It’s a situation we’re all too familiar with: your organization has been running the same IBM i-based software system for years, even decades, and everyone is interested in replacing it with a more modern ERP. Sounds like an easy decision, right? Not so fast.
For many IT Directors, the idea of replacing their IBM i system often emerges when internal development slows and technical debt piles up, or the business desires a more modern ERP.
Before committing to a complete system replacement, it’s critical to assess the hidden technical and operational costs that come with that path.
At Briteskies, we work with manufacturing and distribution clients who evolve their IBM i environments incrementally, reducing risk while gaining modern capabilities. Below are ten commonly overlooked costs of replacement and how a modernization-first approach might be a more practical, scalable option.
💡Modernize Instead: Convert RPG III and RPG IV code to Free Format RPG, embed SQL logic, and modularize programs with service programs and subprocedures. This improves maintainability without rewriting what already works.
A full ERP cutover is disruptive—data migration, user retraining, integration rebuilds, and go-live bugs often lead to extended project timelines.
💡Modernize Instead: Implement changes in stages. For example, convert specific screens to a modern UI, or start using SQL-based access for key data points. This allows parallel operations and reduces business interruption.
Your team knows the current system. New platforms require retraining across departments, extending timelines, and introducing productivity dips.
💡Modernize Instead: Use tools like Profound UI or others to transform green screens into web-based, intuitive interfaces that reduce training needs and support mobile access.
Replacement systems rarely support legacy integration methods like FTP batch jobs or flat file transfers. Every integration—shipping, EDI, warehouse systems—must be rewritten, tested, and validated.
💡Modernize Instead: Wrap existing RPG programs in RESTful APIs using Eradani, or IWS or Node.js. These interfaces can integrate with platforms like Salesforce, FedEx, and more, while leveraging your current logic.
When replacing systems, the translation of tribal knowledge becomes a bottleneck. Much of what works today is undocumented and embedded in code or user behavior.
💡Modernize Instead: Start with a Technical Review and Business Process Review to document architecture, workflows, and business logic. This builds a solid foundation for any modernization effort.
Decommissioning legacy systems is not simple. Archiving old data, preserving audit trails, and ensuring compliance can be more complex than anticipated.
💡Modernize Instead: Convert DDS files to SQL DDL with tools like QSYS2.GENERATE_SQL or IBM ACS, normalize schemas, and phase in encryption and relational constraints.
New systems often lack hardened IBM i security practices and introduce new vulnerabilities. Improperly configured permissions or open interfaces can expose sensitive data.
💡Modernize Instead: Incorporate MFA, HTTPS/SFTP communication, and role-based security. Briteskies includes InfoSec assessments with modernization planning and has CISSP-certified staff.
Many IBM i environments include tools that don’t easily translate to a new ERP. Rebuilding these takes time and often deprioritizes critical reporting needs.
💡Modernize Instead: Preserve critical workflows by modernizing internal tools, refactoring reporting logic, and integrating with modern BI tools.
New platforms often require extensive customization to match legacy functionality. Licensing fees, consulting costs, and delays can quickly outpace projected ROI.
💡Modernize Instead: Focus on reducing technical debt by refactoring high-impact programs and eliminating obsolete code—building agility without overextending budget or timelines.
ERP transitions stretch your IT team, leading to project fatigue, errors, and even staff turnover.
💡Modernize Instead: Modernize the development environment itself by introducing RDi or
VS Code, implement Git, and establish CI/CD practices that increase productivity and team satisfaction.
Modernization allows you to keep your trusted IBM i foundation while extending it with modern capabilities:
This approach minimizes disruption, reduces risk, and positions your
system for future growth.
Looking for a technical roadmap that matches your environment? 👉 Download the IBM i Modernization Strategy Guide and see how to evolve your platform—without starting over.
Briteskies, an IBM partner for 25 years, offers comprehensive services for IBM i (AS400) systems, including consulting, development, staffing, security audits, EDI solutions, and integrations. Our team combines over 40 years of IBM i expertise with fresh talent, delivering both legacy knowledge and innovative perspectives. Skilled in every RPG iteration and modern technologies like Node and API solutions, we seamlessly integrate applications to support business goals. Dedicated to modernization, security, and efficiency, we help businesses optimize and upgrade their IBM i environments for long-term success.
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