Migrating to IBM Power11

The latest generation of the IBM Power platform, the Power11, extends the architecture’s renowned performance, security, and reliability, offering a solid foundation for AI-driven applications and data-intensive workloads. However, the migration to Power11 from legacy IBM Power7, Power8, Power9 and even Power10 demands a meticulously planned and flawlessly executed strategy.

The key objectives for any migration are clear:

• A seamless transition
• The absolute protection of data integrity
• The minimisation of business risk
• Near-zero operational downtime during the final cutover

IBM Power Systems Migration Services

Migrating from established Power servers requires a holistic review of the entire technology stack, including operating system versions, firmware levels, HMC compatibility, application behaviour, and database dependencies. A misstep at any stage can lead to extended outages, data loss, and significant disruption to the business.

For organisations running business-critical applications on AIX and IBM i, the stakes are high. The primary technical challenge is to synchronise the live production environment with the new target Power system in a way that allows for a seamless cutover with minimal impact on live operations.

IBM Power11 Migration Methodology

Covenco has honed an adaptable migration methodology that addresses the paramount need for continuous availability. Our approach is pragmatic, acknowledging that the optimal technical path depends entirely on your existing infrastructure – specifically, your storage architecture.

Phase 1: Environment Assessment and Compatibility Planning

The process begins with a comprehensive audit of your existing environment. Covenco’s technical specialists analyse your Power system configuration, logical partition (LPAR) setup, OS levels, application inventory, and network architecture.

A critical first step is establishing hardware, firmware, and operating system compatibility. We work with your team to:

• Verify OS and Firmware Support:
  We consult IBM’s official support metrics to confirm the minimum required versions and Technology Levels (TL) of AIX or IBM i, as well as HMC and firmware levels, needed to run on the target Power11 hardware.
• Formulate an Upgrade Plan:
  If your current OS or firmware is not directly supported, we establish a mandatory upgrade path. This upgrade is then performed in a controlled manner on the new hardware prior to the final migration, never on your live production system.

Phase 2: Data Seeding and Synchronisation on Power11

The method for replicating your live data to the new Power server is determined by your storage.

Scenario A:
IBM Power Migration Using External Storage
If your Power system utilises an external Storage Area Network (SAN), we can often leverage storage-based replication. This is a highly efficient method that can significantly simplify the migration. By replicating the necessary LUNs at the storage array level and then re-zoning them to the new Power server, we can make a complete copy of the production environment available to the new hardware with minimal host-level overhead. This path eliminates the need for host-based replication software.

Scenario B:
IBM Power Migration Using MIMIX for Internal Storage
For systems with internal storage, our preferred high-availability and migration tool is Precisely MIMIX. It is important to note that initiating this process requires careful planning:

• 1. Initial Setup:
     Installing MIMIX and configuring system journaling to capture transactions may require a brief, planned outage.
  2. System Seeding:
     The initial population of the new server is typically done via a full system save from the current system. This process also necessitates a small window  of planned outage to ensure a clean, consistent data baseline.

Once these preparatory steps are complete, MIMIX establishes real-time, byte-level replication from the source system to the target Power server. This ensures the new server is maintained as a consistently up-to-date mirror of the production environment. This replication runs with very low performance overhead, allowing your business to operate as usual while the two systems are synchronised.

Phase 3: Customer-Led Application Validation and UAT on IBM Power

This phase is dedicated to rigorous testing, empowering your teams to ensure complete compatibility and confidence in the new platform. With the target Power11 server now maintained as a live replica of production, Covenco provides the stable hardware and OS environment for your application and software testing.

Your teams can access this replicated environment to:

• Test and Remediate Applications:
  Your application managers, database administrators, and developers can thoroughly test all business-critical applications, middleware, and custom code. If the OS was upgraded, this is the opportunity to identify and remediate any compatibility issues.
• Validate Database Performance:
  Your database administrators can run performance queries, test integrity checks, and validate database behaviour on the new hardware.
• Conduct Full User Acceptance Testing (UAT):
  Your end-users can connect to the synchronised test environment to run through their daily, weekly, and monthly business processes. This real-world testing validates that everything – from custom reports to critical workflows – functions exactly as expected.

For particularly complex testing scenarios, Covenco will usuallyprovide a loan server to facilitate application or OS upgrade testing without impacting your new target hardware.

Phase 4: The Seamless Cutover to Power11

The final migration is a simple, controlled event. At a pre-agreed time, the roles are switched. The new, fully tested Power system becomes the active production server, and network traffic is redirected. The entire cutover process is typically completed in minutes. In the unlikely event of an issue, the process is immediately reversible, allowing for a safe failback to the original system with minimal data loss.

Covenco: Your Trusted Partner for IBM Power Migration

The transition to IBM Power11 is a critical step in future-proofing your IT infrastructure. Choosing the right partner – one with demonstrable, long-term expertise – is as important as the technology itself.

Covenco is uniquely positioned to be that partner. Our heritage with IBM systems is unmatched, beginning over 35 years ago with foundational platforms like the System/36 and AS/400. This deep history provides our teams with an innate understanding of the architectural principles and workload characteristics of the IBM Power platform.

This experience is validated by our official status as an IBM Gold Business Partner for both Power and Storage. This accreditation is not merely a title; it is IBM’s recognition of our sustained technical excellence, successful client outcomes, and our capability to expertly manage complex customer upgrades, enhancements, and migrations.

Our expertise is embodied by our in-house technical team. Our engineers work full-time and exclusively with IBM Power, IBM FlashSystems, tape libraries, and their associated enterprise networking environments.

This singular focus has established Covenco as a premier centre of excellence for IBM Power in the United Kingdom. When you engage with Covenco, you are accessing an experienced team that will ensure your migration is not just a project, but a seamless and secure transition managed by seasoned IBM Power Systems experts.