-in object-level security and single-level storage architecture
· Performance: Handles massive transaction volumes with minimal hardware
· Integration: Supports REST APIs, DB2, SQL, and can talk to modern platforms
· Total cost of ownership (TCO): Lower than most enterprise alternatives
If your system runs well, is secure, and powers business-critical operations, why replace it?
What’s Driving the “Migration Myth”?
Organizations feel pressured to migrate for reasons like:
· Lack of internal expertise
· Perceived technology debt
· Vendor recommendations
· Executive bias toward “newer = better”
· Concerns about supportability or regulatory compliance
But here’s the kicker – most of these concerns can be mitigated through modern AS400 support strategies.
Modern AS400 Support: What It Really Means
Modern support isn’t about maintaining the status quo—it’s about keeping your system functional, secure, and extensible for today’s digital demands.
Here’s what that involves:
1. Proactive System Monitoring & Performance Tuning
Modern AS400 support providers deploy advanced tools to:
· Monitor CPU, memory, disk, and job performance
· Identify rogue jobs or I/O bottlenecks
· Automatically alert for abnormal spikes
You get real-time visibility into your system’s health—no guesswork.
2. Security Hardening & Audit Readiness
Just because IBM i is secure doesn’t mean it’s immune. Modern support includes:
· Regular user profile audits
· Object-level access reviews
· Encryption setup for data at rest and in transit
· Patch & PTF management for OS and licensed programs
· Compliance reporting (PCI-DSS, SOX, HIPAA)
3. API Enablement & Integration Support
You don’t need to migrate your AS400 apps to make them modern.
Support providers can:
· Wrap green-screen apps with APIs
· Enable JSON and RESTful web services
· Integrate IBM i with Salesforce, SAP, Microsoft Power BI, and more
This allows your core AS400 apps to play a role in broader digital transformation strategies.
4. Disaster Recovery & High Availability Planning
A modern AS400 support partner ensures:
· Full system backups (BRMS or third-party)
· Geo-redundant replication
· Role-swapping DR plans
· Periodic DR drills
· RPO/RTO guarantees
All of this reduces your business risk and improves resilience.
5. Helpdesk & Remote System Administration
Say goodbye to hiring scarce AS400 admins.
With a managed support provider, you get:
· 24/7 system support
· LPAR management
· Job scheduling and queue optimization
· Printer and spool file troubleshooting
· End-to-end system documentation
6. Roadmap Planning & Modernization Guidance
Good AS400 support doesn’t just maintain the old – it also prepares for the future:
· Application rationalization plans
· Database re-engineering (DDS to DDL)
· Screen modernization (RPG to RPGLE / Free-Form)
· RPG-to-Node.js integrations
· UI overlays for web-based experiences
The Cost of Migrations (When They’re Not Needed)
While there are cases where migrating off IBM i makes sense, many businesses jump the gun.
Consider the hidden costs:
· Rebuilding applications from scratch
· Data transformation risks
· Long implementation timelines
· High initial CAPEX
· Retraining teams
· New security vulnerabilities
A well-supported AS400 system often delivers the same outcomes at a fraction of the cost – without business disruption.
Questions to Ask Your Organization
To determine if you’re undervaluing your AS400, ask:
· Are our applications stable and meeting business needs?
· Is lack of internal expertise forcing us to consider migration?
· Have we had a formal system health check or support audit recently?
· Can we modernize integrations without touching core code?
Takeaway: Legacy Is a Lie, Support Is the Key
The IBM i system you call “legacy” is likely more modern, powerful, and secure than many alternatives. What’s missing is the right support strategy – one that emphasizes longevity, compliance, integration, and business alignment.
So before you sign that cloud migration contract, ask yourself: Is it the system that’s outdated – or just how we’re supporting it?