IBM Power8 has been a reliable foundation for mission-critical workloads for the last decade. Regardless, as of 2024, the Power8 generation has officially reached its End of Support (EoS), meaning it no longer receives IBM hardware maintenance, firmware updates, or security patches.
This milestone raises important questions for many organizations still running Power8: What risks do we face by staying on unsupported hardware? What options do we have to move forward? And how do we make the right decision for our business?
A Quick Look Back: The Power8 EoS Timeline
IBM phased out Power8 support in 2024, with key milestones by model:
- March 31, 2024, → Power Systems S812LC, S822, S822L, 822LC, 824, and 824L
- May 31, 2024, → Power Systems S812L, S814, and 822LC
- October 31, 2024, → Power Systems S821LC, S822LC, E850C, E870, E870C, E880, and E880C
Why This Matters Now
The reality is simple: unsupported hardware introduces business risk. Here is why:
- No hardware maintenance → Failure of critical components could mean prolonged downtime
- No firmware or security patches → Increased vulnerability to cyber threats.
- Compliance challenges → Unsupported systems may fail audits (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)
- Parts scarcity → Repairs become costly and unpredictable.
In other words, keeping Power8 in production is no longer just an IT decision. It is a business risk, and planning for next year’s extended support costs should be in your 2026 budget.
Your Next Step Forward
While the end of Power8 may feel like the end of an era, it’s also an opportunity to rethink and modernize your infrastructure. Many organizations are considering options such as:
- Upgrading to IBM Power10 (and Power11) → Unlocking improved performance, energy efficiency, and AI-readiness.
- Moving workloads to IBM Power In The Cloud → A flexible, cloud-first approach that reduces hardware lifecycle management challenges
- Adopting a hybrid strategy → Blending on-premises resilience with cloud scalability for the best of both worlds.
How Racksquared Can Help
At Racksquared, we specialize in helping businesses navigate transitions like this. Whether you want to upgrade hardware, explore cloud options, or build a hybrid strategy, our team can guide you through turning EoS risk into a modernization opportunity.
If you are still running IBM Power8, the time to act could be now, particularly with budget planning just around the corner. Let us work together to design a roadmap that aligns with your business objectives and positions for the future.
👉 Contact Racksquared today to discuss your next step forward.
