Provider Profile
TierPoint for IBM Power: Independent Profile
TierPoint pairs one of the broader US colocation footprints with a managed IBM Power practice delivered partly through specialist partners. Here's what the company publishes, and what to confirm yourself.
Independent profile — not sponsored by, affiliated with, or endorsed by this provider.
What is TierPoint?
TierPoint is a US colocation and managed services provider that offers managed IBM Power services for IBM i and AIX, including monitoring, firmware maintenance, backup verification, and disaster recovery with replication. Its main advantage is geographic breadth — over 27 US data centers — which matters when you need a DR site a specific distance from production. Note that TierPoint names CloudFirst and Tectrade as partners for IBM Power production and recovery support, so confirm who is actually delivering the IBM i work before you sign.
At a Glance
TierPoint Specifications
Everything below is drawn from what TierPoint publishes. Items marked vendor-stated are the provider's claims, not independently verified figures — treat them as questions to raise, not as confirmed specifications.
- IBM i
- AIX
| Provider type | Colocation and managed services with an IBM Power practice |
|---|---|
| Footprint (vendor-stated) | 27-plus US data centers spanning the Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Mountain West — no non-US sites listed |
| Managed services (vendor-stated) | 24x7x365 monitoring, management, and maintenance of IBM components, proactive performance management, and firmware updates |
| Backup and DR (vendor-stated) | Backup verification, point-in-time recovery, and a DR environment with real-time replication that is regularly tested |
| Delivery partners (vendor-stated) | CloudFirst and Tectrade for IBM Power production and recovery support |
| Migration support (vendor-stated) | Physical lift-and-shift or staged hybrid transformation |
| Compliance certifications (vendor-stated) | SSAE 18 SOC 2 Type II, PCI DSS, GLBA, HIPAA, and ITAR |
| Physical security (vendor-stated) | 24/7/365 onsite security with biometric access control and video monitoring |
Vendor pages last checked July 2026. Providers change offerings without notice — confirm current details directly.
Visit the provider's IBM Power page →Where It Is Strong
What TierPoint Does Well
Points that genuinely differentiate this provider, based on what it publishes and how it is positioned in the IBM Power market.
Geographic choice
With more than 27 US sites, you can usually place production and DR in different regions without leaving one provider or one contract.
ITAR coverage
ITAR is listed alongside the usual certifications, which narrows the field considerably if you handle defense-related data.
Colocation plus managed Power
Suited to a phased move where some hardware stays yours in a TierPoint cage while other workloads shift to managed capacity.
Tested DR rather than assumed DR
The company markets DR that is frequently tested rather than simply provisioned. Hold them to that in the contract with a defined test cadence.
Fit Check
Is TierPoint a Good Fit?
Best fit
Good fit signals
Organizations that need a specific US geographic spread between production and recovery sites, have compliance requirements like ITAR, or want colocation and managed Power from one contract.
Use caution
Proceed with caution if
TierPoint names CloudFirst and Tectrade as partners for IBM Power support. That is not a problem in itself, but it means the IBM i expertise may sit one layer removed from your contract. Ask who answers a severity-one IBM i call and whether going direct to the specialist would cost less.
Key decision
Decision point
If footprint is the main reason TierPoint is on your list, confirm which of the 27-plus sites actually run IBM Power before assuming your preferred region is available.
Due Diligence
What to Verify Before You Sign
Take these to the provider in writing. Anything that only exists in a slide deck is not a commitment.
Which sites run IBM Power
A large colocation footprint does not mean Power capacity everywhere. Get the specific production and DR sites named in the proposal.
Who holds the IBM i skills
Ask directly whether TierPoint staff or a partner handles IBM i administration and escalations, and what the response commitment is at each layer.
The real price of the partner layer
If CloudFirst or Tectrade is delivering underneath, get a comparison quote direct from that specialist so you know what the intermediary layer costs.
DR test cadence in writing
Frequently tested is a marketing phrase. Put a specific number of tests per year, a defined scope, and a written report obligation into the contract.
Linux on Power support
The IBM Power page names IBM i and AIX only. If you run Linux on Power, confirm support explicitly rather than assuming it is included.
TierPoint FAQ
Does TierPoint run IBM Power in all of its data centers?
The company markets 27-plus US data centers, but that is its total colocation footprint, not a count of sites with IBM Power capacity. Ask for the specific facilities that can host your LPARs and your DR environment.
Who actually supports IBM i at TierPoint?
TierPoint names CloudFirst and Tectrade as partners for IBM Power production and recovery support. Get clarity on which organization owns day-to-day administration, which owns escalations, and what each response time commitment is.
Is TierPoint an option if I need a data center outside the US?
Its published IBM Power footprint is US-only. If you need EU or APAC presence, look at providers with international sites or consider IBM Power Virtual Server regions instead.
Does TierPoint handle the migration itself?
It markets both physical lift-and-shift and staged hybrid transformation. Confirm whether migration is included in the managed services fee or quoted as a separate professional services engagement, since that difference is often significant.
Sources
- TierPoint — IBM Power Systems managed services
- TierPoint — How DRaaS enhances IBM Power Systems resiliency
- Contract terms, SLAs, and current audit reports — request directly from TierPoint
Independent Advisory Notice
Power Systems Advisor is an independent advisory resource and is not IBM. IBM, IBM Power, IBM i, AIX, PowerVM, Power Virtual Server, and other marks belong to their respective owners. Product availability, compatibility, pricing, and support should be verified with IBM or the relevant provider. Recommendations depend on the customer's specific environment.
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