Connectivity is typically via Site to Site VPN or dedicated private network connections such as Microsoft Expressroute (for Skytap). We will advise and discuss connectivity with you.
Some answers that may help you
See some of the most common questions. If you cannot find exactly what you need then please contact us
See some of the most FAQs
How do we obtain a quote for the Cloud Consumption Costs?
If you provide us with the necessary information – typically number of LPARs and their CPU, storage and memory requirements and whether you need HA/DR in a secondary data centre we can obtain the Skytap or IBM PowerVS (or other cloud provider) costs for you. We can then present a full proposal with the platform costs and L3C migration costs.
What versions of AIX and IBM i operating system are supported?
The major cloud platforms such as Skytap on Azure and IBM PowerVS provide Power10 (and Power11 in the case of IBM PowerVS) infrastructure. This means those platforms only support OS versions of AIX & IBM i that run on Power 10.
If you have an OS version that does not run on Power10 then contact us and we can provide an alternative solution via our own infrastructure or alternative cloud platform provider.
Where are my backups stored in a cloud environment?
For Skytap backups are typically stored in Azure blob storage. For IBM PowerVS backups are stored in IBM Cloud Object Storage (COS). Note there is no physical tape backup in cloud.
What backup tooling is used in cloud?
Pretty much all backup tooling will work as your are moving to Power infrastructure not an emulator. At L3C we typically implement Commvault and use this for our managed services as this has proven to be effective time after time in Skytap and IBM PowerVS.
How do I connect to the cloud platforms?
What about data sovereignty?
You tell us where your data needs to be located and we will advise on the best solution accordingly. Skytap, IBM PowerVS and other cloud platform providers we work with have multiple locations worldwide. For Europe options include, London, Dublin, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
What about latency?
We can test this for you. This can also influence the decision on which cloud provider and cloud provider data centre we advise based on your end use locations and connectivity methods. Typically it is not an issue.
Can I use Azure Monitor for AIX and IBM i?
Yes but only with our unique Azure Monitor integration and advanced monitoring tool.
Am I locked into the Cloud platform if I move my AIX & IBM i to cloud?
Not necessarily. The platforms such as Skytap and IBM offer discounts if you commit to “reserve capacity” for say 12 months. This means you are committed for those 12 months and receive lower pricing than PAYG.
However we have implemented dual cloud solutions with primary in Skytap and secondary data centre in IBM (and vice versa) with replication between the 2. We have managed both environments for our clients so you don’t have to worry about operating across 2 platforms.
We also clearly document (and update) the environment we have implemented which means exit is far easier if required.
What do your L3C migration services include?
We perform a short discovery to gather the required technical information, we design the environment down to IP addresses and subnets, we build the landing zone, we create and execute the migration wave plan, we set up backup and we set up monitoring. We then either handover to your service provider (performing a knowledge transfer) or perform managed service for you. Project management is also included.
We perform this for a fixed price.
I'm still worried about old versions of OS or OracleDBs on AIX
We understand but we have migrated some really old stuff either to the major cloud providers or to our L3C managed infrastructure. Bring out your dirty washing as the saying goes and we’ll find a cost effective solution. We can provide infrastructure in our L3C data centres in London and Slough or provide an infrastructure solution with one of our global partners.
Will a sales person contact me?
Not a sales person. We do not employ sales people as we found our clients wanted clear advice and guidance on how to do things not sales speak. Your initial contact is likely to be our CEO (really) and one of our technical leads.
What type of company are L3C?
We were formed in 2013 and we focus on AIX and IBM i (as well as associated Linux and Windows VMs) – migrating them to cloud or our own infrastructure and performing managed services. We are a privately owned UK Limited company. Our team is based in UK and Sofia, Bulgaria.
What if I am performing a large transformation run by a global system integrator?
We work with most of the global system integrators and often perform AIX and IBM i migrations (and managed services) for them as part of a wider transformation project they run.