Start with your current AIX Power model
Choose the generation, then the exact model and machine type. The model guide connects configuration questions to the installed-release branch and the separate workload migration plan.
| Current system | Main planning boundary |
|---|---|
| Power 11: find the exact model | Power 11 AIX planning starts with eligible 7.2 or 7.3 levels. Native processor mode and physical I/O can require higher levels than a virtual-I/O-only arrangement. Do not assume AIX 7.1 can move unchanged. |
| Power 10: find the exact model | Power 10 AIX planning must distinguish native I/O from virtual-I/O-only partitions. Selected 7.1 workloads require virtual I/O and Power 8 compatibility mode; 7.2 and 7.3 have their own TL/SP requirements. |
| Power 9: find the exact model | AIX release eligibility depends on the exact model and I/O arrangement. Older AIX releases can require processor compatibility modes and virtual I/O; AIX 7.3 enables newer processor use. |
| Power 8: find the exact model | Selected Power 8 models can run AIX 7.3. Match the model-specific native or virtual-I/O map and required TL/SP before choosing an OS level. Linux-only systems are outside this AIX starting list. |
| Power 7: find the exact model | AIX 7.2 requires eligible Power 7 or later hardware. AIX 7.3 requires eligible Power 8 or later hardware, so it cannot be an in-place OS destination on Power 7. |
| Power 6: find the exact model | Eligible Power 6 systems can run AIX 7.1, but not AIX 7.2 or 7.3. Keep firmware and the exact edition in the assessment. |
| Power 5: find the exact model | AIX 7.1 is the later major-release planning boundary for eligible Power 5 configurations. AIX 7.2 requires Power 7 or later; a newer TL cannot remove that processor requirement. |
Start with the AIX release you run
Use the full installed level rather than estimating it from the server age. Match it to the application’s supported target before choosing the hardware.
| Installed release or family | What the guide helps you decide |
|---|---|
| AIX 7.3 | Which hardware and software prerequisites apply, and whether the change can stay on this server. |
| AIX 7.2 | Which hardware and software prerequisites apply, and whether the change can stay on this server. |
| AIX 7.1 | Which hardware and software prerequisites apply, and whether the change can stay on this server. |
| AIX 5.3 / 6.1 and earlier | Which hardware and software prerequisites apply, and whether the change can stay on this server. |
Keep AIX upgrade work separate from the workload move
| Task | Useful next step |
|---|---|
| More processor, memory or I/O capacity | Measure the bottleneck and qualify resources for the installed system. |
| A AIX release or maintenance upgrade | Confirm supported software steps and the server that can run the target. |
| Moving to another system | Qualify the destination and plan transfer, rehearsal, cutover and rollback. |
IBM uses the term AIX migration installation for a major AIX OS upgrade. Here, the OS release work stays in Upgrades; the Migration guide covers moving the workload to another environment.
Discuss your current AIX system with Midland · Plan a AIX workload migration
Sources and release checks
Guidance checked October 21, 2026. Midland catalog identities stay with their exact model. Hardware eligibility, software maintenance and application certification need separate checks for the installed configuration.