Since its introduction in 1988, the AS/400 server has gained widespread popularity. Recognized as a highly reliable operating system, safe and efficient, the benefits of the AS/400 have stood the test of time, a quarter century after its first entry on the market.

The 4 main benefits of AS/400 (Power) servers

Businesses that require management of a high level of transactions run on AS/400 servers, because they are extremely reliable, safe and efficient.

Legacy systems and AS/400 have been associated for decades and although the green-screen interfaces are now outdated in many aspects, the benefits of AS/400 still seem the same.

Stability

Never questioned for its reliability, the AS/400 (Power) is still recognized today and maintenance problems associated to its use are rare. According to data collected by IBM, AS/400 users experience on average less than 5.1 hours of unavailability per year (excluding scheduled maintenance).
Today, there is a need and desire to increase the level of availability of services beyond 99.99% of the time.

Security

The AS/400 environment itself has never been infected with the same kind of viruses that affect other systems. Today, server security is more critical than ever and the protection afforded by the Power Systems is a very effective defense against attacks. A survey conducted by Infor shows that 98.9% of Power Systems users have never experienced any viruses on their systems.

The object based design has been is at the heart of Power Systems since the first generation and today remains the key to IT security since viruses often penetrate into systems in the form of data and not objects.

Performance

The volume of data and transactions managed by the AS/400 are still today the reference in industries such as banking or large retail. Contrary to technical environments that require complex calculations, this environment favors information, that is to say, simple operations (input/output I/O) on large volumes of data. 

Compared to a Windows server, where you have to add CPU in order to increase the number of users, a Power server permits a large number of users to work on a same server.  Therefore increasing the system utilization and improving ROI.

Versatility

The versatility of the IBM Power Systems servers is often little known. These servers can be configured as needed: it can be used solely for the AS/400 environment or include other environments. For example, each server contains by default an FTP.

The software integration principle also ensures that IBM delivers a complete operating system and fully tested with each new version. So there aren’t any issues with version incompatibility due to program differences as on other systems (with different versions of DLL for example). All necessary components are fully integrated into the standard operating system. 

Recommendations for AS/400 utilization

Protecting the software investment

The systems continue to allow the migration of software developed several decades ago to the most recent versions and the protection of these software investments remains a distinct advantage today. Present helps clients migrate from one version to another to ensure maximum protection of their initial investments. 

Version Updates

It is important to keep your AS/400 operating systems up to date. Companies that are still using older versions supported by more modern systems may encounter different problems. For example, companies that still run a V6 operating system on a Power System should consider upgrading to V7. This migration is part of the equation to protect your investment and allows you to continue to benefit from IBM Support. In fact, the V6 is expiring at the end of September 2015 and will no longer be supported.

Conclusion

Almost 40% of companies that use Power Systems are confident that these servers will help them achieve their growth objectives over the next 10 years. And 90% of these companies plan to invest in their system in the coming years.

The advantages of the integrated AS/400 operating systems are evident, however, many companies often lack the internal expertise to easily migrate from older versions to newer ones. Present's IT infrastructure services helps guide our clients with a proven methodology that allows for a smooth implementation.

@ Zazzle