IBM® i
Forrester TEI 2023 study
Aerial view of cars and shipping containers

IBM® i is an operating system for IBM Power® servers.

At its core, the IBM i platform is designed to adapt to the ever-changing needs of both business and computing. Its defining characteristic, the “integration” represented by the “i” in IBM i, can help you gain more value from advanced technology with fewer resources and higher reliability.

The IBM i business is known for its adaptability. This has allowed IBM to invest in making IBM i a platform that provides a strong foundation for technical and business innovation- both for IBM and for clients. As the IT industry is moving toward licensing software in a subscription model, the IBM i business is responding to the requests of clients and Business Partners as their businesses follow suit.

Subscription licensing offers clients predictable and consistent payment options while maximizing the ability to remain current with their technology. Subscription will allow IBM to accelerate the development of new technologies like AI and analytics, giving clients new ways to add value to their business applications. This is another step in our journey to position clients for future success as they move to hybrid cloud environments for their businesses and take advantage of the long and strong IBM i roadmap.

 Review the Roadmap
Register to attend the IBM i Guided Tours

Explore the IBM i resources page
Benefits Nearly 2X ROI

Forrester Consulting found that clients deploying IBM® i on prem or in the cloud realized, on average, a 191% return on investment (ROI) and a payback of just 6 months for their business. These clients also saw savings of USD 1.06 million in reduced system downtime and an increase in productivity of USD 470,000 over three years¹.

 

 

 Lower TCO

IBM i is a fully integrated operating system, meaning the database, middleware, security, runtime and hypervisor are integrated into the stack and licensed as one solution. Clients don’t have to pay for support on each individual component, thereby lowering total cost of ownership (TCO) and simplifying the platform running your business applications.

 Secure Mission-Critical Workloads

Authority collection capabilities enable you to track and monitor who’s using which objects and how, which is critical for determining security policies and rules. These capabilities provide enhanced security for your most business-critical and sensitive applications and data.

 Flexible Licensing and Support

One annual payment for both software licenses and SWMA together in a single subscription price. Provides lower TCO and increases flexibility.

 Add Value to Business Applications

IBM i 7.5 simplifies security and availability with new Db2 for i features, options, and tools.

 Modernize application development

Use tools that guide and assist software developers in the modernization of IBM i applications.
Features Full Stack Integration

IBM i is a fully integrated operating system, meaning the database, middleware, security, runtime and hypervisor are integrated into the stack and licensed as one solution.

 Object-Based Architecture

IBM i has an object-based architecture, meaning that a program cannot masquerade as something else. This helps protect your environment from viruses and security breaches.

 Subscription Term Licensing

Subscription licensing offers clients predictable and consistent payment options while maximizing the ability to remain current with their technology.

 New Technologies for Business Value

Applications running on IBM i can be integrated with new technologies such as AI, IoT, data analytics and more to add value and open new opportunities for your business. With IBM i 7.5, you can use Watson geospatial functions along with IBM Db2® to analyze location-based data, such as optimizing truck routes for a distribution business.

 Simplified Systems Management

IBM i has autonomous features that require little to no administration, reducing the need for large system admin teams. Manage IBM i environments remotely from any device with IBM Navigator for i and IBM i Mobile Access.

 Cloud Deployment Options

IBM i can be deployed and run in various public, private, and hybrid cloud environments, including IBM Power Virtual Server in the IBM Cloud.
IBM i Technologies IBM Db2 for i

IBM Db2 for i is the relational database manager that is fully integrated into IBM i.

 IBM Navigator for i

A modern user interface for managing and monitoring IBM i instances anywhere from a web browser.

 IBM Db2® Mirror for i

A high availability solution that enables continuous uptime for business-critical applications.

 IBM PowerHA for i

Near-continuous application availability with advanced failure detection, failover, and recovery capabilities for IBM i.

IBM BRMS for i

The strategic solution for planning and managing save and restore operations on IBM i.

 IBM Cloud Storage Solutions for i

Store IBM i files securely in the cloud, eliminating the need for tape drives, tape cartridges, and courier services for off-site storage.

 IBM Rational Developer for i

An IDE built on Eclipse for creating, maintaining, and modernizing IBM i applications.

 Integrated Web Application Server for IBM i

The integrated Web application server for IBM i is a lightweight Java application server that contains a Web servlet container that is readily accessible and provides a flexible foundation for developing jsp and servlet-based Java applications.

 IBM i Modernization Engine for Lifecycle Integration

A development and modernization environment for IBM i applications.

Case studies

A merchant and a customer interact at a shop counter
With continuous availability, enhanced security, simplified management, and integration with new technologies- IBM i is the trusted platform for business.

IBM i Solution Editions

Achieve quicker time to value when implementing IT solutions with IBM i Solution Editions. These powerful solutions combine IBM i and Power servers with core business applications from industry-leading independent software vendors (ISVs). IBM i Solution Editions provide the flexibility to meet the requirements of many small to mid-sized clients.

 Review the data sheet

Find out more about IBM i Solution Editions.

 Register your system

Complete this form after each sale of an IBM i Solution Edition to ensure the discounted IBM components are used appropriately within the program.

 IBM i Solution Editions ISV List

Download the list to see all ISVs included in the program.

Take the next step
More ways to explore Explore IBM Power servers Join our community IBM Global Financing