Breakthrough: New IBM i Integration Services Launched

Last week, I had a conversation with the CIO of a mid-sized manufacturing company about IBM i integration services that has stuck with me.  “Dan,” he said, “we just lost the programmer who did all of our integration work (APIs, EDI, etc.) to retirement, and now we need to connect our system to three new trading partners. I don’t want to hire someone new – this is not a full-time job nd I don’t want to become dependent on an individual who might also leave. I want a company that has the expertise I need and that I can trust as a long-term partner to take responsibility for this.” 

This conversation wasn’t unique. Over the past year, I’ve heard similar concerns from dozens of IBM i customers across North America. They’re facing a perfect storm: retiring IBM i experts, difficulty finding replacement talent, and an ever-increasing need to connect their IBM i systems with modern applications, cloud services, and trading partners. 

That’s why I’m excited to announce the launch of Eradani’s new Managed API and EDIIntegration Services. This isn’t just another offering – it’s our direct response to what our customers have been asking for. 

IBM i Integration Services: The Core Challenge 

The reality for IBM i organizations today is challenging. To serve customers and automate business processes, you need to integrate your systemswith an ever-expanding universe of applications and services to remain competitive. Yet finding people who understand both the IBM i and modern integration technologies is increasingly difficult. 

Many of you have told me stories about: 

• Searching months for qualified candidates with both IBM i and integration expertise 

• Projects delayed because your team is already stretched too thin 

• Urgent business initiatives held up by integration bottlenecks 

• Scrambling when key team members are unavailable and integration issues arise 

• The inability of existing tools to address the rapidly changing integration ecosystem 

These challenges aren’t just technical problems – they’re business problems that affect your ability to serve customers, work with partners, and compete effectively. 

A Different Approach to Integration 

Our new Managed Services offering takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of simply providing tools and support, we’re taking direct responsibility for implementing your integration projects. 

This means: 

1. Our team of IBM i and integration specialists handles your projects from start to finish 
2. You get the benefit of our experience implementing similar solutions across numerous industries 
3. You don’t have to worry about finding, hiring, and training specialized talent 
4. Your team can focus on core business applications while we handle the integration work 

As one customer put it: “We don’t employ an EDI person anymore, and I want a company to be responsible instead of another hire.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. 

Beyond Implementation: Ongoing Support 

What happens when an integration breaks at 2 AM? What if your trading partner changes their specifications? What if you need to quickly add a new integration to support a business opportunity? 

These questions keep many IT leaders up at night, especially when they rely on just one or two people who understand their integration infrastructure. 

With our Managed Services, you always have someone to call. No worrying about employees being on vacation or out sick. No scrambling when a key person leaves. Just reliable, expert support when you need it. 

The Cost Equation 

When considering the cost of integration projects, many organizations focus solely on software licenses or development hours. But the true cost includes: 

• Recruiting and retaining specialized talent 

• Training and keeping skills current 

• Opportunity costs of delayed projects 

• Business disruption when systems don’t connect properly 

Our fixed-cost, annual subscription model provides predictability while often delivering a lower total cost than maintaining this specialized expertise in-house. 

Looking Forward 

As I look at the future of IBM i in business, one thing is clear: integration isn’t optional – it’s essential. Your IBM i systems contain your most critical business data and logic. Connecting those systems effectively to the broader technology ecosystem isn’t just an IT initiative – it’s a business imperative. 

With our new Managed API and EDI Integration Services, we’re committed to helping you meet that imperative, regardless of your internal resources or expertise. 

I invite you to reach out to your Eradani representative to learn more about how our Managed Services can accelerate your integration initiatives while reducing risk and resource constraints. Let us handle your integration projects while you focus on what matters most – running your business. 

The challenges of finding and retaining IBM i integration talent won’t be going away anytime soon. But with Eradani as your partner, those challenges don’t have to be yours. 

Let’s talk about how we can help.