IBM i 7.4: Change of Support - Not End of Life

Understanding What Changes in 2026 and What Stays Through 2029

It’s Not End of Life. It’s a Change of Support Level

Some will call IBM’s latest lifecycle update for IBM i 7.4 an end-of-life announcement. It isn’t.

IBM i 7.4 remains a fully supported release until 30 September 2026, when it transitions from Standard Support to Service Extension a paid, narrower form of support that runs through 30 September 2029.

So, 7.4 isn’t going dark, it’s moving into a more limited support phase. Customers can continue receiving critical fixes, security updates, and technical guidance well into 2029.

What Changes After September 2026

When IBM moves a release into Service Extension, the level of coverage changes:

What stops (or reduces):

• New features and Technology Refreshes (TRs)
• Routine defect fixes and performance tuning
• Broad technical support for new issues not previously identified

What continues under Service Extension:

• Critical fixes and security patches
• Support for known issues and configuration questions
• Continued upgrade rights to move to newer releases when ready

It’s still IBM support just focused on risk management rather than ongoing development.

A Quick Note on TRs and PTFs

IBM maintains IBM i through two key update mechanisms:

• Technology Refreshes (TRs):
  These are IBM’s periodic update bundles that add new functionality, hardware enablement, and performance improvements, all while staying on the same base version. For example, IBM i 7.4 TR8 might introduce support for new Power hardware or enhancements to Db2 for i. TRs are issued only while a release remains in standard support.
• Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs):
  These are smaller corrective updates addressing specific defects or vulnerabilities. PTFs can be applied individually or in groups, and continue even after a release moves into Service Extension, though typically limited to critical or security-related issues.

When 7.4 transitions to Service Extension after September 2026, IBM will stop issuing new TRs, meaning no further enhancements but will still provide essential PTFs for serious issues until September 2029.

In short: TRs bring new capabilities; PTFs deliver targeted fixes. Both are central to how IBM keeps IBM i secure and stable across its lifecycle.

The Timeline at a Glance

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IBM’s official support timeline is published here: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/ibm-i-release-support

Your Options

1️⃣ Stay on 7.4 Under Service Extension (2026 – 2029)

If you need stability while planning migration or awaiting Application Vendor certification, Service Extension keeps you covered.
Expect a narrower scope but you maintain IBM support and security coverage.

2️⃣ Upgrade to 7.5 or 7.6 for Full Support

For those ready to modernise, IBM i 7.5 and 7.6 deliver significant security and manageability gains, including:

• Native Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Stronger default encryption and system hardening
• Broader open-source support and DB2 enhancements

For more information, see our post on V7.6.

3️⃣ Hybrid Approach

Many organisations will run a mixed environment: critical systems migrated to 7.6, stable legacy workloads remaining on 7.4 under Service Extension for a controlled transition.

Why You Should Plan Now

Even with support until 2029, running an older release has trade-offs:

• Diminishing security posture without new TR updates
• Reduced compatibility with future hardware and third-party tools
• Higher cost of recovery if an incident occurs

Treat Service Extension as a bridge, not a destination.
Use it to buy time for testing, budget alignment and a structured upgrade plan.

In Summary

This is not the end of IBM i 7.4 - it’s a change of support level.
Standard Support ends in 2026; Service Extension runs through 2029.
You can stay covered, stay secure, and plan your next move on your schedule.

Talk to Baby Blue IT & Consulting

We help organisations map their IBM i support strategy, from risk assessment to migration planning, OS upgrades and hardware readiness.

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Read more on IBM i Release Support on IBM's Website