IBM i Hardware Glossary
Definitions for IBM i, AS/400, hardware buying, and server infrastructure terms.
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A
AIX
IBM's Unix operating system for Power servers, commonly tied to P Series, System p, and modern Power hardware searches.
AS/400
The older but still widely used name for the IBM midrange hardware lineage now commonly referred to as IBM i on Power Systems.
AS400 Hardware Maintenance
Break-fix service, parts sourcing, and support coverage for AS/400, iSeries, and IBM Power hardware.
AS400 Hosting
Provider-managed infrastructure for running AS/400, iSeries, or IBM i workloads outside the buyer's own server room.
AS400 Power Requirements
The electrical, UPS, PDU, rack, and cooling requirements needed to install and run an AS/400 or IBM Power server safely.
ASP (Auxiliary Storage Pool)
A logical grouping of DASD storage on IBM i that organizes data across the physical disk hardware attached to a partition.
C
Capacity on Demand
A feature allowing dormant processor or memory capacity already installed in a Power server to be activated without a physical hardware change.
CEC (Central Electronics Complex)
The core physical server enclosure housing the processors, memory, and system planar for a Power server.
Certified Refurbished
Secondary market hardware that has been tested, documented, and warrantied by a seller before resale.
D
DASD (Direct Access Storage Device)
The internal disk storage drives attached to an IBM i partition, forming the physical basis of its disk pools.
Db2 for i
The relational database engine integrated directly into IBM i, holding the operational data behind most AS/400 and Power Systems business applications.
Disclosure Gap
The difference between what Google shows in total search traffic and what it hides from the search query details.
E
End of Marketing (EOM)
The date IBM stops selling a Power server or hardware model as new, distinct from when IBM stops supporting units already in service.
End of Service Life (EOSL)
The date IBM stops developing new firmware, PTFs, and fixes and winds down standard support for a hardware generation, also referred to as End of Standard Service (EOSS).
F
Feature Code
An IBM identifier for a specific hardware component, upgrade, or activation option tied to a server model.
Firmware
The low-level software controlling a Power server's hardware behavior, independent of the IBM i operating system itself.
FlashCore Module (FCM)
IBM's custom NVMe flash drive for FlashSystem and Storage Virtualize based storage, built with hardware-level compression and encryption.
H
I
IBM FlashSystem
IBM's all-flash and hybrid storage array family built on Storage Virtualize software and NVMe FlashCore Module drives.
IBM i
IBM's integrated operating system and platform family that evolved from the AS/400 lineage and continues to run many business-critical workloads.
IBM P Series
Older IBM branding for Unix-oriented Power servers commonly associated with AIX workloads before the modern IBM Power naming became standard.
Installed Configuration Baseline
A verified inventory of the installed IBM Power or AS/400 environment before a hardware decision.
IP-Attached Terminal
A 5250 terminal or thin client connected over standard Ethernet networking instead of legacy twinax cabling.
L
M
P
Partition Map
A planning artifact that names each logical partition and its resource responsibilities.
Power Server Model
The specific IBM Power machine type and model used for sizing, support, licensing, power planning, and migration decisions.
Power Server Sizing Evidence
Measured workload data used to size an IBM Power server from real partition behavior.
Power Systems
IBM's current server hardware family, built on the Power processor architecture, that runs IBM i, AIX, and Linux workloads.
PowerVS (IBM Power Virtual Server)
IBM Power infrastructure hosted in IBM Cloud, running IBM i, AIX, or Linux on Power without changing the operating system or database underneath.
R
S
T
Tape Autoloader
A tape backup device with multiple cartridge slots that automatically swaps tapes during unattended save operations.
Third-Party Maintenance (TPM)
Hardware support and parts sourcing provided by an independent service organization once a system has passed IBM's own end of service life date.
Twinax
A legacy cabling and terminal attachment standard used to connect 5250 terminals directly to IBM i controller hardware.