Maintain Power6
Third-party maintenance, replacement parts, and used hardware sourcing for keeping IBM Power6 running past IBM's own March 2019 support window.
Every current Power6 model is past IBM's own end-of-support date, March 31, 2019, but that does not mean the hardware stops working, and it does not mean you have to migrate immediately. A large, established third-party maintenance (TPM) industry exists specifically to keep Power6 systems running with vendor-backed support after IBM walks away.
Third-party maintenance (TPM)
Once IBM's standard support ends, IBM stops providing hardware maintenance, machine code updates, and security patches for that model, but independent TPM providers step in with parts, break-fix support, and monitoring contracts. Providers active in the IBM Power space include organizations like Service Express, Park Place Technologies, and Global TPM, alongside multi-vendor refurbished hardware resellers such as ALTA Technologies and Flagship Technologies that combine parts sourcing with support.
This is the critical limitation of TPM: it keeps the physical hardware running, but it does not restore IBM's software and firmware patch stream. A TPM contract buys you time on the hardware side of the equation, not the software side.
Replacement parts and used hardware sourcing
A secondary market still exists for Power6 hardware, though at this age it runs entirely through decommissioned units, refurbished stock, and specialized inventory rather than IBM's own supply chain. If you are extending the life of an existing system rather than replacing it outright, sourcing spare power supplies, memory, or disk/storage components from the used market alongside a TPM contract is a common combination. Confirm exact machine type coverage with any provider, not just "Power6" generically, since parts availability differs meaningfully between an entry 8203-E4A and an enterprise 9119-FHA.
Firmware considerations
IBM's own firmware (system microcode) updates for Power6 stopped at the March 2019 end-of-support date. Any firmware-level security vulnerability disclosed after that date will not be patched by IBM on Power6 hardware, a real, not theoretical, exposure. See our end-of-support and risk page for what this means in practice.
If your maintenance plan is "keep it running for now," pair it with a firm internal decision date. See our end-of-support and risk page for what staying past that date actually costs, and our migration paths page when you are ready to plan the replacement.