AS400 AWS Migration
Many businesses still use IBM AS400 to power their mission-critical applications. However, the proprietary software and hardware are outdated, creating the following problems for AS400 customers:
- Excessive licensing costs
- Difficulty integrating with third-party tools and applications
- Difficulty finding programmers with AS400 experience
- Unreliable data security
- Clunky interfaces and other technical limitations that slow down development workflows
If your company has reached its limit with its legacy system and wants to leverage newer, cutting-edge technologies, consider migrating AS400 workloads over to Amazon Web Services (AWS). Many businesses-particularly those in financial services and manufacturing-are making this transformation, leading to streamlined workflows, better scalability, and stronger data management and security. So how does this process work?
AS400 AWS migration is accomplished by using a software solution called Infinite i. Keep reading to learn more.
What is Infinite i?
Infinite i is a development toolkit that allows AS400 applications to be recompiled and deployed on AWS, ultimately providing greater flexibility and the ability to leverage more advanced tools.
Once the code is recompiled by Infinite i on AWS, it executes as a native application-meaning there are no more IBM components involved, and therefore no more IBM licensing or support fees. The IBM operating system is replaced by Linux, while the application middleware is replaced with Infinite i components, including a runtime system, compilers, utilities, migration tools, and database connectors.
When it comes to the data, Infinite i can replicate all of the same functionality included in the DB2 database, plus many other capabilities. Data can be stored in an internal environment, or migrated to an external database like MySQL, Oracle, or Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS). For data being transferred between applications, Infinite i uses SSL/TLS encryption to ensure security.
Another advantage of Infinite i on AWS is its rapid scalability and low costs. The underlying code can be updated in a matter of minutes to accommodate spikes in user traffic, and under Amazon’s pay-as-you-go model, you’ll only have to pay for the amount of cloud computing your business uses each month.
How to migrate AS400 data and applications to AWS
The length and complexity of your business’ migration process will depend on its particular goals and requirements-or the amount of data and applications that need to be moved over, as well as any new technologies and workflows getting implemented. In general, AS400 AWS migration takes anywhere from one to ten weeks. Here’s a quick look at what that process may look like:
- Nail down business goals and requirements.
- Back up all data and applications.
- Set up the new Infinite i on AWS infrastructure.
- Transfer the backup data from the AS400 server to Infinite i on AWS.
- Rebuild applications for AWS native execution.
- Integrate third-party tools and applications.
- Run application tests.
- Conduct any necessary training for in-house developers.
- Perform ongoing maintenance and support to avoid unexpected system errors.
Get started with AS400 AWS migration
AS400 AWS migration comes with many advantages, from increased scalability, to lower operational costs, to better data management. However, the modernization process can be complicated, requiring significant time, effort, and technical expertise in order to be successful. This is why it’s so important to team up with a web development agency like Codal.
Our team has over a decade of experience modernizing legacy systems, and that includes migrating AS400 data and applications to AWS. As trusted AWS partners-with expert knowledge around Infinite i and other key technologies-we can help guide your business through the migration process, implement cutting-edge tools, streamline development workflows, run tests, conduct training sessions, and perform ongoing system maintenance and support.
Interested in learning more about AS400 AWS migration and how Codal can help modernize your company? Reach out to learn more!
Originally published at https://codal.com.
