Why Outsourcing Makes Sense for IBM Application Modernization

The advancements in technology are emerging every passing day, which simply means, modern technologies that are making strong headlines in the business realm these days may become passé in the next few years. AS400 is one such technology launched by the industry titan IBM nearly three decades ago that requires modernization. Back in the 1980s, AS400 was renowned for its unbreachable security, low ownership cost, robustness, and high uptime rate of 99.97%. Today, AS400 has aged well and is now showing signs of poor compatibility with the Cloud infrastructure, lack of readiness for modern business software and applications, poor usability and manageability, and other critical issues. Thus, it makes sense for enterprises to opt for AS400 modernization services from an expert to do away with the issues associated with aging AS400 whilst improving business agility, continuity, and scalability.

Challenges Associated With IBMi

Shortage of RPG Talent - Developers having expertise in IBMi modernization are retiring fast since this legacy technology has been around for several decades.

OEM Support Declining - IBMi is a decade-old technology and it is likely that sooner or later, IBM will stop providing support to IBMi users.

Data Security - Businesses using IBMi for their mission-critical workloads and applications are vulnerable to potential data security attacks since IBMi is a legacy technology.

When it comes to AS400 application modernization, enterprises often end up getting confused between in-house application modernizing or outsourcing the modernization task to an offshore partner without disrupting the established internal processes. Enterprises may consider the modernization task in-house but this will require a lot of resources, a seasoned team of RPG programmers, and many other critical things to perform IBM application modernization. The important thing to note here is that not every organization has the required resources and a dedicated team of RPG developers to complete the modernization task in-house. In such a scenario, it makes sense for enterprises using AS400 for powering mission-critical workloads to consider outsourcing the modernization task to an offshore partner to reduce capital expenditures (CapEx), gain higher scalability, and drive digital transformation.

How to Choose the Right Outsourcing Company for IBM Application Modernization

There are many companies out there that offer IBM application modernization services, however, only a few of them are reliable and worth partnering with. Therefore, it becomes imperative for enterprises looking for AS400 modernization not to fall into scams and traps and religiously follow the tips listed below to choose the right outsourcing partner for AS400 modernization.

• Always look for an AS400 outsourcing partner having rich experience in the same domain and special expertise in terms of IBM application building and management the team possesses.
• Before you hire any outsourcing partner, always ask them about the techniques or processes they will follow for AS400 modernization to drive the business value. When asking questions pertaining to AS400 modernization be more specific about their key responsibilities when offering outsourcing services.

• Ask the outsourcing partners offering AS400 modernization services about the governance, maintenance and support services, costs, and their approach to tackling unplanned issues.
• Prepare a detailed list of tactical business requirements since this will help the outsourcing partner devise a roadmap for AS400 modernization.

• Take a sneak peek at the portfolio of potential AS400 outsourcing partners and closely analyze whether they performed AS400 modernization in the past. Based on this, businesses can easily determine whether the outsourcing partner can meet their modernization requirements or not.

How Outsourcing Application Modernization Can Help IBMi Users

Business priorities are evolving rapidly and in today's dynamic world, every enterprise wants to stay competitive. The good news is that businesses can gain a competitive advantage by outsourcing IBM application modernization. A reliable iSeries modernization outsourcing partner can help you reduce high expenditures whilst enabling you to grow your business steadily. Besides this, an experienced outsourcing company will always look for new ways to implement innovative solutions and make your IBMi application competitive and future-ready as per the latest trends. Not to mention, AS400 modernization experts strictly follow modern development practices and integrate your business solution with popular emerging technologies. Therefore, it becomes imperative that you partner with a market-driven, customer-centric, and business-ready iSeries outsourcing company. When you associate with a reliable outsourcing company, they will evaluate the existing condition meticulously and devise a strategic roadmap to modernize the legacy IBMi applications.

Key Benefits of Outsourcing IBMi Modernization

Gain a competitive edge

• Save time, cost, and effort on AS400 modernization
• Manage potential business risks in a better way
• Compatibility with the Cloud infrastructure

Apart from the aforementioned benefits, outsourcing IBMi modernization can help you harness a host of benefits in terms of enhanced business functionalities, reduced investment, improved efficiency, and increased productivity. Also, IBMi modernization allows you to expand your market reach.

Summing Up

IBM application modernization is the need of the hour for businesses using IBMi. If you are also planning to modernize your IBM application, you should consider partnering with an offshore iSeries modernization expert. One of the easiest ways to find a reliable outsourcing modernization company is to begin your search GoodFirms, G2, Clutch, and more. You may also look for an outsourcing partner on LinkedIn and other authoritative platforms.