For decades, companies have modernized IBM i systems the same way—with long, expensive projects that take years to complete. The problem? That approach no longer works. Business needs shift too fast. IT teams face too much pressure. And let’s be honest, who has the patience or budget to spend years achieving the results?
Leaders have shifted. A smarter approach exists. It’s called Modernization as a Service (MaaS), and it lets you modernize on your terms—without massive upfront costs, without long-term commitments, and without unnecessary risk.
Slow, Rigid, and Outdated? That’s Not Modernization.
The traditional IBM i modernization approach follows a predictable pattern:
- A company decides its IBM i applications are outdated.
- IT fights for leadership sign-off— execs hesitate over cost and risk.
- Months (or years) lost in planning the “perfect” modernization strategy.
- Finally approved—multi-million-dollar, years-long, CapEx project.
- Big Bang modernization kicks off. Disrupts business operations.
- Business needs shift mid-project. Pivots lead to more costs.
Sound familiar? This approach is slow, costly, and risky. It locks companies into rigid timelines. For many businesses, modernization approval drags on for months, often stuck in layers of internal reviews and sign-off loops. That’s a bureaucratic nightmare, and it kills momentum. Meanwhile, employees continue to face inefficiences on outdated systems, customers experience plummets, developers retire and competitors gain an edge.
A Smarter, More Flexible Approach
MaaS flips the script. Instead of commitment to a massive, high-risk transformation, companies subscribe to a flexible, pay-as-you-go model that delivers results fast. No large upfront expenditure. No rigid contracts. No year-long wait to see progress.
With a subscription-based approach, businesses avoid the heavy capital investment of traditional modernization. Instead of a complete overhaul that takes years, they make incremental improvements and see value sooner. A modern web UI replaces outdated green screens to create a better experience for employees and customers. Databases become structured and with long names for analytics which helps organizations make data-driven decisions. Code transformation to a more modern language aligns with business goals to ensure modernization happens on their terms, at their pace.
Fresche understands that one solution does not serve every need. We offer several approaches. While many companies benefit from a modern UI and automated code transformation that keep existing functions intact, we also help clients rewrite strategic applications with an AI-driven method. For example, the 80/20 strategy lets you automatically update 80% of your applications for consistent performance, while you rewrite the remaining 20% to unlock strategic advantages. The benefit is clear: reduce risk, preserve business continuity, and seize new opportunities that drive growth.
At Fresche, the process starts with a free two-week inventory analysis and a one-day strategy session to define the high-level modernization roadmap. Companies begin with a predictable monthly subscription and can scale up or down based on their budget and business needs.
This model puts control back in the hands of IT leaders. They define success based on business needs, not vendor timelines to make modernization an ongoing strategy rather than a one-time event.
Discover why many firms choose subscription-based IBM i modernization over fixed contracts. This visual guide offers simple, practical information that can help you decide.
Capital Expenses (CapEx) to Operational Expenses (OpEx)
One of the biggest barriers to IBM i modernization is budget approval. Traditional projects require multi-million-dollar investments and demand lengthy board signoffs and procurement phases. With MaaS, IT leaders avoid these delays and pay a predictable, manageable monthly cost. This shift moves expendes from large upfront investments to recurring operating expenses that better match business needs.
Long-term, board-required approvals are no longer necessary. A streamlined approval process lets you start projects sooner and reallocate funds to strategic priorities. This agile cost structure also improves cash flow, lowers risk, and empowers IT leaders to invest in innovation and operational improvements without locking up capital.
Eliminate Risk with Incremental Modernization
A full-scale IBM i transformation is risky. What if the project disrupts daily operations? What if the new system doesn’t perform as expected? What if the cost spirals out of control? These concerns keep many companies from IBM modernization and leave them stuck with brittle systems.
MaaS reduces that risk with an incremental, coexistence-based approach. The old and new systems run in parallel to ensure business continuity as modernization progresses. Companies modernize at a pace that makes sense for them, without any threat to operations.
The best part? Companies continuously assess value at each stage. If priorities shift, they can slow down, pause, or accelerate their modernization efforts without wasted investment.
This approach also eliminates technical debt over time. The longer a company delays modernization, the more expensive it becomes to fix legacy issues. Some IBM i applications are over 40 years old, which makes them difficult to maintain and expensive to replace. MaaS allows companies to chip away at this problem strategically.
AI-Accelerated IBM i Modernization
AI transforms every industry, and IBM i modernization is no exception. MaaS incorporates AI-accelerated tools that speed up and improve the processes.
A major challenge in IBM i modernization is the nature of legacy code — complex and hard to interpret. Many IBM i applications lack proper documentation, and the original developers have long retired. AI-powered tools can analyze code and generate plain-English summaries that helps IT teams assess and modernize systems.
Modern IT environments demand efficient code management. AI tools such as GitHub Copilot help teams to write and optimize code, which reduces development time and ensures consistent quality. This smart code generation lets IT professionals solve business challenges rather than struggle with outdated code structures.
User experience plays a crucial role in system adoption and overall productivity. AI-driven design tools offer insights to adjust layouts, structure, and navigation with minimal manual effort. These recommendations lead to interfaces that feel modern and intuitive, which helps users work more efficiently.
Legacy systems often hide inefficiencies that disrupt operations. Intelligent diagnostics detect issues within complex code and pinpoint areas that require improvement. In addition, AI-assisted documentation distills intricate workflows into structured records and streamlines knowledge transfer to ensure that critical system information remains accessible.
Maintenance and performance management also benefit from AI capabilities. Predictive maintenance tools track system performance and flag potential issues before they impact operations. By addressing challenges early, IT teams maintain system stability and align modernization efforts with business goals, which empowers organizations to build a robust, future-ready IT environment. These AI-driven capabilities make modernization faster, more accurate, and more cost-effective.
Modernization Metrics That Prove Success
A successful modernization effort drives measurable improvements in business performance, efficiency, and customer experience. If IT leaders need clear, tangible metrics that show real business impact. Here is what to track:
- Technical debt reduction: The longer a company holds onto outdated applications, the harder they become to maintain. Track how many legacy programs and screens are retired each quarter. A steady decline in technical debt means lower maintenance costs and fewer system failures.
- User adoption and efficiency: A modernized system must be easier to use. Measure how quickly employees onboard the new system versus the old one. If user satisfaction scores and efficiency metrics improve, modernization delivers value.
- Automation-driven cost savings: IBM modernization should eliminate unnecessary manual work. Track the reduction in hours spent on tasks like order processing, invoice creation, and report generation. If employees spend less time on these tasks, the system delivers true efficiency.
- Business agility and speed: A modernized IBM i system allows companies to deploy new features and applications faster. Track how long it takes to roll out new capabilities. A significant drop in deployment time means IT teams can innovate without bottlenecks.
- Revenue and customer engagement: When modernization introduces new ways to engage customers (such as online portals, mobile apps, or automation), revenue should reflect that. Track how modernization efforts affect online transactions, order volumes, and customer retention.
As you take charge of your IBM i journey, consider one more step to steer your business toward a flexible future. Join our three-part webinar series—The Modern Way to Modernize IBM i: As a Service. On Your Terms. Over three sessions—you get clear, step-by-step insights to transform your code, upgrade your database, and reimagine your UI without long-term commitments. Our experts break down how to modernize your IT in practical terms, so you can adapt as your business evolves. Reserve your seat now and discover a smarter, agile path forward.
Stop Modernizing Like It’s the 90s
The old way of IBM i modernization no longer works. Massive, multi-year projects are outdated, risky, and financially draining. Businesses need a modernization strategy that keeps up with today’s fast-changing landscape.
MaaS offers a smarter, more flexible approach. It allows companies to start immediately, scale at their own pace, reduce risk, and drive real time business impact—all without breaking the bank. The 90s are over. It’s time to modernize IBM i like it is 2025.
