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Healthcare Provider Transitions to IBM Cloud and Embraces IBM Power Virtual Server: Paving the Way for a Future-Ready Infrastructure

By Val Besong posted Thu December 12, 2024 04:27 PM

  

A leading healthcare provider in the Northeast U.S. was at a critical crossroads. For years, the provider had relied on on-premises data center to host its essential healthcare integration software, Cloverleaf by Infor, running on IBM Power8 systems. This infrastructure supported the provider’s network of healthcare services, but by 2024, the Power8 hardware had reached end of service, creating multiple challenges. As the expiration of their co-location contract approached, costs were set to double, and the lack of ongoing support and security updates for the Power8 hardware posed additional risk.

Business Challenge

The provider faced the urgent need to exit the on-premises data center, refresh their infrastructure, and ensure seamless service continuity for patients and healthcare professionals. With increasing demands on healthcare systems and a need to future-proof their IT environment, the provider’s leadership saw an opportunity to align with their “Cloud First” strategy. They needed a solution that offered not only modernization and enhanced security but also flexibility in cost management.

Solution: IBM Power Virtual Server

IBM presented the provider with a compelling path forward: an upgrade from their EOS (End of Service) Power8 hardware to IBM Power Virtual Server. This hybrid cloud solution would allow the provider to continue running their trusted Power systems environment without disruption to their production workloads. By migrating to IBM Power Virtual Server, the provider could move critical operations to IBM Cloud, maintaining the high performance and reliability required for their healthcare systems while leveraging IBM’s robust cloud infrastructure.

Key Benefits Realized:

  1. Seamless Upgrade and Service Continuity: Transitioning from Power8 to IBM Power Virtual Server provided the provider with a smooth upgrade path, ensuring their workloads remained operational without interruption. This allowed them to continue delivering essential health services across their 10 hospitals and 300 care sites without compromising on patient care or operational efficiency.
  2. Improved Cost Management: The move to IBM Cloud shifted the provider’s spending from a capital expenditure (Capex) model to an operating expenditure (Opex) model. This billing flexibility helped the provider align costs with usage, providing more predictable and scalable expenses.
  3. Future-Ready Infrastructure: With IBM Power Virtual Server, the provider now operates in a hybrid cloud model that can expand on-demand, allowing them to scale infrastructure resources as needed. The IBM Cloud platform also offers regular security patches and support for the latest applications, keeping the provider’s environment secure and up to date.

Why IBM Won

IBM’s success in securing the provider’s migration to IBM Power Virtual Server was underpinned by several factors:

  • Proven Reliability with Power systems: The provider had a longstanding reliance on IBM Power systems for their core production workloads, giving them confidence in the transition.
  • Alignment with Cloud-First Strategy: IBM Power Virtual Server fulfilled the provider’s strategic vision for cloud-first adoption by enabling a secure and flexible cloud-based operating model.
  • Technical Feasibility and Scalability: IBM demonstrated the technical viability of refreshing Power systems with IBM Power Virtual Server, providing the provider with a scalable solution to meet current and future demands.

Through this transition, IBM has helped the provider embark on a new phase of their digital transformation journey, empowering them with the flexibility, security, and operational resilience needed to continue delivering world-class healthcare in the evolving digital landscape.

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