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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

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