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AS/400 Skills Succession Risk Assessment

The biggest risk on many AS/400 and JD Edwards World systems is not the hardware. It is that one or two people hold the knowledge to run it. This short assessment gives you a score and a first set of actions.

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1. How many people can fully administer the IBM i system, including backups, security and recovery?

2. How many people can change and support custom RPG or CL code?

3. How close are your key IBM i staff to retirement?

4. How well documented are custom programs and their business purpose?

5. Do you have a written, tested recovery procedure that someone other than the administrator can follow?

6. Could you hire or contract IBM i and JD Edwards World skills within 60 days if someone left?

7. Is there a current inventory of custom objects with owners and last-used dates?

8. Does leadership have a dated plan for the platform's future (stay, host, modernize or replace)?

How to use it

Answer based on what is true today, not what you intend to do. Involve the IBM i administrator and a business owner, since people inside the team often rate cover higher than the rest of the organisation would. The score is turned into a percentage of the maximum and matched to a band with recommendations.

What the questions measure

The questions cover four things: how many people can do the work, how long they are likely to stay, how well knowledge is written down, and whether leadership has a plan. A weakness in any one of these is serious, but the first two compound each other: one person, close to retirement, with no documentation is the worst case.

Administration cover and custom code cover are scored separately
Recovery procedures count only if tested
A plan with a budget counts; an intention does not

How to read the band

High risk does not mean the system will fail. It means the cost of one event, such as a resignation or illness, is large and uncontrolled. Moderate risk usually points to one or two specific fixes. Well managed means you can plan migration or modernization on your timetable instead of under pressure.

Common mistakes

Counting a contractor who has never been tested, treating retirement as the only risk when illness and resignation matter as well, and putting off an inventory because it seems large. A rough list of custom objects with owners is far better than none, and it can be improved over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this specific to JD Edwards World?

No. It applies to any IBM i environment with custom RPG or CL code. The questions are worded for JD Edwards World shops because they are a large part of the installed base.

What should I do about a high score?

Do three things within 90 days: name and train a second administrator, test a recovery with someone new, and start a rough inventory of custom code. Then decide on the longer-term platform plan.

Does outsourcing remove the risk?

It moves it. A partner helps only if the arrangement is tested, access is arranged and your own people still understand the business processes behind the code.

How often should we repeat it?

Once a year, and whenever a key person gives notice or the platform plan changes.

If you would like a short external review of your IBM i support model and a documented handover plan, Netray can discuss that with you.

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