Introduction

So what is IBM i/AS400 integration, and what can it do for your business? In a nutshell, software integration is the process of connecting disparate software systems, applications, components, or datasets in order to create a cohesive, unified system. By connecting applications together, it ensures seamless communication and functionality across the different digital initiatives your company relies on.

When assessing the IT requirements of your organization, it is essential to consider the various types of integrations that are available. Integration solutions are highly adaptable and should be customized to meet both present and future needs.

The following methods should be considered depending on business need:

• Application Integration is the process of connecting on-premises or cloud-based applications so that they can communicate with one another (typically via API) to sync up different pools of data and enable workflow automation.

• Data Integration is the process of extracting data from both internal and external systems for cleaning, transforming, and then loading into a data warehouse. This allows your organization to easily pull the consolidated data into analytics tools for a more holistic view of your organization’s data. Investing in quality, organized data is not only good for analysis, but is key for implementing AI solutions within your organization.

• Legacy Integration is the process of integrating a legacy system with a more modern, cloud-based application.

• B2B Integration is the process of an organization connecting its applications, data, or workflows with another business or third party. This method is ideal for seamless communication between partners and suppliers, and is most often used to connect businesses within a supply chain.

By leveraging one or several of these integration processes, organizations can open the door to a world of future-ready business practices. Unlock real-time insights by syncing contacts between databases, enhancing communication between employees and departments, automating tedious workflows, and more.

By enabling real-time data flow, businesses can respond more swiftly to market demands and make more strategic decisions based on real-world data. This holistic approach not only fosters a culture of innovation, but propels businesses towards a future-ready infrastructure.

The enhancements gained through IBM i/AS400 integration are not merely limited to operational improvements, however, as they extend to measurable increases in employee productivity and satisfaction, as well as customer satisfaction and retention. In a market where it is 6-7x more expensive to find new customers than retain existing ones, investing in initiatives that personalize and enhance customer experience are paramount to business success.

When choosing an integration type, we recommend consulting with a dedicated IT team and conducting a thorough audit of your current system. Identifying weak points is a crucial first step in formulating your digital strategy, and will help to clearly identify applications or processes that need to be modernized.

Once you’ve identified the weak points in your system and the type of project you would like to implement, it’s time to decide on a project strategy. Planning and executing an integration project is no small task, and can feel overwhelming if you’re not sure where to begin. The following delineates a few fundamental steps to keep in mind as you go. We recommend outlining a more detailed plan with a trusted IT team that has insight into your particular business goals and vision.

1. Get All Decision-Makers on Board A crucial and perhaps underestimated part of any integration is making sure that all necessary top leadership is backing up the project. A unified company goal not only makes sure that everyone is on the same page, but drives the tone and momentum of the entire process. Open, clear communication and expectations aid in surpassing roadblocks swiftly and make project completion much more attainable.

2. Decide Your Strategy – What Will Your Project Accomplish? Every integration project is as different as the company it’s designed for. Carefully consider which programs you would like to have integrated, if you need any specific processes modernized, and what your ideal outcome would be. Knowing the types of integration tools you can leverage can give you an idea of which approach would work for your specific needs.

• Middleware is ideal for complex system integrations and applications that are distributed across multiple servers or devices. It is also particularly useful in connecting older applications with new-generation ones.

• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) provide a standard interface between applications for easy data sharing and transfer. APIs are by far the most preferred choice for web and mobile applications.

• Point-to-Point Integration is a method of connecting two systems directly. This is not recommended, as point-to-point integrations get increasingly complex the more programs you plan on adding to the system.

IBM i/AS400 system integrations can vary greatly in scope, from linking two systems to integrating all internal, external, or third-party programs into one unified system. Connect with your IT team or specialized industry consultants to determine what you would need to achieve your vision for this project.

3. Understanding Cloud Migration Requirements Along with deciding the scope of your integration, it is important to consider whether or not to migrate any processes to the cloud. Migration can often go hand-in-hand with large-scale integration projects. For business leaders, cloud and hybrid solutions are a balancing act between on-premises cost and reliability, versus the scalability and security of using cloud services. Consider if complete or partial cloud migration would make sense for your budget and future business goals.

Here are a few methods of cloud migration to consider:

Rehosting is moving your current .NET application as-is to the cloud without any major modifications. This is known as the “lift-and-shift” method and is the easiest way to migrate to the cloud.

Replatforming is another method of cloud migration that involves moderately optimizing your current applications for cloud performance. This is known as the “lift, tinker and shift” approach.

Refactoring involves fully redesigning and re-architecting an application or workload to fully leverage the cloud’s capabilities and services. It is a more complete transformation than replatforming, and offers more benefits in exchange for increased effort and resources.

4. Formulate an Effective Plan – Are You Prepared for Risk? Arguably the most important step in any software implementation is beginning with a thorough plan with clear requirements. Work with your technology team to establish a reasonable timeline with set milestones. Figure out which features are critical, and which ones can become additional customizations once your foundation is set. Your roadmap should meet all of your critical business goals as well as assess and prepare for risk. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind as you work with your technology team:

• Data Mapping is another crucial factor in determining the scope of your project. Do your systems use different types of data formatting, or different structures altogether? Data standardization ensures that the data transfer between applications is both seamless and accurate. Knowing the state of your data quality and volume is mission critical, especially when integrating programs with an AS/400 system.

• Security should be a top priority when handling large quantities of often sensitive, revealing data. Make sure you have proper knowledge and implementations in place to guard against attacks, data loss, and other vulnerabilities.

• Maintenance requires long-term planning, as it needs to be continuous and ongoing after your project is completed. Integrations need to be monitored by people that have specific expertise and insight into your particular system network and can fix issues as they arise.

In addition to planning your actual project, there should be clearly defined requirements for the project management process. An integration project needs to be carefully monitored, controlled, and tested so as to avoid potential pitfalls and swiftly adapt to change.

Synergy is essential for project success. Maintaining a collaborative, transparent development process will ensure that key milestones are met and make the project progress as seamlessly as possible.

One of the biggest hurdles companies face in any IBM i/AS400 integration project is a lack of expertise or other personnel-related challenges – and it causes many to never get started. Integration projects can be a massive endeavor and are more often than not too intensive and time-consuming for an in-house team to manage.

Specialized expertise and knowledge of best practices are not luxuries, but rather critical assets when dealing with such large-scale projects. Working with an external team not only alleviates the strain on your internal team but ensures that you are working with personnel that are experienced at large-scale integrations and customizations. External teams further provide the benefit of end-to-end consulting, which significantly mitigates risk and contributes to a timely ROI.

Programmers.io has the top 0.5% of IBM i talent ready to help and has access to a unique suite of infoConnect integration products that have been tried and tested. We work with clients as a true partner, and provide consultations, support, and an industry-unique Happiness Guarantee to ensure project success.

Get started today – set up a meeting to talk about your needs and our solutions.