Understanding the IBM PowerVS pros and cons is essential before making a cloud infrastructure investment. In this guide, we explore the strengths, potential drawbacks, and how you can maximize the value of IBM PowerVS for your business.
Even the best tools need a little help sometimes, and PowerVS is no exception. We’re here to walk you through the pros and cons of IBM PowerVS and lay out your options for getting the most out of the infrastructure.
In basic terms: IBM PowerVS (Power Virtual Server) is a family of configurable, multi-tenant, virtual IBM Power servers with access to IBM Cloud services for business continuity planning, modernization, and data center optimization.
Make sense? Great. If not, check out our PowerVS 101 post for more context.
Here are the pros and cons you should know about before jumping into PowerVS.
The Pros: What IBM PowerVS Does Well and How it Supports You
PowerVS is an infrastructure as a service (IaaS) solution that features many sought-after components, including but not limited to:
- modern global data centers with on-site staff and infrastructure
- configuration variety in system, cores, storage, network, OS (operating systems), and management
- fast provisioning to get workloads up and running on demand
- essential and cost-free 24-7 customer support in chat and on the phone
- infrastructure customization for things like number of virtual server instances, number of cores, data volume size and type, network interfaces, and amount of memory.
PowerVS is also compatible with watsonx, IBM’s AI and data platform built for enterprises.
IBM PowerVS Cloud provides top-notch infrastructure security and is compliant and validated to the IBM Cloud Framework for Financial Services control requirements, making it a secure platform and a top choice for banks.
PowerVS has also proven to be a good choice for healthcare, digital information management, and supply chain management companies.
Iptor Sweden AB, a leader in enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, planning and logistics software and services, is a prime example of PowerVS in action.
In the wake of the pandemic, Iptor recognized an opportunity to evolve ahead of their customers instead of alongside them if they wanted to continue to enable their customers’ businesses. That was made possible when they adopted a cloud delivery model.
All they needed was the right infrastructure, and PowerVS was the answer. Iptor achieved an 80% cut to IT infrastructure costs by implementing IBM PowerVS and an expedited customer onboarding process that now takes one hour instead of two days.
IBM Power Systems Virtual Server provides Iptor with the built-in security that allows them to offer greater access to their services without weakening data security.
IBM Cloud PowerVS is a reliable service with a lot of strengths, but no tool is perfect. Let’s look at some PowerVS cons.
The Cons: Where There’s Room For Improvement
The number one downside to PowerVS is the lack of service management, including the lack of full-coverage security. Yes, the infrastructure has a solid defense, but that only runs as deep as the virtual server.
Any application or service layered on top of that infrastructure is still vulnerable. The end user is responsible for the maintenance, security, and continuous updates of those applications and services. That’s a big lift.
PowerVS also has gaps in terms of migration and backup support, and it does not run Windows. In fact, PowerVS is only compatible with other IBM Power Systems, making for a limited scope. Customers must also pay and track ongoing subscription fees, which can be a hassle.
Having a solid foundation only gets you so far when you still have the rest of the house to worry about. Imagine if building a home looked like that: you and the builders spend time crafting the base, building the frame, installing the rebar, pouring the cement, setting up protective measures like tarps and heaters to ensure the cement sets properly, etc.
And it’s perfect. It’s everything you wanted and more. You could not ask for a more indestructible foundation.
You look at the plans for the house. The frame, the walls, the roofing. You go to start building, and the construction crew pats you on the shoulder and says “good luck” before hopping into their truck and driving off.
You’re left there with an amazing foundation…and no way to match the rest of the build to that quality. You’re left standing there, aimlessly holding a hammer. You have so many other responsibilities, you’re not sure how you’re going to manage it alone.
Right when you’re about to despair, you hear the sound of a truck rumbling up the road.
Get tThe Best of Both Worlds by Partnering With a Trusted Service Provider to Manage Your PowerVS
Another crew drives up. They shake your hand. “We’re here to help with the house.”
You sigh in relief and gladly pass the hammer to the new team. Everything is going to be taken care of. They work alongside you to create the best version of the house possible, to match the strong foundation.
They even tell you they’re already thinking about how best to secure the property after they complete the build and will be available to help maintain the grounds.
That’s how it will feel when you work with CloudFirst. We can help you with everything that needs to happen after you buy PowerVS.
First things first, you need to determine how you’re going to migrate all of your applications and data into the new environment without compromising availability while also configuring it all into a usable state.
We’ve got you covered.
Our IBM Cloud Support includes migration support, monitoring, operating system patches and updates, admin support and management, backup management (including automated backups), and more.
With our IBM i Security solutions, you can build the perfect defense for your mission-critical applications on top of PowerVS.
Our security risk assessment thoroughly examines over a dozen categories of security values, reports on findings, and delivers recommendations for addressing vulnerabilities. Along with that, we recommend a comprehensive plan to effectively reduce risk and ensure the security of your systems.
We also have a 100% uptime guarantee that isn’t only pomp and circumstance. We mean it. So you get high availability without any added stress to your team.
And within the ezAutomate solution, you have your pick of services that can be mixed and matched as needed:
- patch automation
- system automation
- vulnerability management
- automated server and endpoint security
- cloud gateway protection
- AI-driven security information and event management
- a dedicated security operations center
- network monitoring and administration
- performance management
We also provide backup management and migration support for an end-to-end solution that covers everything PowerVS doesn’t.
You can have the solid foundation and the house to match it, and we can help you get there
With the right service provider, PowerVS cons cease to be a problem. CloudFirst is an ideal choice of provider because we understand IBM systems like the back of our hands and are dedicated to bringing out the best in IBM Power Systems with our top-notch solutions.
To recap:
- PowerVS is a solid choice for infrastructure as a service.
- PowerVS does not secure additional applications and services.V
- You are responsible for maintaining and securing any applications and services you deploy on top of PowerVS infrastructure.V
- CloudFirst can help all of that stress and responsibility fade away with our comprehensive offerings across AI-driven automation, 24-7 support, and customizable bundles.V
Don’t waste time running around trying to shore up your defenses on your own. Let us do it for you for a better price (read: not your sanity) and save you the headaches of monitoring and maintaining your mission-critical applications.
CloudFirst follows ISO 27001, NIST, and CIS standards and best practices for security, so you can rest easy knowing we’re paying attention to the details while providing cost-efficient cloud management services with your best interests at heart.
We’re only a message away. Request a quote for managed services for your PowerVS deployment today and get ahead of the curve.
