Modernizing IBM i, formerly known as AS/400, is a high-stakes project for many enterprises. These platforms run critical workloads and house valuable DB2 for i datasets. This article explains how Alchemize addresses those demands using an automated, zero-downtime migration model.
The challenge: modernization without interruption
IBM i environments are often tightly coupled to business operations. Traditional modernization programs can span many months and require lengthy cutovers that risk extended outages. Manual discovery, mapping, transformation, and validation add complexity and increase opportunity for human error. Enterprises need a migration path that minimizes operational risk while delivering predictable, auditable results.
Alchemize’s approach: automation, visibility, and control
Alchemize, the enterprise data management platform from Maxis Technology, focuses on automating the large, error-prone tasks that make IBM i migrations costly and disruptive. The platform’s capabilities reported on the vendor sites emphasize three complementary strengths:
- Automated data discovery and reverse engineering maps data structures, relationships, and dependencies before any migration steps begin. This creates a clear blueprint of the source estate and informs planning and orchestration.
- Job controls and orchestration group, schedule, and execute migration tasks safely at scale. Orchestration enables complex operations to run with consistency across environments and phases.
- Our zero-downtime execution model is designed to maintain continuous operations during cutover. This model aims to reduce migration windows and preserve data integrity throughout the process.
These elements work together to provide visibility into the IBM i estate and to run migrations with more predictable outcomes.
How it works in practice
Alchemize begins with a discovery phase that examines DB2 for i schemas and application dependencies. Reverse engineering produces a detailed map that teams can use to plan transformations and identify data that needs special handling. With that map in hand, the platform applies automated transformation rules and executes controlled migration jobs. Orchestration features coordinate sequencing and validation so migrations can proceed with minimal human intervention.
Crucially for IBM i modernization, the zero-downtime model focuses on techniques that allow continuous service while data is moved and synchronized. The vendor materials describe this as a way to avoid prolonged outages and reduce operational risk during cutover events.
Outcomes organizations can expect
According to Maxis Technology and Alchemize materials, using an automated, zero-downtime migration approach for IBM i modernization delivers several practical benefits:
- Greater protection for production availability during modernization activities.
- Shorter, more predictable migration windows compared to manual cutovers.
- Repeatable and auditable migration runs through automated discovery, transformation, and orchestration.
- Improved confidence in data fidelity thanks to discovery-led planning and validation during migration.
These outcomes suit IT leaders and program sponsors who must balance modernization objectives with the imperative to keep business services running.
When to consider this approach
Teams should consider Alchemize’s zero downtime model when an IBM i modernization program includes one or more of the following constraints: critical uptime requirements, complex DB2 for i dependencies, large or interdependent datasets, or strict audit and compliance needs. The automated discovery and orchestration components make it possible to scope and execute migrations with more control and less manual overhead.
Find out how Maxis Technology and Alchemize can help you handle the most complex data management challenges by contacting Julian McKay at 844.696.2947 or at our contact page.