In our previous article, we introduced three common modernization strategies organizations often pursue: Fight, Flight, and Freeze. While each approach has its own merits, there is one path that is frequently misunderstood.
The Fight approach is often viewed as “resisting change.” In reality, the opposite is true.
Organizations choosing to Fight are actively investing in modernization. Simply put, they’re choosing to build upon and extend the technologies, applications, and business processes that continue to deliver value rather than replacing them outright.
For many organizations running on IBM i/AS400, the question isn’t whether they should modernize. It’s whether modernization requires abandoning systems that have reliably powered the business for decades.
In many cases, that answer is no. In this article, we’ll be exploring the Fight approach and why it may be the most advantageous strategy for many organizations.
Why Organizations Choose to Fight
As we touched on (and contrary to popular belief), organizations don’t typically choose the Fight path because they are afraid of change. More often than not, they choose it because their existing systems continue to provide significant business value.
These systems often support critical business functions such as order processing, inventory management, manufacturing operations, financial transactions, customer management, and supply chain processes.
As you may have noticed, many of these processes pertain to larger businesses with national or multinational operations or extensive partner networks. This can make extensive changes expensive or difficult to scale reliably.
When these systems are stable, reliable, and aligned with business needs, many organizations might ask: Instead of replacing what works, how can we make it work even better?
That’s where the Fight strategy begins.
Modernization Doesn’t Always Mean Replacement
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding IBM i/AS400 modernization is that it requires a sweeping migration to a completely new platform. But in reality, many organizations are finding ways to modernize without disrupting the systems that already support the business.
Modernization initiatives with this goal frequently include:
- Improving user experiences
- Exposing business functions through APIs
- Enabling real-time data access
- Strengthening security and governance
- Supporting cloud initiatives
- Integrating with modern applications and platforms
- Expanding analytics and AI capabilities
These efforts allow organizations to deliver new capabilities without needing to replace core business systems.
In other words, modernization can often be achieved through evolution rather than replacement.
A New Driver: AI and Data Accessibility
AI enablement, transformation and ROI are at the forefront of many digital transformation initiatives, and IBM i is no exception. Over the past several years, modernization discussions have increasingly shifted toward making IBM i data more accessible across the enterprise.
As a result, business leaders are asking new questions:
- How quickly can we access operational data?
- How can we improve reporting and forecasting?
- How can we leverage AI to improve customer experiences?
- How do we make trusted business data available to modern applications?
For IBM i teams, this often leads to the realization beneath disconnected systems, inflexible point-to-point integrations, and disparate data formats lies a wealth of valuable data. Plus, unlike many other platforms, IBM i environments can contain years or even decades of accumulated data, much of which remains valuable to the business.
Organizations pursuing the Fight strategy are increasingly focused on making that data available across the business, all while continuing to leverage the applications and processes that have helped them succeed.
The Integration Factor
If you read our introductory installment in this series, you may remember one common requirement that appears repeatedly in modernization initiatives:
Data must move.
This is especially the case in organizations that choose to Fight. Whether the goal is AI, automation, reporting, customer self-service, or cloud adoption, information needs to flow between systems.
For example, organizations may need to sync customer info with a cloud CRM, share inventory and fulfillment information with eCommerce platforms, or provide suppliers and partners with real-time business data. Furthermore, connected (and organized) data supports modern analytics, reporting, and many AI models and frameworks.
In today’s competitive landscape, these factors are critical to staying ahead of the game. If integration isn’t on your radar, you’re already falling behind.
As a result, integration often becomes one of the most important components of a Fight strategy.
Common Misconceptions About the Fight Approach
As IBM i modernization continues to evolve, so does the conversation around what modernization actually means. While not all organizations may choose the Fight approach, some long-standing assumptions can create a false choice between standing still and replacing the platform entirely.
Misconception #1: IBM i Isn’t Modern
Reality: Technology platforms do not deliver business value in isolation.
The ability to support business objectives, integrate with other systems, provide secure access to data, and adapt to new requirements is often a better measure of modernization than platform age alone.
Misconception #2: Innovation Requires Replacement
Reality: While the classic 5250 terminal (often called the “green screen”) can make your IBM i/AS400 systems seem “legacy,” many organizations successfully launch digital initiatives, integrate cloud applications, and support AI strategies while continuing to leverage existing applications.
Misconception #3: Fighting Means Resisting Change
Reality: The Fight strategy is not about avoiding modern technologies simply because the IBM i has existed for decades.
It’s about making deliberate investments that improve business outcomes while reducing unnecessary risk from large-scale migration or other similar initiatives.
When Fight Makes Sense
How do you know when the Fight approach makes sense for your organization? In our experience, it’s often a strong fit when:
- Existing applications continue to meet business requirements
- Core business processes are heavily customized
- Operational disruption must be minimized
- Organizations want to accelerate modernization efforts without undertaking a large migration project
- Teams want to maximize existing technology investments
- Business leaders are focused on incremental improvements that deliver measurable value
Not every organization will choose this path. For many, however, it represents a pragmatic way to modernize while preserving the stability, security, and institutional knowledge built into the IBM i platform itself.
Final Thoughts
Modernization isn’t always about replacing the old with the new. Sometimes it’s about unlocking greater value from the systems that already power the business.
Organizations pursuing the Fight approach recognize that proven applications, trusted business processes, and decades of operational knowledge represent significant assets. Rather than discarding those assets, they focus on extending, integrating, and modernizing them in ways that support the organization’s future goals.
As organizations continue pursuing initiatives involving AI, analytics, automation, cloud adoption, and customer experience improvements, one truth remains surprisingly consistent:
Modernization may take many forms, but progress often starts with making trusted business data more accessible.
Next up in the series –
Not every organization chooses to modernize by extending existing investments. Some decide that long-term business objectives call for a different approach entirely: Flight.
In our next article, we’ll explore migration as another common modernization path. We’ll share our experience with the approaches and challenges behind these large-scale initiatives, as well as the business drivers that lead organizations to move beyond their existing environments.
