The benefits of cloud computing are well-known:- Cost savings is perhaps the most obvious one – businesses can save substantially on capital costs as they do not need to invest in hardware upfront. There is also no need to invest in the infrastructure required to support the hardware (for example server room floor space, racks, network devices, cooling systems, cabling, and so forth); System flexibility is another benefit, as cloud providers enable you to scale up and scale down your systems and storage needs as they change. Your developers may temporarily require access to more resources to work on a new application, or you might be expecting a temporary spike in demand. A cloud hosted environment provides the flexibility to add these resources as you need them, then remove them when you are finished; Mobile Workforce Enablement is one benefit that is being specifically highlighted during this disruptive COVID19 pandemic. With your systems in the cloud, businesses are finding it far simpler to enable staff to access their work wherever they may be, as long as they have internet access – at home, on the road, in a café, anywhere; Business continuity is also made simpler and more reliable when your data is stored in the cloud. The list of benefits that can be realized by moving to the cloud goes on.
Given the greater recognition of these benefits in today’s market, it is not surprising that cloud computing is a rapidly growing area. In 2018, the 3 biggest public cloud vendors, Amazon Web Services, Google Compute Platform, and Microsoft Azure each experienced revenue growth in the order of 50%. Though currently not as big as these 3, IBM Cloud, Oracle Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud are also seeing significant growth. There is no doubt, people are looking up to the cloud more and more!
While the likes of Windows and Linux users have all been racing off to take advantage of all the benefits that cloud deployment offers, IBM i users have been somewhat left behind. There are a number of valid reasons for this, some of which might sound like these:
- A feeling that the server does not really fit the cloud model, one reason being that software on the platform is often priced based upon the server P groups (P10, P20, etc) or is locked into server serial numbers, and in a public cloud environment you may never know what specific server you are running on;
- Different companies are running many different models and operating systems, and that complicates what cloud providers should offer potential customers;
- IBM i servers tend not to run trivial systems – they are running cores apps and holding companies most sensitive data, and companies are generally not comfortable hosting that data outside their own 4 walls;
- Finally, up until recently, not many vendors in the cloud marketplace offered options for the IBM i.
Are the times slowly changing though? A number of smaller and mid-sized operators, such as Connectria in the US, have been hosting IBM i servers for some time. And in 2019, a number of the big cloud providers began offering the IBM i – specifically, Amazon, Microsoft, and IBM themselves. No doubt in recognition that there is potential growth in this market. Furthermore, those with concerns around their sensitive data being stored in the cloud, might begin to take heed that even some of the world’s big banks are moving to the cloud – for example, France’s BNP Paribas (admittedly I am not sure if this includes IBM i servers – however, it serves to demonstrate that companies with serious security and compliance concerns are beginning to feel comfortable in moving to the cloud).
So, it is quite possible that in the years to come we will see more IBM i users make the transition to the cloud. If not of all their servers, then at least some. Which brings me to my closing point in this short entry. When considering how and when to move to the cloud, it is not necessary that IBM i companies think that the only path is to move all their systems over in one foul swoop. That would be enough to scare anyone off. Moving to the cloud should be viewed as a journey, along which benefits can be gained at any stage. For example, beginning with a less risky move of transitioning development and testing systems to the cloud will see the immediate realization of many of the benefits, while not stretching security, risk, and compliance concerns greatly. This approach also allows companies to explore the novel environment under the watchful eye of their own technical experts. This seems to be the roadmap that BNP Paribas is taking. Additionally, you might consider moving your disaster recovery and high availability environments to the cloud. Or consider private cloud hosting options.
In short, there are a number of options and significant benefits to be gained in the cloud for the IBM i community. And now is the time to begin exploring.
If you are interested in exploring moving your IBM i to the cloud, then contact Joule Tech today.
