29
Fri, Nov
0 New Articles

Technology Focus: Cloud Managed Services for IBM i Offer IT More Options

Managed Services / SaaS / PaaS / IaaS
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Unlike cloud hosting services, cloud managed services leave the hardware at the customer site. However, many of the issues potential customers have are similar.

Written by John Ghrist

Last month's Technology Focus looked at cloud-hosting services for the IBM i and some of the issues that have impeded more widespread adoption of hosting services use. A strong alternative to cloud hosting providers is offered by managed service providers (MSPs), which also use the cloud or Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for connectivity, but that instead offer administrative and other services for servers remaining on customer premises.

 

In general, MSPs provide IT-related expertise for a contracted periodic fee. This benefits smaller companies that perhaps can't afford to pay for that expertise via an in-house staff, and larger companies that want to augment IT operations without increasing head count. While there are companies offering specific services such as high availability, backup and recovery, storage, application hosting, and rental time for development and app testing, here we'll focus on companies that offer to take care of providing all those services on a customer's in-house equipment.

 

Recurring Heartburn

Logically, one might think that retaining all the servers, client workstations, network connectivity, and other devices in-house might assuage user hesitations about loss of control, a big concern for those considering cloud-hosting services. If you did, though, you'd be wrong.

 

"The stickiest and most common objection to moving to cloud services is still loss of control," notes Collin Lee, Principal at Manage, an MSP serving the IBM i community, among others. "Even so, most mid-sized companies have already adopted cloud or managed services in one corner of the organization or another. Whether it be Office 365, Gmail, or even outsourced maintenance and upgrades to a numerical control machine, it's becoming common practice to seek subject matter experts on a 'subscription' basis. Even small clients may have used managed services of a sort for years without thinking about it that way. For instance, when the owner of a small machine shop outsources their linen and uniform cleaning, this is by definition a 'managed service.' Delivering IT managed and cloud services might be viewed as more business-critical than providing unsoiled uniforms, but the parallels are clear. Whatever a company is outsourcing, they are weighing the cost of deploying their own labor and capital against the cost of renting someone else's, while evaluating the comparative qualities of service."

 

"I see loss of control as more of a misconception than a reality," Lee adds. "Providers like ourselves successfully compete down-market from the Accentures and IBMs of the world by being more flexible and responsive to specific customer requirements. No SLA is the same, and we readily tailor services to meet specific customer metrics at a price they (and we) can afford. In fact, we are often able to offer a client more control over their resources, rather than less. A cloud customer may have more flexibility to control specific jobs, instantly scale to address spikes in activity, and manage system attributes to maximize employee performance in ways they were not able to do themselves with on-premise systems."

 

Job Insecurity Concerns

Of course, a managed services model also has its own set of hurdles to overcome.

 

"Although the industry is in the midst of transitioning, system security and the lack of having formal planning and strategies are holding back the IBM i clients from more broadly accepting a managed services model," states Pete Elliot, consultative partner at Focal Point Solutions Group. "We have also experienced reluctance based on job security concerns, which is essentially an unfounded fear. In most cases, having a complementary 'managed services strategy' enables operations to achieve higher levels of productivity and establishes project task priorities, which tends to liberate staff to complete other tasks more critical to the organization."

 

"A secondary, but no less powerful, objection is the fear that moving to the cloud or engaging a company to provide managed services may make one's role in the organization obsolete," agrees Manage's Lee. "The fear of losing one's job obviously can be a powerful motivator, derailing a possible managed services engagement. But in reality, we are more often engaged in IBM i accounts because a company's only IBM i administrator and programmer is retiring or leaving. Finding new-generation IBM i talent to step in for an outgoing pro is a universal problem. From a service provider standpoint, this is a powerful driver for adoption of managed services or migration to cloud."  

 

"There's also concern about a perception that there is no standardization of MSP industry pricing," Elliot adds. "MSP pricing models and value can swing between indicating the vendor is offering very little (underscoring that the MSP vendor has no idea of what they’re doing) to being unrealistically high beyond the reach of most mid-market clients. This generates confusing and wrong expectations."

 

Manage's Lee is in accord. "Providers like ourselves have in some ways lagged in delivering these IT managed services at a price that makes sense for everyone. Now, with affordable computing power and automation tools that didn't exist ten years ago, more and more companies — especially startups — look to cloud services first. They think 'why should I burden myself with hardware I'll need to maintain and replace, when I would prefer to write the next killer app for it instead?' I see this as a macro, generational change in behavior. When you think about it, the next generation of IT professionals and business executives may generally prefer leasing their homes to buying, sharing a ride in someone else's car, and renting a spare room in someone else's home. Services readily provisioned with a click of a mouse? To me, this is the mindset of the ideal business cloud-computing prospect and bodes well for managed services providers long-term."

 

"There are also two enemies within the IBM i community threatening the platform and IBM i managed services providers by extension. The first is a select group of IBM i ISVs that make it prohibitively expensive for customers to license their software on third-party-owned systems. The intent of the ISV is to use licensing costs to direct the customer to a preferred cloud vendor, with whom they have an exclusive business arrangement. Obviously, the ISV should be free to license their software as they see fit. However, customers are often left frustrated at being handcuffed to a single vendor they didn't willingly choose."

 

"The second internal threat to the IBM i platform is the embedded 'NO' employee. Sometimes, the person tasked with supporting the IBM i for an organization doesn't advance their skills and fails to embrace the interoperability and flexibility of today's modern IBM Power Systems. As a result, software languishes, new capabilities aren't added, and the 'NO' person instead spends their comfortable days writing Query/400 reports. Eventually, after staring at the same green-screens for years and being told the platform does not support this or that, executives make the decision to migrate to a different environment that 'can.' "

 

A Bright Future

Despite the misconceptions and pricing difficulties, both managed service providers are optimistic about the future of their market segment.

 

"We believe the trend to embrace the use of more managed services will increase," predicts Elliot. "There are a number of reasons for this. The industry is clearly undergoing a 'skill transition' and there is a lack of skilled talent to support the i community as it continues to mature. There will always be an 'in-house' team whose responsibilities will be to 'keep the lights on' but will need additional help to address critical areas like security, systems availability, self-service analytics, cloud application enablement, and so forth. As clients experience success and a general comfort level using cloud and MSP solutions like email and software as a service, there will be less overall resistance."

 

"The modern IBM Power System running i5/OS is about as far as you can get from a 'legacy' system, unless it is held captive by 'legacy' thinking and practices," agrees Lee.

 

Below are listings for managed service providers that include IBM i shops as part of their clientele. Each entry provides a brief description of available services with a hot link to each company's applicable web page. Please be aware that the descriptions are simply summaries and that more complete information can be found on each service provider's website.

 

Managed Service Providers for IBM i 

Abacus Solutions

Abacus Entry i Cloud

Abacus Entry i Cloud is an entry-level service that provides infrastructure support during normal business hours. Standard services include network management, 400-750 GB of storage, one LPAR, and daily backups but no continuity services.

 

Abacus Enterprise i Cloud

Abacus Enterprise i Cloud provides infrastructure support 24/7/365 with level 2 automated network management, unlimited concurrent users, redundant 16GB RAID5 storage with daily backups via IBM BRMS, continuity services, and additional services.

 

Abacus Enterprise Plus i Cloud

Abacus Enterprise Plus i Cloud offers infrastructure support 24/7/365 with level 3 automated operations management, level 2 automated network management, unlimited concurrent users, redundant 16GB storage with multipath RAID5 and hot spares, continuity services with 12-hour guaranteed recovery, and additional services.

 

IT Infrastructure Management Services

Abacus provides cloud computing and remote IT infrastructure management services that include assessments, maintenance, consulting, data center relocation, audits, hosting, maintenance, hardware and software updates, and equipment leasing and rental.

 

Abtech Technologies

Remote System Administration

Abtech can remotely administer IBM i and other servers via four levels of escalating costs and service options that range from simple monitoring to complete operations administration.

 

APSU

Managed Services for Power i

UK-based APSU administers IBM i servers via the cloud on an up to 24/7/365 basis to provide monitoring, backup, workflow control, storage and preventative maintenance, and management services for performance, changes, and security concerns.

 

CAS Severn

Cloud Hosting

CAS Severn administers IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS services in public, private, and hybrid cloud environments for IBM i servers, as well as security and compliance, storage management and backup, and systems integration services.

 

CMA Technology Solutions

FastCloud for Power i

FastCloud for Power i provides secure hosting and remote managed services for IBM i servers. Features include system operations and administration, automated alerts, disaster recovery, OS updates and PTF installations, and functional testing.

 

Data Storage Corporation

Cloud/Infrastructure as a Service

Data Storage Corporation provides IaaS services for Power Systems and iSeries servers.

 

First National Technology Solutions

Managed Services

First National offers remote hosting, backup, software upgrade, change management, performance monitoring, system administration, and other managed services via the cloud for companies with IBM i servers.

 

First Option IT

IBM i Monitoring

IBM i Monitoring is a cloud-based 24/7/365 centralized management service that watches servers installed at client sites and alerts designated client personnel to problems.

 

Focal Point Solutions Group

Focal Point Managed Services

Focal Point Managed Services are available for IBM i servers at any location. Services include monitoring of system performance and security, managed backups, high availability and disaster recovery, storage area network services, error reporting, and cloud environment monitoring.

 

IBM Corporation

IBM Cloud Managed Services

IBM Cloud Managed Services are available for Power Systems servers running AIX. Service options include disaster recovery, integrated PCI- and HIPAA-compliance, security, flexible network and storage configurations, and some third-party application hosting.

 

IBM Global Technology Services

IBM offers numerous cloud-related services, including hosting, remote management, multiplatform management, helping enterprises establish themselves as managed service providers, and marketing of cloud-based applications.

 

Infor

Infor System i Business Cloud

Infor System i Business Cloud offers a spectrum of cloud-based services for IBM i servers, ranging from backups and high availability through management of servers at customer sites to complete systems hosting.

 

Key Information Systems

KeyCloud

KeyCloud offers IaaS, hosting, disaster recovery, and backup services, primarily in Arizona and California, on its Power Systems and Intel servers running i5/OS, AIX, Linux, and Windows. Options include virtual and dedicated machines, HIPAA and PCI compliance, 99.999 percent uptime, and network security features.

 

Logicalis

Managed Services

Logicalis administers IBM i servers at remote locations on a short- or long-term basis. Services include capacity planning, multiple-location support, server and network monitoring, problem resolution, and hardware repair.

 

Logicalis UK

IBM POWER7 Cloud Services Platform

Logicalis UK provides computing-as-a-service, remote hosting, system monitoring, cloud-migration readiness assessments, and support for AIX and Linux environments on POWER7 systems.

 

Manage

Cloud Computing Services

Manage offers managed services for IBM i servers at client locations, disaster recovery services, hosting for selected third-party enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications, and managed services for Windows clients.

 

OnX Managed Services 

Managed iSeries-as-a-Service

OnX hosts and manages IBM i servers in their data center or in remote client centers on a 24/7/365 basis, which includes meeting a range of government and regulatory compliances, high availability, monitoring, alerts, auditing support, and ITIL best practices.

 

John Ghrist

John Ghrist has been a journalist, programmer, and systems manager in the computer industry since 1982. He has covered the market for IBM i servers and their predecessor platforms for more than a quarter century and has attended more than 25 COMMON conferences. A former editor-in-chief with Defense Computing and a senior editor with SystemiNEWS, John has written and edited hundreds of articles and blogs for more than a dozen print and electronic publications. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: