IBM must really want us to move on from our old friend, the V7.1 version of IBM i. It’s been with us since April 2010 and has seen 11 technology refreshes over its life.
Last April, IBM told us it’s time to move on by announcing that V7.1 will reach End of Program Support on April 30, 2018.
The good news is that V7.2 has been available since May 2014 and V7.3 has been out there since April of last year, so moving to a newer release doesn’t leave you on the “bleeding edge.” Additionally, you can upgrade straight from V7.1 to V7.3 if you choose, and skip the V7.2 step.
Not only that, but you’ve got seven months to complete your upgrade. Just don’t let yourself get lulled into a sense of complacency. Take advantage of the time to put in the required effort up front so this upgrade goes smoothly for you.
It all starts with reviewing the upgrade process in the IBM Knowledge Center:
For many IBM i systems, the review may focus on reaching out to the installed software packages and finding out what updates they require before, or after, upgrading to the next version. They may require updated software, a new license key, and/or additional charges, so it’s quite important to get out in front of this process.
Whether you have internally developed code or not, you will need to review the Memo to Users document for the version you are going to. These documents detail what has changed since the last release. That means you’ll need to read the V7.2 memo if you’re going to V7.3 from V7.1.
These memos may not be the most interesting read, but you should be able to eliminate some of the sections if they don’t apply to you. For instance, the section on Licensed programs is broken down by the individual programs so you can focus on the specific programs you have installed.
The installation instructions will point you to IBM’s developerWorks site during the process as well. This is an excellent source for the latest updates and information (including the Memo to Users documents) you’ll need during the process.
As you might guess, reviewing this information will take some time, but it is well worth the effort. Once you have all the planning in place, you can move forward with confidence.
Because it really is time to move on.
About the author
Paul Lesle is our Power Systems Technical Team Lead and has been involved in activities including evaluating specific client requirements and recommending solutions, evaluating current system performance, performing installation readiness reviews, and implementing IBM server solutions. He has taken the lead in designing a wide range of solutions for customers’ IT infrastructure needs.