IBM Power S812L (8247-21L)
The S812L (8247-21L) is a Linux-only Power8 machine ... it does not run IBM i at all. IBM standard support ended May 31, 2024.
The Power S812L (8247-21L) is one of the machines people misidentify most often. It looks like its scale-out siblings, it sits in the same rack, and it carries a Power8 processor. It also cannot run IBM i. The L in the machine type is not a trim level, it is the whole point: the 8247 machine types were sold as Linux-only systems at Linux-only pricing.
Where the S812L stands in 2026
That matters when an 8247-21L shows up in an inventory spreadsheet next to an 8286-41A and someone assumes they are interchangeable. They are not. IBM ended standard support for the 8247-21L on May 31, 2024, the same date as the S814, but the replacement conversation is completely different because there is no IBM i workload to carry forward.
Machine type check: the 8247 prefix means Linux only. If you need IBM i on Power8 hardware, you are looking at an 8284 or 8286 scale-out machine or an enterprise 8408, 9119, or 9080 system instead.
Specifications
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | 1-socket, 2U rack mount |
| Sockets | 1 |
| Processor Technology | POWER8 |
| Operating System Scope | Linux only ... this machine type does not support IBM i or AIX |
| I/O | PCIe Gen3 slots |
Machine type, model designation and support dates verified against IBM published documentation. Configuration details vary by build ... read the system VPD for the machine in front of you.
Lifecycle and support status
| Attribute | Status |
|---|---|
| EOS Date | May 31, 2024 |
| EOS Status | Past IBM standard hardware support. |
| IBM i Ceiling | Not applicable ... the L-generation machine types are Linux only |
End-of-service dates per the IBM Power8 end of service announcement. IBM i release support dates per IBM i lifecycle documentation.
Best fit
Linux on Power workloads that were deliberately bought outside the IBM i licensing model. If someone tells you an 8247-21L can be upgraded to run IBM i, they are wrong ... the machine type does not support it.
Related
IBM Power S822L (8247-22L)
The S822L (8247-22L) is the two-socket Linux-only Power8 server. It does not run IBM i. IBM standard support ended March 31, 2024.
IBM Power S824L (8247-42L)
The S824L (8247-42L) is the 4U Linux-only Power8 server, the one sold with NVIDIA GPU options. It does not run IBM i. IBM standard support ended March 31, 2024.
IBM Power S812 (8284-21A)
You have an S812 8284-21A. Here's what that means in 2026: IBM's smallest Power8 box, out of standard IBM support since July 2025, and the last model in the family to lose it.
IBM Power S814 (8286-41A)
You have an S814 8286-41A. Here's what that means in 2026: IBM's mainstream single-socket Power8 box, out of standard IBM support since May 2024, running on borrowed time on IBM i 7.4.