IBM i In The Cloud And The Case For Reversing Replication

November 9, 2026 Ash Giddings

When IBM i organizations start looking at the cloud, the conversation often follows a familiar path. Start with low-risk workloads such as development or test, consider running disaster recovery in the cloud, and keep production on-premise. Perfectly sensible. It’s relatively low risk, builds confidence, and gives the organization a manageable starting point.

But another approach deserves more attention. Run production in the cloud, replicate back to an on-premise system, take backups from that local target, and store them offsite. Turn the familiar arrangement around 180 degrees.

For organizations considering a hardware refresh, reviewing data center costs, or assessing the skills …