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IBM PowerVS vs. Skytap on Azure vs. IP4G on Google Cloud

The three ways to run IBM i and AIX on real Power hardware in a public cloud, compared on regions, LPAR ceilings, OS support, pricing shape, and disaster recovery.

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Independent comparison: we are not affiliated with IBM, Kyndryl, Microsoft, Google, or Pellera.

PowerVS, Azure, or Google Cloud: which should run our IBM i and AIX workloads?

All three run real IBM Power hardware with no emulation, so the decision is mostly about which cloud your organization is standardizing on, how big your LPARs are, and who you want to buy from. IBM Power Virtual Server is the largest and most current option, and the only one confirmed to offer Power11 and IBM i 7.6 today. Skytap on Azure (Kyndryl Cloud Uplift) fits Azure-committed shops whose LPARs fit under 16 vCPUs and 512 GB. IBM Power for Google Cloud (IP4G) fits Google-committed shops. Facts here are current as of August 2026; verify support dates and region lists with IBM and the providers.

Practical decision support

Pick the cloud first, then confirm the platform fits your LPARs

Use this comparison to test each platform against your largest LPAR, your OS version plans, and your existing hyperscaler commitments before shortlisting.

  • Size the gate first: any single LPAR over 16 cores or 512 GB rules out Cloud Uplift as documented today.
  • Map OS version needs: IBM i 7.6 and Power11 are confirmed only on PowerVS as of this writing.
  • Compare pricing shapes, not list prices: per-core hourly metering, Metered RAM, and marketplace subscriptions behave differently under the same workload.

The landscape

Three real Power clouds, three very different owners

Hyperscalers cannot boot IBM i or AIX on their own x86 and Arm instances, so every credible cloud path runs actual Power servers under the PowerVM hypervisor. Three platform-level options exist today: IBM Power Virtual Server (PowerVS), IBM’s own Power infrastructure service inside IBM Cloud, launched in 2019; Skytap on Azure, running Power hardware inside Microsoft Azure data centers since February 2020 and rebranded Kyndryl Cloud Uplift after Kyndryl acquired Skytap in May 2024; and IBM Power for Google Cloud (IP4G), announced by Google with IBM in January 2020 and operated since 2022 by Converge Technology Solutions, now part of Pellera Technologies.

Because all three are real Power hardware, raw compatibility rarely decides this. What separates them is scale, LPAR ceilings, hardware currency, pricing shape, and who stands behind the service. The table below compares those factors; the sections after it cover each platform’s structural trade-offs.

Side-by-side view

At a glance: PowerVS vs. Cloud Uplift vs. IP4G

Region counts and version support change; figures below are as of this writing (August 2026) and worth reverifying with each provider before you commit.

IBM Power Virtual Server, Kyndryl Cloud Uplift on Azure, and IP4G on Google Cloud compared across seven decision factors, as of August 2026.
OptionOperatorRegionsOS and hardware supportPricing shapeHyperscaler integrationDR optionsHow you buy
IBM Power Virtual ServerIBM, inside IBM Cloud data centers13 metro locations, about 27 zones, in 9 countries per IBM's regions tableAIX 7.2 TL5+; IBM i 7.3+ (7.3 needs a paid extension); IBM i 7.6 image on Power10; Power9, Power10, and Power11Metered hourly, billed monthly, per core and per GB; OS licenses included; billing runs until the LPAR is deletedAbout 0.4 ms to colocated IBM Cloud VPC; reaching Azure or AWS takes Direct Link plus an exchange provider such as MegaportPlatform-native: host auto restart, Global Replication Services, PowerHA supported on topSelf-service in the IBM Cloud catalog, or through IBM Business Partners and MSPs
Skytap on Azure (Kyndryl Cloud Uplift)Kyndryl (Skytap owner since May 2024); hardware hosted in Microsoft Azure data centersRoughly 16 Azure regions across 7 geographies by our count; Kyndryl publishes no clean list, verifyAIX, IBM i, and Linux on Power; verify the current version matrix with Kyndryl; largely Power9, with Power10 by region per partner materialsMetered RAM (GB while a VM runs) plus storage and attached license charges, per Kyndryl's help documentationInside Azure facilities but treated as an adjacent site; connects over ExpressRoute or site-to-site VPNOS and third-party tooling: PowerHA geographic mirroring, Commvault, BRMS patterns via Azure storageAzure Marketplace SaaS offer, Kyndryl, and partners; MACC eligibility referenced, confirm per agreement
IBM Power for Google Cloud (IP4G)Converge Technology Solutions, now part of Pellera Technologies; hardware in Google Cloud regions6 Google Cloud regions per its docs (list dates to late 2024 statements; verify current list)AIX at IBM-supported levels; IBM i 7.3 TR12, 7.4 TR6, and 7.5 per its docs, 7.6 unconfirmed; Power9 and Power10Monthly subscription on the Google Cloud bill, prorated daily; pay-as-you-go or committed term; licenses includedVPC peering into your Google Cloud project, about 1 ms to native Google servicesOS and third-party replication (PowerHA, GLVM, MIMIX) plus FalconStor StorSafe VTL backupSubscribed through the Google Cloud Marketplace; sold by Pellera and partners

Platform 1

IBM Power Virtual Server: the biggest and most current

PowerVSis IBM running Power in IBM’s own cloud, and it shows in the numbers. IBM’s regions documentation lists 13 metro locations across 9 countries, roughly 27 data center zones, as of this writing; IT Jungle’s counts differ slightly because counting methods differ, but every count makes it the broadest Power cloud footprint. It is also the most current: IBM’s release notes state Power11 deployments have been available since July 2025, and an IBM i 7.6 stock image is in the catalog for Power10 systems. Per-LPAR ceilings are in a different class than the alternatives, up to 165 usable cores and 32 TB of memory on E1080 systems per IBM’s pricing documentation.

Billing is metered hourly and charged at a monthly rate, with AIX and IBM i licenses and software maintenance included in the price. Two operational details matter: stopping an LPAR does not stop billing (you must delete it), and you cannot bring existing purchased OS licenses, though IBM i Moveable Operating License entitlements can be transferred through IBM Support. Our guide to IBM i licensing in the cloud covers those mechanics. The structural trade-off is location: PowerVS lives in IBM Cloud, not next to your Azure or Google estate. IBM documents about 0.4 ms round trips to colocated IBM Cloud VPC, but reaching Azure takes Direct Link plus an exchange provider such as Megaport, which is workable plumbing, not native adjacency.

Platform 2

Skytap on Azure (Kyndryl Cloud Uplift): Power inside Azure

Cloud Uplift is the only way to run IBM i and AIX on Power hardware physically inside a hyperscaler other than IBM, and it has the widest hyperscaler spread of the two non-IBM options. Kyndryl’s 2026 announcements added Canada in March (the fourteenth Azure region and fifth geography since the acquisition) and Japan in May, and Kyndryl materials describe availability across the US, Canada, Europe, Southeast Asia, India, Japan, and Australia. That implies roughly 16 Azure regions by our count, but Kyndryl does not publish a clean current list, so verify coverage for your geography. Our full profile of IBM Power on Azurecovers the platform’s history and architecture in depth.

The trade-offs are structural. Per Kyndryl’s help documentation, Power VMs top out at 16 vCPUs, entitled capacity is capped at 4.0 for IBM i and 12.8 for AIX and Linux, and IBM i VMs max out at 512 GB of RAM, with limits varying by region. That rules out large enterprise LPARs. The original fleet is Power9, with partner materials describing Power10 in selected data centers; which regions run which generation, and whether Kyndryl offers IBM i 7.6 anywhere, could not be confirmed as of this writing, so put both questions to Kyndryl directly. Networking is also adjacency rather than nativeness: Azure treats the service as a separate location, connected to your VNets over ExpressRoute or VPN. Pricing is consumption based (Metered RAM plus storage plus attached licenses) through the Azure Marketplace, and marketplace materials reference Azure consumption commitment eligibility, which you should confirm against your own Microsoft agreement.

Platform 3

IBM Power for Google Cloud (IP4G): deepest Google integration

IP4G runs native Power9 and Power10 servers under PowerVM in Google Cloud facilities, attached to your Google Cloud project through VPC peering with about 1 ms latency to native Google services per Google’s own blog. Of the three platforms it is the most tightly woven into its host cloud’s buying motion: you subscribe through the Google Cloud Marketplace, it lands on the monthly Google bill prorated daily, and AIX and IBM i licensing and support are included, with no bring-your-own-license option, per its documentation.

The caveats are scale and stewardship. Its documented footprint is six Google Cloud regions (two US, two European, two Canadian, with the Canadian territories launched on Power10 only), a list that dates to late 2024 statements and should be reverified. Its docs list IBM i 7.3 TR12, 7.4 TR6, and 7.5, and we could not confirm IBM i 7.6 availability as of this writing. Per-LPAR maximums are not published; the docs say default core limits vary by region and can be raised via support, so get your largest LPAR sized in writing. And the operator has changed hands twice: born as an IBM and Google collaboration, operated by Converge from 2022, and now marketed by Pellera Technologies after H.I.G. Capital merged Converge with Mainline in April 2025. None of that is disqualifying, but roadmap and support commitments deserve scrutiny in contracting.

The honest trade-offs

The sizing gate, and other structural filters

Before comparing prices, apply three filters. First, the sizing gate: if any single LPAR needs more than 16 cores or 512 GB of memory, Cloud Uplift is out as documented today, and PowerVS is the safe answer; IP4G may accommodate it, but only a support-confirmed quote tells you. Second, the version gate: IBM i 7.6 requires Power10 or later per IBM’s announcement, and as of this writing PowerVS is the only platform of the three with a confirmed 7.6 image, so a near-term 7.6 plan narrows the field. Third, the recovery gate: only PowerVS offers platform-level storage replication (Global Replication Services between paired data centers); on the other two, your recovery point objectives ride on PowerHA, MIMIX, GLVM, or backup tooling, which changes both cost and operational load. Our IBM Power disaster recovery guide walks that layer in detail.

What the non-IBM platforms buy you is proximity: Power workloads beside the cloud estate you already run, on the bill you already pay, potentially counting toward spend commitments. What PowerVS buys you is headroom and IBM itself as the operator. On maturity, the ranking is consistent across measures: PowerVS leads on regions, hardware currency, and reported customer growth (roughly 700 plus customers growing about 30 percent annually, per IT Jungle citing IBM); Cloud Uplift leads the alternatives on geographic spread with Kyndryl behind it; IP4G is the smallest but the most deeply integrated with its host cloud.

Decision scenarios

Which platform fits which situation

Best fit

Azure-committed, small to mid-size LPARs

If your organization is standardized on Azure and every LPAR fits under 16 vCPUs and 512 GB, Cloud Uplift keeps Power beside your estate and on your Azure buying motion. Confirm OS versions and hardware generation for your target region with Kyndryl.

Best fit

Google-committed shops

If Google Cloud is your standard, IP4G puts Power on the Google bill with VPC peering into your project. Get your largest LPAR and any IBM i 7.6 plans confirmed by Pellera in writing first.

Best fit

Large LPARs, newest hardware, or IBM-direct

Workloads needing big cores-and-memory headroom, Power11, IBM i 7.6, or platform-native replication point to PowerVS, and it is the only option operated by IBM itself.

Use caution

Multi-cloud or undecided

If your cloud strategy is still settling, do not let the Power platform choice make it for you. Model at least two of the three against your actual LPAR inventory before committing.

Request an independent assessment

PowerVS vs. Azure vs. Google Cloud: frequently asked questions

Which platform is the largest and most mature for IBM Power in the cloud?

IBM Power Virtual Server, by a clear margin. IBM's own regions documentation lists 13 metro locations, roughly 27 data center zones, across 9 countries as of this writing, and IT Jungle has reported customer counts growing from about 650 in late 2024 to a projected 900 plus by mid-2026, citing IBM statements. PowerVS is also the only one of the three confirmed to offer Power11 capacity and an IBM i 7.6 stock image today. Kyndryl Cloud Uplift has the widest hyperscaler spread, roughly 16 Azure regions across 7 geographies by our count. IP4G is the smallest, with 6 Google Cloud regions listed in its documentation.

Can I bring my existing AIX or IBM i licenses to these clouds?

Generally no. PowerVS includes AIX and IBM i licenses and IBM software maintenance in the service price and does not accept existing purchased licenses, although IBM i Moveable Operating License entitlements can be transferred through IBM Support. IP4G's documentation likewise states that AIX and IBM i licensing and support are provided as part of the service, with no bring-your-own option. Cloud Uplift bills attached licenses such as IBM i with the service, with IBM i pricing dependent on vCPU count per Kyndryl's help documentation. Verify licensing treatment with each provider before committing.

What are the LPAR size limits on each platform?

PowerVS publishes the biggest ceilings: up to 165 usable cores and 32 TB of memory on E1080 systems, 143 cores on Power9 E980, with IBM i limited to 4 cores per instance on scale-out S922 and S1022 machine types. Kyndryl Cloud Uplift caps Power VMs at 16 vCPUs, with entitled capacity limited to 4.0 for IBM i and 12.8 for AIX and Linux, and a 512 GB RAM maximum for IBM i, varying by region. IP4G does not publish a hard per-LPAR maximum; its docs say default core limits vary by region and can be raised via a support request. If a single LPAR needs more than 16 cores or 512 GB, PowerVS is the only confirmed fit among the three.

How does pricing differ across the three platforms?

All three are consumption models, shaped differently. PowerVS meters cores and memory hourly and bills at a monthly rate, with dedicated, shared capped, and shared uncapped processor types driving core rates; note that stopping an LPAR does not stop billing, the LPAR must be deleted. Cloud Uplift bills Metered RAM (GB of running VM memory) plus storage and attached license charges, purchased through the Azure Marketplace, per Kyndryl's help documentation; marketplace materials reference Azure consumption commitment eligibility, which you should confirm per agreement. IP4G is a monthly subscription on the Google Cloud bill, prorated daily, with pay-as-you-go or committed-term options.

Which option keeps Power workloads closest to my existing cloud services?

IP4G attaches to your Google Cloud project through VPC peering, with about 1 ms latency to native Google services per Google's blog. Cloud Uplift runs inside Azure data centers but Azure treats it as an adjacent network location, connected over ExpressRoute or site-to-site VPN, still close but not a native Azure service. PowerVS sits about 0.4 ms from colocated IBM Cloud VPC, but IBM Cloud is a separate cloud from Azure, AWS, and Google; IBM documents reaching Azure through Direct Link plus a Megaport-style exchange provider.

What disaster recovery and high availability options exist on each platform?

PowerVS has the most platform-native stack: automatic host failure recovery, Global Replication Services for asynchronous storage replication between paired IBM Cloud data centers, and support for PowerHA SystemMirror and IBM i geographic mirroring on top. Cloud Uplift and IP4G rely mainly on OS-level and third-party replication (PowerHA, geographic mirroring, GLVM, MIMIX) plus backup tooling: Commvault and BRMS patterns via Azure storage on Cloud Uplift, and FalconStor StorSafe VTL on IP4G. Azure Site Recovery and similar hyperscaler DR tools do not cover Power LPARs.

Who actually operates each service?

PowerVS is operated by IBM itself inside IBM Cloud. Skytap on Azure has been owned and operated by Kyndryl since May 2024 and rebranded Kyndryl Cloud Uplift, with the Power hardware hosted in Microsoft Azure data centers. IP4G is operated by Converge Technology Solutions, which became part of Pellera Technologies, an H.I.G. Capital company, in April 2025; it is sold through the Google Cloud Marketplace and billed by Google. Operator stability and roadmap commitment differ meaningfully across the three and belong on your evaluation checklist.

Sources

Region counts, supported OS versions, LPAR limits, and support dates in this comparison are current as of this writing (August 2026) and change regularly. Verify current facts with IBM, Kyndryl, and Pellera, and confirm marketplace and spend-commitment treatment against your own cloud agreements.

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