With new versions of technology always being released, it is often difficult to keep up with the constant changes and to determine if the new version will offer significant benefits over the previous version. Think about how far the IBM ioperating system has come from its start as AS/400 in 1988 to OS/400 to i5/OS and now to the IBM i. There have been many versions over the years and making the move from one to the next needs to be carefully considered.
A common question of those upgrading from OS/400 V5R4 to V7R1 is how it will impact the various IBM and non-IBM applications that the organization is running. No matter what hardware or software you are upgrading, taking into consideration how it will affect other technology solutions is critical – this is especially true for operating systems. Upgrading one solution that causes challenges with other business critical applications could be detrimental.
It is important to think strategically about your upgrade. Just like any major change, you need to devise a plan and address any issues or concerns before you start the actual upgrade process. IBM offers several tools that can be used to analyze and provide reports specific to all IBM and non-IBM applications running on your operating system that need to be addressed prior to upgrading to V7R1.
It is suggested that in order to determine the impact of conversations that may occur to review an IBM Redpaper “i5/OS Program Conversion: Getting Ready for i5/OS,” REDP-4293, from www.redbooks.ibm.com and Info APAR II14306. These documents list the APARs needed to evaluate your system prior to the upgrade.
IBM also offers a planning website to help its customers through migrations and upgrades, as well as pre-upgrade verification tools to ensure a successful upgrade. ANZOBJCVN analyzes object conversion, allowing you to collect necessary data, generate reports and identify potential issues before you start the upgrade process.
Working with an IBM Business Partner who has successfully performed these upgrades in the past will minimize potential issues, allow you to focus on other strategic IT activities and eliminate headaches that can result of operating system upgrades.