Your iSeries has run flawlessly for 20 years—until a $45K hardware failure wiped out a weekend.
What if that same RPG code scaled globally, auto-healed crashes, and cost 60% less?
One insurer migrated 500GB of iSeries data to the cloud—zero downtime, $1.2M saved in Year 1.
Introduction
IBM iSeries (AS/400) remains the unbreakable core of manufacturing, distribution, and insurance—processing billions in transactions daily.
But aging hardware, skyrocketing maintenance, and skills shortages threaten its future.
Cloud hosting revives iSeries with elasticity, AI insights, and disaster-proof redundancy—without rewriting a line of code.
This 2025 guide focuses on iSeries cloud hosting using Google Cloud web server and Cloudways managed hosting for seamless ERP continuity.
You’ll get a 12-week migration roadmap, real-world insurance case studies, Gartner-backed stats, and tips to slash TCO by 50-70%.
Whether modernizing JD Edwards, MAPICS, or homegrown RPG apps, discover how cloud hosting future-proofs your iSeries.
Why iSeries Belongs in the Cloud: The Business Case
Cloud hosting isn’t about ditching iSeries—it’s about liberating it from physical constraints.
Google Cloud runs IBM i natively via Power Virtual Server (PVS), preserving EBCDIC, DB2/400, and spool files.
This means ERP hosting for iSeries with 99.99% uptime, global replication, and pay-per-use pricing.
Gartner predicts 75% of enterprise databases will be cloud-deployed by 2026—iSeries included.
This shift implies legacy shops delaying migration risk 40% higher outage costs.
Cloudways managed hosting simplifies PVS access—no IBM Cloud expertise required.
Real Example: Manufacturer Saves $800K with iSeries Cloud Lift
A Midwest parts distributor ran BPCS on a 15-year-old Power7 box.
Hardware refresh quote: $1.2M.
Migrated to Google Cloud web server via Cloudways: $400K/year.
Result? 67% savings + auto-backups prevented a ransomware wipeout.
AI Unlocks iSeries Data Gold
Google’s BigQuery ML queries DB2/400 data directly—predicting part shortages 92% accurately.
No ETL needed.
ERP hosting evolves from transaction logging to predictive intelligence.
iSeries Cloud Hosting: Google Cloud vs. IBM Cloud vs. AWS
Not all cloud hosting platforms treat iSeries equally.
IBM Cloud offers “native” Power but locks you in. AWS Outposts runs Power on-prem (hybrid, not true cloud).
Google Cloud? Full PVS with open egress, Kubernetes orchestration, and Cloudways managed hosting for SMBs.
| Platform | iSeries Support | Global Regions | TCO (3-Year) | Managed Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Cloud | PVS (LPAR) | 40+ | $1.1M | Cloudways |
| IBM Cloud | Dedicated Power | 6 | $1.8M | Limited |
| AWS | Outposts (on-prem) | Hybrid | $1.5M | None |
Flexera 2025 iSeries Cloud Report: Google leads in flexibility; 62% of new migrations choose it.
Stat Insight: Statista reports iSeries cloud spend grew 28% YoY in 2025—driven by hardware EOLs.
This implies urgency: Power8/9 systems hit end-of-support in 2026.
Challenges: Skills, Licensing, and Lock-In
70% of iSeries admins are 50+ (IBM survey).
Google counters with Cloudways managed hosting—RPG experts on-demand.
Licensing? IBM allows BYOL to Google; avoid IBM Cloud’s “per-core” traps.
12-Week iSeries Cloud Migration Roadmap (Zero Downtime)
Migrate like a pro with this battle-tested plan—used by 200+ Cloudways iSeries clients.
Works for 100GB or 10TB environments.
Phase 1: Discovery & Planning (Weeks 1-3)
- Inventory Assets
- List LPARs, libraries, IFS folders
- Use DSPOBJD + WRKOBJ scripts
- Map dependencies (e.g., JDE World → ODBC apps)
- Sizing on Google Cloud
- Use IBM’s Power Estimator → translate to Google PVS cores
- Example: Power8 8-core → Google e2-highcpu-16 (16 vCPU, 16GB)
- Compliance Check
- Insurance? Enable CMEK + Audit Logs
- Export controls? Use us-central1 region
Tip: Run Google’s Migration Assessment—free, scores lift-and-shift feasibility.
Phase 2: Pilot & Replication (Weeks 4-7)
- Provision Google Cloud web server via Cloudways
- Deploy iSeries LPAR (AIX/IBM i) in PVS
- Use Cloudways Bot for real-time sync (BRMS + Rsync)
- Test batch jobs, spool files, and 5250 sessions
Case Study: Insurance Broker’s Pilot Success
A 300-agent firm piloted claims module on Google Cloud.
Sync latency: 180ms (vs. 2s on VPN).
Greenlit full migration after one weekend.
Phase 3: Cutover & Optimization (Weeks 8-12)
| Day | Action |
|---|---|
| Friday | Freeze non-critical jobs |
| Saturday | Final BRMS save + ship to Google Storage |
| Sunday AM | Restore LPAR → validate QSYSOPR messages |
| Sunday PM | DNS cutover (TTL 300s) |
| Monday | Go-live + 24/7 Cloudways monitoring |
Post-go-live:
- Enable Committed Use Discounts (57% off)
- Integrate BigQuery for SQL access to DB2
- Automate backups to Coldline ($0.0012/GB/mo)
Tech Sector Win: A SaaS firm migrated JDE EnterpriseOne—cut month-end close from 18 to 4 hours.
Cost Calculator: iSeries Cloud Hosting TCO Breakdown
Don’t guess—calculate. Here’s a real 500-user distributor:
| Cost Item | On-Premise (3 Yr) | Google Cloud + Cloudways |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware Refresh | $1,200,000 | $0 |
| Power/Cooling | $180,000 | $0 |
| IT Staff (2 FTEs) | $720,000 | $180,000 |
| IBM Support | $360,000 | $360,000 (BYOL) |
| Cloudways + PVS | $0 | $480,000 |
| Total | $2,460,000 | $1,020,000 |
Savings: $1.44M (58%)
Add AI insights? ROI in <9 months.
Try It: Google Cloud PVS Calculator + Cloudways trial.
Security & DR: Bulletproofing iSeries in the Cloud
iSeries data = business DNA. Google Cloud secures it with:
- VPC Service Controls (data exfil prevention)
- Confidential VMs (encrypt in-use)
- Geo-Redundant Storage (11 9s durability)
Cloudways managed hosting adds:
- Daily BRMS backups
- WAF for web-facing 5250 portals
- Auto-failover LPARS
DR Test: A bank simulated ransomware—restored iSeries in 22 minutes from Google backup.
On-prem? 14 hours.
Trend: Gartner says 60% of iSeries DR fails in 2025 due to tape rot—cloud eliminates this.
Modernization Without Rip-and-Replace
Cloud hosting enables progressive upgrades:
- Lift-and-Shift → Cloud LPAR
- Containerize → RPG in Docker on GKE
- API-Enable → REST endpoints via Apigee
- AI Layer → Gemini queries spool files
Insurance Use Case: A carrier exposed policy data via APIs—aggregators now quote in 3 seconds (vs. 45).
User Reviews: What iSeries Admins Say About Cloudways + Google Cloud
“Thought cloud = rewrite. Cloudways cloned our LPAR in 4 hours. RPG runs faster than Power9.”— Tom R., CIO, Distribution
“Support speaks iSeries—fixed a QSYS job queue issue at 2 AM. Priceless.”— Linda K., SysAdmin, Insurance
“BigQuery on DB2? We now forecast claims 30 days out. Mind-blown.”— Raj S., Data Lead, Tech Firm
Cons:
- Initial learning curve for Google Console
- No native 5250 over public internet (use Bastion or VPN)
G2 Rating: Cloudways 4.7/5 (#1 for managed IBM i hosting).
Future of iSeries: 2025-2030 Trends
- Quantum-Safe Encryption → Google leads post-quantum migration
- Edge iSeries → Run LPARS in retail stores via Distributed Cloud
- AI Co-Pilots → Gemini writes CL code from comments
- Zero Trust 5250 → Passwordless green screens
Prediction: By 2030, 90% of iSeries will be cloud-native (McKinsey).
Conclusion
iSeries cloud hosting isn’t a trend—it’s survival.
Google Cloud web server + Cloudways managed hosting deliver 99.99% uptime, 58% savings, and AI superpowers—without touching RPG code.
From insurers slashing claims fraud to distributors dodging hardware cliffs, the proof is in the migrations.
Your action plan:
- Start Cloudways free trial on Google PVS
- Clone one LPAR this weekend
- Go live in 90 days
What’s your iSeries app (JDE? BPCS? Custom)? Drop it below—I’ll reply with a custom migration tip!
Tag a fellow iSeries warrior—share this and end the hardware headaches.
FAQ
Can I run legacy RPG apps on Google Cloud web server without code changes?
Yes—Google PVS supports IBM i 7.1–7.5 natively. Lift-and-shift via BRMS saves; Cloudways managed hosting handles sync and monitoring.
How much does iSeries cloud hosting cost compared to on-premise for a 200-user firm?
On-prem: ~$820K/3 years. Google + Cloudways: ~$340K. Savings: $480K (58%), plus AI insights (Flexera 2025).
What’s the biggest risk in iSeries cloud migration—and how to avoid it?
Data sync lag. Mitigate with Cloudways Bot + dual-write during cutover. 97% of migrations report <1min RPO.