Five IBM i Market Trends That Matter in 2026
Power11 adoption, the IBM i 7.4 support deadline, layered security patching, converging resilience and security purchases, and incremental modernization: what is actually shaping IBM i buying decisions in 2026.
Power11 creates a segmented upgrade market
Fortra's 2026 survey reports early Power11 adoption while Power10 use continued to grow among respondents. The market now includes early strategic Power11 adopters, Power10 expansion buyers, and older-system migration candidates, three distinct conversations that a single generic hardware pitch will not serve well.
IBM i 7.4 creates a fixed planning deadline
IBM i 7.4 transitions from standard support on September 30, 2026. That date is now a forcing function across the installed base, independent of any vendor's sales calendar.
Security extends beyond the base OS
Java, OpenSSH, WebSphere, firmware, and other bundled components create layered patching obligations that a single "IBM i is secure" assumption does not cover.
Resilience becomes a security and operations purchase
HA, DR, recoverability, monitoring, security, and managed operations increasingly belong in one continuity program rather than separate procurement tracks.
Modernization becomes incremental
APIs, web interfaces, data access, DevOps, testing, and selective code transformation are practical modernization paths alongside full replacement, and are increasingly the default rather than the fallback option.