{
  "name": "IBM Power8 to Power9/Power10/Power11 Migration Comparison Dataset",
  "description": "Structured model-tier comparison chain mapping each IBM Power8 model still in production to its Power9, Power10, and Power11 successors, IBM's currently shipping generation.",
  "sources": [
    "https://www.ibm.com/products/power",
    "https://powersystemsadvisors.com/guides/ibm-power-end-of-life",
    "https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/planning-upgrade-ibm-i-76-hardware"
  ],
  "updated_at": "2026-08-15",
  "table": {
    "caption": "Power8 model to current-generation replacement chain",
    "headers": ["Tier", "Your Power8 Model", "→ Power9 Step", "→ Power10 Step", "→ Power11 Step (current)", "Power8 Lifecycle Status", "Workload Fit"],
    "rows": [
      ["Entry, single-socket (small)", "S812 (8284-21A)", "S914 (9009-41A)", "S1014 (9105-41B)", "S1112 (9242-21B)", "EOS Jul 2025", "Branch/edge, small IBM i P05 shops"],
      ["Entry, single-socket (mainstream)", "S814 (8286-41A)", "S914 / S924", "S1014", "S1112 / S1122", "EOS May 2024", "Small-to-midsized IBM i, AIX, Linux"],
      ["Scale-out, dual-socket", "S824 (8286-42A)", "S924 (9009-42A)", "S1024", "S1122 / S1124 (9824-22A / 9824-42A)", "EOS Mar 2024", "Growing IBM i, AIX, Linux consolidation"],
      ["Enterprise, mid scale-up", "E850 (8408-E8E)", "E950 (9040-MR9)", "E1050", "E1150 (9043-MRU)", "EOS Oct 2023", "4-socket private-cloud consolidation"],
      ["Enterprise, large scale-up", "E870 (9119-MME)", "E980 (9080-M9S)", "E1080", "E1180 (9080-HEU)", "EOS Oct 2024", "Large multi-node enterprise consolidation"],
      ["Enterprise, flagship", "E880 (9119-MHE)", "E980 (9080-M9S)", "E1080", "E1180 (9080-HEU)", "EOS Oct 2024", "Largest mission-critical consolidation"]
    ],
    "note": "Power9 and Power10 are shown as the intermediate steps IBM actually shipped between Power8 and the current Power11 generation. IBM i 7.6 requires Power10 or Power11 hardware ... Power9 tops out at IBM i 7.5.",
    "footnote": "Model mappings reflect IBM's published tier structure across generations (entry single-socket, scale-out dual-socket, enterprise mid, and enterprise flagship). Confirm exact processor feature codes and configuration limits with a sourcing vendor before finalizing a quote."
  },
  "efficiency_notes": [
    "IBM i 7.6, the current IBM i release, runs only on Power10 (minimum firmware FW1060) or Power11 hardware ... it does not run on Power9 or Power8. A Power8-to-Power9 migration buys hardware support time but does not reach the current IBM i release.",
    "A Power8-to-Power10 or Power8-to-Power11 migration skips the Power9 generation entirely and lands directly on hardware that supports IBM i 7.6, avoiding a second hardware refresh in a few years.",
    "IBM Power11 is IBM's current shipping generation as of this writing; Power10 remains a fully supported, actively sold alternative with a lower entry cost on comparable configurations.",
    "Every step in this chain moves off Power8's DDR3/DDR4 memory architecture onto DDR5 (Power10/Power11) or an intermediate DDR4 generation (Power9), changing memory pricing and density substantially.",
    "IBM Power Virtual Server offers a non-hardware path off Power8 entirely ... see our Power Virtual Server page for when that path fits better than a physical refresh."
  ]
}