If your organization’s core operations still run on IBM i (or AS/400, or iSeries, whatever it’s known as in your organization), you’re in good company.
The platform’s reputation for rock-solid reliability, security, and performance is unmatched. It’s the dependable workhorse that’s been quietly keeping your business running for years, maybe even decades.
However, while IBM i hasn’t missed a beat, the business world around it has undergone dramatic changes. Customers expect slick web portals. Employees want intuitive, modern interfaces. And integrations with mobile apps, eCommerce platforms, and cloud services have gone from “nice to have” to “business-critical.”
If you’re looking around and thinking, “Our core is solid, but the outside could use an update,” you’re exactly where many IBM i shops are today.
Modernization doesn’t mean tearing out the system that’s been faithfully serving you. It’s about building on your strengths, unlocking more value from what you already have.
Think of it like renovating a historic building. You maintain the beautiful structure and solid foundation, but you add energy-efficient windows, modern wiring, and an open floor plan to make it work for today’s needs.
For IBM i, that means adopting modern development tools, refreshing the user experience, improving system integration, and ensuring your platform stays secure and supported.
One of the things we love doing is helping our clients realize the power of the technology they already have, especially when it comes to IBM i. Many people think of the system as old and archaic, what with its green screen interface and “rusted in” reputation. But IBM i is a powerful system that should be properly leveraged and modernized as opposed to ripped out and replaced. That’s where our expertise comes in.
Many IBM i applications are still written in older versions of RPG and maintained in PDM or SEU. While these tools have stood the test of time, they weren’t designed for today’s pace of development.
Shifting to free-format RPG and using modern IDEs like RDi or VS Code for i makes development faster, cleaner, and easier for both veteran developers and new talent.
This matters for more than productivity. Modern development practices make the IBM i environment more appealing to younger developers who expect open-source integration, familiar coding styles, and collaboration tools. Free-format RPG is a modern language, mirroring the development style of other programming languages, lowering the learning curve and helping you attract and retain new talent.
We can all appreciate the green screen for its speed and efficiency. But let’s be honest, most users don’t.
A refreshed UI can make a dramatic difference in adoption and satisfaction. Whether you’re using RPG Open Access to separate business logic from presentation, re-facing with tools like Profound UI and Fresche Solutions (Presto & WebSmart), or creating entirely new browser-based applications, the goal is simple:
Make IBM i applications look and feel modern, intuitive, and device-friendly without sacrificing the powerful processes running behind the scenes.
Today’s business systems need to talk to each other. Your IBM i shouldn’t be an island; it should be the powerhouse behind seamless integrations with eCommerce, CRM, ERP, mobile apps, and cloud platforms.
With API frameworks, web services, and integration tools like Eradani Connect or MuleSoft, IBM i can securely share data and processes across your IT ecosystem.
This approach allows businesses to adopt new applications quickly, scale into new channels, and remain competitive without disrupting the stability of the IBM i core.
Even the most stable platform benefits from staying up to date.
Running on the latest IBM i operating system ensures continued IBM support, unlocks new features, and improves performance, especially around DB2 for i.
And when it comes to security, staying current is non-negotiable. The latest patches, tech refreshes, and security enhancements are critical to defending against today’s evolving threats.
Not every modernization step means replacing something. In fact, one of the most effective strategies is to leverage the business logic you already have.
By wrapping existing processes in modern interfaces, automating data inputs and outputs, and scaling for new demands, you get the benefits of modernization without the cost and disruption of starting from scratch.
So how do we know these modernization strategies actually work? Because we’ve put them into practice.
One of our clients, an independent oil and gas company, was dealing with a major challenge. Their IBM i system was solid, but the way it handled new data was painfully manual. Every time they acquired new wells or properties, staff had to key information into interactive screens one record at a time. That was manageable for small updates, but when the company purchased thousands of wells in a single deal, it became overwhelming.
Replacing their IBM i wasn’t an option; the platform was working exactly as intended. What they needed was a smarter way to use it. Our team modernized it, building on the existing logic while introducing a smarter, more automated way to handle data. The result was a system that reduced manual processes, improved efficiency, and gave the business the flexibility it had been lacking.
Here’s where the story gets interesting: none of us knew that shortly after the project wrapped, the client’s assets would double. Suddenly, they had another wave of thousands of wells to bring online. Thanks to the modernization work, they were ready. The same process we built handled the new acquisition seamlessly with no extra reengineering required.
Instead of scrambling to keep up, the client was able to onboard the new data quickly and keep their business moving forward. What started as a way to save time on manual processes ended up being the key to supporting unexpected, large-scale growth.
The takeaway? Modernization didn’t just improve today’s operations. It gave the business the agilityability to grow quickly and confidently.
Your IBM i isn’t holding you back; it’s the secure, stable engine that can power your business into the future.
Modernization is about making sure it continues to deliver value for years to come, while providing the experience your users, partners, and customers expect today.
If you’ve been wondering how to bridge the gap between your reliable core and the fast-moving digital world, now’s the time to take that first step.
At Briteskies, we’ve helped companies across industries unlock new value from their IBM i systems, modernizing applications, improving integration, refreshing the user experience, and setting businesses up for growth they couldn’t have predicted. If you’re ready to take the next step in your modernization journey, we’re the partner who can help you make it happen.
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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