IBM i 7.4 Standard Support Ends September 30, 2026

What actually changes on September 30, 2026

IBM i 7.4 reaches its transition to extended or sustained support on September 30, 2026. IBM's Service Extension Offering begins October 1, 2026 and is scheduled through September 30, 2029.

That does not mean every 7.4 partition stops working on October 1. It means the support model changes, and organizations still running 7.4 need a deliberate plan.

Four decisions every 7.4 shop needs to make

Buyers should treat the transition date as a planning deadline, not a shutoff switch, and work through these decisions before it arrives.

• Upgrade target: determine whether IBM i 7.5 or 7.6 is the correct target for each partition, weighing hardware support, application certification, third-party software, Java, middleware, and operational readiness
• Hardware compatibility: confirm the exact Power model, firmware, HMC, adapters, storage, and licensed-program dependencies
• Application readiness: inventory RPG, COBOL, CL, SQL, Java, web, API, and integration components, and identify anything requiring vendor certification or replacement
• Support coverage: treat a Service Extension as a dated bridge to a controlled migration window, not a permanent operating model

Start with evidence, not assumptions

Create a partition worksheet with the current release, hardware, firmware, licensed programs, application owners, recovery tier, target release, and known blockers. That worksheet, not a vendor pitch, should drive the upgrade timeline.

Sources

• IBM i 7.4.x support page