IBM i · Modernization
AS400 & IBM i Modernization Services
Keep the reliability that made IBM i your system of record, and remove the risk that comes with aging code, green screens, and shrinking expertise. SIS modernizes in place, in stages, without stopping the business.
- Modernize in place, not rip-and-replace
- RPG, Db2 for i, and Island Pacific depth
- Zero-disruption delivery record
Your IBM i is not the problem. How it connects, and who can maintain it, might be.
IBM i, still called the AS400 or iSeries by most of the people who run it, is one of the most stable business platforms ever built, and IBM continues to release new versions and Power hardware. The pressure to replace it rarely comes from the platform. It comes from monolithic RPG code few people understand, green-screen interfaces new employees resist, data that is hard to reach from modern tools, and the retirement of the developers who built it all.
A full rip-and-replace swaps those problems for a multi-year migration with real risk to the core processes the business runs on. Modernizing in place is usually faster and cheaper: refactor the code that matters, expose business logic through APIs, put modern interfaces in front of users, connect the data to analytics, and document what only a few people know.
SIS has worked on IBM i for decades, including core retail merchandising platforms with thousands of custom objects. We assess what you have, recommend where to modernize, where to integrate, and where replacement genuinely makes sense, and then deliver in stages so production never stops.
Signals your IBM i environment needs a modernization plan.
Key developers are near retirement
A handful of people understand the RPG or COBOL code, and nothing is documented well enough to survive their departure.
Change takes too long
Small business requests turn into long projects because code is monolithic and every change is risky.
Green screens hold users back
New hires struggle with 5250 interfaces and the business wants web or mobile access to core functions.
Integration is file transfers and workarounds
Cloud apps, eCommerce, and WMS platforms need real-time data, but the IBM i only speaks batch.
Data is trapped
Leaders cannot get timely reporting because Db2 for i data is hard to reach from BI and analytics tools.
Leadership is asking about replacement
Someone has proposed moving off the platform, and you need an objective view of cost, risk, and alternatives.
Practical modernization, delivered in stages.
IBM i modernization assessment
Inventory of applications, code, data, integrations, and skills, with a roadmap that ranks options by value and risk.
RPG and COBOL code modernization
Refactoring legacy fixed-format RPG to modern free-form, modular code, removing dead code, and reducing customization debt, accelerated with AI-assisted tools such as IBM Bob for IBM i where they fit.
APIs and services
Exposing IBM i business logic and data through RESTful APIs and message queues so other systems can use them in real time.
User interface modernization
Options to move high-value green-screen workflows to browser-based interfaces without rewriting the business logic.
Data and analytics enablement
Pipelines from Db2 for i to cloud data platforms and BI tools such as Power BI and Tableau.
Documentation and knowledge capture
Program documentation, knowledge transfer plans, and key-person risk reduction as part of every engagement.
How we modernize without disrupting production.
- 01
Assess
Inventory code, data, integrations, and skills. Identify what to modernize, integrate, or retire.
- 02
Prioritize
Build a staged roadmap tied to business value, starting with the changes that reduce the most risk.
- 03
Modernize
Refactor, expose APIs, and update interfaces in releases that keep production stable.
- 04
Transfer
Document, train, and hand off so your team can sustain and extend the modernized platform.
Modernizing a 20-year retail platform while preserving business continuity
$5B global fashion retailer. Upgrading core merchandise and financial stock ledger from Island Pacific v1.5 (2001) to v19.1, without touching high-volume sales or merchandise processing.
SIS built a purpose-built analysis tool for 1,280 custom objects accumulated over 20 years and completed the upgrade with zero impact on sales or merchandise processing.
Read the case study- Sales disruption
- 0Sales disruption
- Custom objects updated
- 1,280Custom objects updated
- Future upgrade cost cut
- ~30%Future upgrade cost cut
IBM i specialists, not generalists.
Decades on the platform
SIS has supported IBM i environments since the AS400 era, with deep RPG, Db2 for i, and Island Pacific experience.
Retail and distribution context
We modernize the merchandising, inventory, and order systems that connect to stores and warehouses, and we understand what they feed.
Business continuity first
Every plan is staged around production. Our flagship upgrade finished with zero disruption to sales.
Headquartered in the Columbus, Ohio metro and working on-site with clients across the United States. Where we work
AS400 and IBM i modernization questions
Is the AS400 obsolete?
No. The AS400 name is decades old, but the platform lives on as IBM i running on IBM Power servers, and IBM continues to ship new IBM i releases and Power hardware. What tends to become obsolete is the application code, interfaces, and integration methods running on it, which is what modernization addresses.
What is the difference between AS400, iSeries, and IBM i?
They are names for the same platform lineage. AS/400 was introduced in 1988, later renamed eServer iSeries and System i. Today the operating system is IBM i, running on IBM Power Systems. Many teams still call it the AS400.
Should we modernize our IBM i applications or replace them?
It depends on how well the applications fit the business, the cost and risk of migration, and your skills outlook. Modernizing in place is usually faster and lower risk when the core logic is sound. A modernization assessment compares both paths with real numbers.
How long does AS400 modernization take?
Modernization is staged rather than a single project. An assessment and roadmap typically take a few weeks, and the first improvements, such as APIs or a modernized workflow, can follow within months while larger refactoring continues in releases.
Can you modernize RPG code?
Yes. We refactor fixed-format and older RPG toward modern free-form, modular code, remove dead code, and document business logic so more developers can maintain it. AI-assisted tools, including IBM's Bob for IBM i, can speed up code explanation, documentation, and fixed-to-free conversion; we use them where they help and review every change.
Does the IBM i 7.4 end of support affect modernization?
Often, yes. IBM i 7.4 left standard support on September 30, 2026, and many shops on 7.4 also run Power9 hardware that cannot run IBM i 7.6. A required upgrade is a good moment to retire dead code, add APIs, and document critical programs at the same time.
Do you work with IBM i shops outside Ohio?
Yes. SIS is based in the Columbus, Ohio area and supports IBM i environments for clients across the United States, combining remote delivery with on-site work when it helps.
Get an honest modernization roadmap.
Tell us about your IBM i applications, your team, and what the business is asking for. A senior SIS IBM i consultant will follow up within one business day.