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What is AS400 Experience

What Is AS400 Experience?

Understanding the Importance of AS400 Knowledge in the Workplace

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What is AS400 Experience?

At its core, AS400 experience refers to practical skills and knowledge built from working with IBM i systems on IBM Power hardware. It includes understanding the platform’s architecture, integrated Db2 database, RPG/COBOL and modern languages, security model, and operational tooling.

People with deep AS400 experience can keep systems running 24/7, deploy changes safely, modernize legacy code, and integrate IBM i with cloud and analytics platforms. In short, when you ask “what is AS400 experience,” think cross-functional IBM i competency—spanning green-screen to modern web UIs, batch jobs to APIs, and security to compliance.

What Does AS400 Experience Include?

When teams ask “what is AS400 experience,” they’re usually looking for a blend of platform, development, data, and operations skills that span both traditional IBM i expertise and modern integration capabilities.

Core Platform Knowledge

Deep understanding of IBM i architecture including single-level storage, object-based design, integrated security, and the job/subsystem model. This includes Power Systems hardware expertise—sizing, partitioning (LPAR), virtualization (VIOS), and performance considerations that keep these mission-critical systems running optimally.

Development and Modernization Skills

Proficiency in traditional languages like RPG (including RPG Free Form), COBOL, CL, and SQL, plus modern integration options like Node.js, Python, Java, and .NET. This includes UI and API modernization—converting 5250 screens to web/mobile interfaces, building REST APIs, and implementing DevOps practices like source control (Git) and CI/CD pipelines.

Database and Data Integration

Advanced Db2 for i expertise focusing on SQL-first development, constraints, triggers, views, and performance tuning. This extends to ETL processes, moving data to BI platforms, enabling real-time reporting, and feeding cloud analytics solutions while maintaining data quality and lineage across systems.

Security and Compliance

Implementation of object-level security and authority management, encryption (at rest and in transit), audit journaling, and IFS hardening. This includes regulatory mapping for standards like SOX, PCI DSS, and HIPAA, plus continuous monitoring to maintain compliance posture.

Operations and Reliability

System management including PTF strategy, backups (BRMS), journaling, save/restore procedures, and HA/DR replication. This covers job scheduling and monitoring, capacity planning, performance tuning, SLA management, and incident response protocols.

Business Process Integration

Understanding how AS400 systems fit within broader enterprise architecture, including ERP integration, supply chain connectivity, financial system interfaces, and workflow automation. This involves translating business requirements into technical solutions and managing cross-system dependencies.
Modernization as a Service

Where Does AS400 Experience Make the Most Impact?

Wherever reliable, high-volume, and regulated computing is needed, AS400 experience makes operations stronger and more future-ready.

  • IT Teams benefit most—from system administrators managing critical infrastructure and HA/DR configurations, to developers modernizing RPG and COBOL code with contemporary technologies, to database engineers optimizing Db2 for i performance, and security leads implementing enterprise-grade protection and compliance controls.
  • Business Leaders rely on this expertise to reduce operational risk and balance maintenance with modernization. CIOs plan strategic roadmaps, operations managers ensure predictable processing cycles, and HR teams navigate the challenge of retiring IBM i talent while transferring institutional knowledge.
  • Organizations that depend on IBM i see the greatest impact—mid-market and enterprise companies running custom revenue-critical applications, high-volume transaction processors requiring reliable batch and real-time processing, and modernization-focused firms evolving their technology stack without replacing trusted back-end business logic.

The common thread: AS400 experience delivers maximum value where system reliability, data integrity, and operational continuity directly impact business outcomes.

Why is AS400 Experience in High Demand?

The AS400/IBM i skills gap is widening as experienced professionals retire while mission-critical systems continue running core business operations. Companies are competing for talent that can maintain legacy systems while driving modernization.

Market drivers include a generation of IBM i experts reaching retirement age, creating knowledge gaps in organizations. Meanwhile, these systems process billions in transactions daily across manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, and financial services—making downtime costly and expertise invaluable.

The result: Higher compensation, remote work opportunities, and job security for professionals with proven AS400 experience. Organizations are willing to invest significantly in talent that can bridge traditional IBM i operations with modern integration requirements.

How to Build AS400 Experience

Building AS400 experience depends on your starting point and career goals. At Fresche, we offer comprehensive IBM i training programs designed for professionals at every skill level—from fundamentals to advanced modernization techniques.

Turn AS400 Experience into Business Advantage

If you rely on IBM i, the question isn’t just “what is AS400 experience,” but how you use it to protect uptime, modernize safely, and deliver new value. The right mix of platform expertise, development skills, data savvy, and security discipline keeps your core strong and future-ready.

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