IBM Power Cloud and Modernization Advisory

Find the Right Cloud Path for Your IBM Power Workloads

Compare IBM Power Virtual Server, managed IBM i (AS/400, iSeries) and AIX hosting, private cloud, disaster recovery, hardware refresh, and modernization options, before committing to a provider or migration plan.

Get a Power Cloud Assessment Meet with an advisor

Independent guidance for IBM i, AIX, Linux on Power, DB2, Oracle, SAP, and business-critical workloads.

Where do you start?

What are you trying to solve?

Pick the situation closest to yours.

Reduce IBM Power infrastructure costs

See what actually drives cost and where the room to reduce it is.

See IBM Power migration cost drivers →

Move IBM i to cloud

Compare PowerVS, managed hosting, and private cloud for IBM i.

Compare IBM i hosting options →

Move AIX to cloud

Evaluate cloud and hosting paths for AIX, Oracle, and SAP workloads.

See AIX cloud and hosting paths →

Replace aging Power hardware

Decide between a Power11 refresh and moving to cloud or hosting.

Weigh Power11 refresh against cloud →

Improve disaster recovery

Close DR gaps with the right RPO/RTO-matched approach.

Review IBM Power DR options →

Modernize a legacy application

Modernize IBM i applications without a risky full rewrite.

Read the IBM i modernization guide →

Choose an IBM Power provider

Compare named IBM Power hosting, cloud, and disaster recovery providers side by side.

Browse the provider directory →

Decision matrix

Compare the main paths

A starting point for comparison: actual fit depends on workload, licensing, application support, geography, architecture, and provider terms.

Comparison of IBM Power infrastructure and modernization paths
Option	Best for	Upfront cost	Migration effort	Typical risks	Next step
Keep IBM Power on-premises	Stable workloads with existing capacity	High (owned hardware)	None	Aging hardware, refresh cost cycles	Compare refresh options →
Upgrade to Power11	Teams keeping infrastructure in-house	High (new hardware purchase)	Low to medium (OS/app validation)	Still a fixed-capacity asset to refresh again later	Compare refresh options →
IBM Power Virtual Server	Teams wanting IaaS without owning hardware	Low (consumption-based)	Medium	Network/latency design, licensing portability	See PowerVS overview →
Managed IBM Power hosting	Teams offloading infrastructure and OS management	Low (subscription)	Medium	Provider dependency, contract terms	See managed hosting overview →
Power Virtual Server Private Cloud	Regulated workloads needing dedicated infrastructure	Medium	Medium to high	Higher cost than shared cloud options	See PowerVS overview →
Colocation	Teams exiting a data center but keeping owned hardware	Medium (existing hardware + facility fees)	Medium (physical relocation)	Physical logistics, facility contract terms	Compare on-prem vs cloud →
Disaster recovery as a service	Teams with DR gaps but no plan to relocate production	Low to medium	Low to medium	Untested failover, RPO/RTO mismatches	See DR options →
Replatform or refactor applications	Teams modernizing the application itself	Varies (labor-intensive)	High	Scope creep, application compatibility gaps	Compare migrate vs modernize →

By operating system

Choose your operating system

Each platform carries its own dependencies, tooling, and migration considerations.

IBM i

LPARs, DB2 for i, BRMS, HA/DR, licensing, and third-party application dependencies.

See IBM i hosting options →

AIX

mksysb migration, NIM, PowerHA, Oracle and SAP dependencies, storage and network architecture.

Compare AIX migration options →

Linux on Power

Application compatibility, containers, Red Hat, SAP, and modernization paths.

Compare Power migration paths →

Our approach

How the process works

A measured path from current-state documentation to a sourced, validated plan.

1
Document the environment
Capture workloads, LPARs, dependencies, and the operating model behind them.
2
Compare viable destinations
Weigh on-premises refresh, PowerVS, managed hosting, private cloud, and modernization paths against your requirements.
3
Validate cost and migration risk
Pressure-test cost estimates and migration complexity before committing to a path.
4
Source providers and implementation options
Connect with the right providers or implementation partners for the chosen path.

Why now

Common migration triggers

Most AS/400, iSeries and AIX projects start because one or more of these has become urgent.

Hardware approaching end of life. Support windows and part availability are closing in.
Maintenance or support renewal. An upcoming renewal is a natural decision point.
Data center exit. A lease, facility, or colocation exit is forcing a decision.
Disaster recovery gaps. Current DR can't meet the recovery objectives the business needs.
Skills shortages. IBM i, AIX, and Power expertise is harder to hire and retain.
Acquisition or consolidation. M&A activity is bringing multiple Power estates together.
Capacity growth. Workload growth is outpacing installed capacity.
Application modernization. The platform needs to support a broader modernization effort.
Security or compliance requirements. New requirements demand a different operating model. See the Power security threat model →
Need for consumption-based infrastructure. Capital budgets favor an operating-expense model instead.

Why work with us

Powered by Bridgepointe Technologies.

Power Systems Advisors is powered by Bridgepointe Technologies, a technology advisory firm since 2002. You get one advisor, the research on this site, and the provider relationships behind it. There is no cost to your team, and we are upfront about how the advisory is funded.

Bridgepointe clients include

Toyota
Subaru
Michelin
PPG
Ametek
Conagra Brands
Penske
McKesson
Cardinal Health
Allstate
AIG
New York Life

75+ Fortune 500 clients

Including more than 20 of the Fortune 100, with 97% client satisfaction.

1,200+ data center and cloud projects

Environments assessed, capacity sourced and providers selected.

Migration concessions

We regularly negotiate concessions, such as free months or reduced early billing, to cover the overlap while you migrate.

One requirement, every fit

Bridgepointe partners with 380+ technology providers. We take your IBM i or AIX requirement to the providers that fit it and bring back a side-by-side comparison you can actually decide from.