i6.1/i7.1 iSeries Upgrade – 61 Day Virtual Test

Business Need

Abacus Solutions offers an affordable, short term, turnkey service to simulate the i5OS V5RX to i6.1/i7.1 iSeries upgrade process for testing purposes.

Realize the need to migrate to i6.1/i7.1 to stay current
Looking for the tremendous benefits i6.1/i7.1 offers in functionality and associated total cost of ownership over previous generations
Want to test and plan the i6.1/i7.1 migration process since it is more involved than previous version to version iSeries upgrades
Prefer not to use internal test/dev iSeries environments for i6.1/i7.1 test
Recognize the potential complications and problems of running a live weekend i6.1/i7.1 migration without a prior test

Environments

IBM iSeries V5R2, V5R3, V5R4, V5R4.5

Solution Overview

The "i6.1/i7.1 Upgrade - 61 Day Test Drive" is an extension of our traditional DR test/restore services. Your current iSeries production environment will be restored onto a similarly configured server (i5OS version and hardware resources) to fully test all aspects of the V5RX to i6.1/i7.1 upgrade process.

Abacus iSeries Engineers will execute the V5RX upgrade to i6.1/i7.1 to the dedicated Abacus iSeries test box from customer provided media. The Engineers will fully document the process and provide you with a deliverable that includes necessary steps and actions. Once migration is complete, you can test via remote VPN. This will allow you to thoroughly assess the i6.1/i7.1 functionality and readiness. Additionally, by closely simulating your production environment, you will be able to accurately plan for the real world migration outage timeframes.

To put it simply, we're remotely delivering a "trial run" that minimizes disruption to the business, and maximizes your confidence to proceed. Now you have the "Power to Migrate with Confidence!"

The Abacus Value

Abacus Solutions is a leading provider for the IBM iSeries secondary market, and an innovator in iSeries Business Continuity and Recovery services offerings. Leveraging our large inventory of pre-owned iSeries hardware, our secure Continuity/Recovery Data Center, and extensive experience in migrations/upgrades, we are able to provide highly affordable services offering that delivers a proven roadmap to accomplish the i6.1/i7.1 upgrade(s) in your production environment.

Hardware

Abacus Provided Dedicated Resources Hardware:

Processor
Memory
Storage
Users
Basics

Test Package

The 61 Day Virtual Test to i6.1/i7.1 Includes:

Initial consultation with Abacus team to determine overall need
Dedicated target hardware similarly configured to current environment
V5RX to i6.1/i7.1 Abacus outsourced version upgrade on your behalf from customer provided media
Deliverable documentation to the V5RX to i6.1/i7.1 version upgrade
30 days unrestricted VPN based remote access to the target hardware
Post project planning session with Abacus team

Abacus Turnkey i6.1/i7.1 Test Performed at Customer Site
Customers choosing to participate onsite at the Abacus facilities will receive a reduced fee.