On 09-Jun-2011 01:48 , Terry, Guy wrote:
We no longer use our iSeries (model 520), but have to keep it until
at least 2018 (for legal reasons to do with the data).
Our maintenance will expire this year, and will not be renewed. What
is the best way to 'store' the iSeries so that it has the best chance of
being operational should we ever need to access the data on it in, say,
7 years time?
Leave it switched on 24 x 7 (not my preferred solution).
Leave it switched off until we need it.
Leave it switched off, but power it on once in a while (how often?).
Thanks for any advice you can give. If anyone has links to IBM
advice that I can show to the boss that would be even better.
Just some thoughts, mostly in the form of questions that may or may
not have any value in consideration, rather than to be responded to on
this forum.
What would be done if the system is physically destroyed tomorrow; in
one year; in five years? Or simply if the system is found to be DOA
only when eventually "needed"? Probably rent access [Platform as a
Service (PaaS)] from someone only because the access is required at that
time?
What would be done differently if the application and data had been
on some other hardware and OS instead? Is the alluded approach a direct
effect of the expense of the OS such that if the OS were Win or Linux
with general consumer commodity hardware and a relatively inexpensive
copy of the OS assumed, that approach might not have been considered?
Is there any reason to suspect that the application would not be
functional [regardless there is a long history of support for upward
compatibility] if both application and data were restored to some future
or just newer system and IBM i OS?
Even if very expensive to contract the use of another system in the
event some future use is actually required, would that exceed the
expense of keeping the existing system which may or may not survive
entirely intact even if only for failure of a couple components which
might also be very expensive to get the system running again; no
maintenance, parts no longer being manufactured? And as compared to the
expense if the system was never actually "needed" in the future; i.e.
not keeping the system is almost zero cost, only the cost of keeping
media, if the system is never again used.?
Would a sale of the system presently, offset any of the potential
costs for rents on future load\restore and access; a windfall if the
future requirement never materialized? As compared to probably no value
of that system in the future; although maybe parts would be very
valuable to someone doing the same.?
Regards, Chuck
midrange.com
