Maximo 7.6 to MAS 9.0 upgrade for a major UK ferry operator
End-to-end upgrade from legacy Maximo 7.6 to IBM MAS 9.0, with cloud migration to Red Hat OpenShift, database conversion to DB2, inventory rework, and Microsoft Dynamics integration. Delivered in seven months against a hard regulatory deadline.
Sector
Maritime transport & ferry operations
Region
United Kingdom
Duration
7 months
Scope
MAS upgrade, cloud, integration, support
Versions
Maximo 7.6 → IBM MAS 9.0.1 on Red Hat OpenShift
The challenge
By mid-2024 the operator identified the strategic need to modernise its ageing Maximo 7.x platform ahead of IBM's end-of-support milestone. The legacy system was running on-premises with ageing infrastructure, increasing maintenance complexity and growing regulatory demand.
The client needed to upgrade to MAS, move to cloud-hosted infrastructure, convert the database to DB2, overhaul inventory management processes, and establish integration with Microsoft Dynamics for financial alignment, all within an accelerated timeline to meet the September 2025 deadline.
Architecture (anonymised)
What MaxIron delivered
- MAS 9.0 upgrade: full upgrade from Maximo 7.6 to IBM MAS 9.0.1 on Red Hat OpenShift, with database conversion to DB2.
- Cloud migration: transition from on-premises to a fully managed cloud-hosted environment with support tooling, incident management, and release management controls.
- Inventory optimisation: core inventory processes re-established and standardised within Maximo, including subassemblies, rotating parts, bills of materials, and warehouse transactions.
- Microsoft Dynamics integration: secure integration layer for purchase orders and goods receipts flowing from Maximo to Dynamics, with end-to-end traceability between maintenance demand, procurement and financial reporting.
- Mobile rollout: Maximo Mobile rolled out to vessel-side and shore-side crews with offline patterns appropriate to ferry operating windows.
Integrations
| System | Direction | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Dynamics 365 | Maximo → Dynamics | POs and goods receipts to finance |
| Corporate IdP / SSO | Maximo ← IdP | single sign-on across MAS apps |
| IBM DB2 (converted from SQL Server) | embedded | application database aligned to MAS support matrix |
| Inventory & warehouse processes | native | subassemblies, rotables, bills of materials |
| Maximo Mobile | native | field execution, vessel-side and shore-side |
Outcomes
- Off legacy 7.x — platform moved off end-of-life Maximo 7.6 well ahead of the regulatory deadline.
- DB2 conversion — eliminated SQL Server licensing while aligning to the MAS supported platform.
- Standardised inventory practices, optimising spare parts and supply chain across the operation.
- Increased operational resilience with modern Red Hat OpenShift deployment.
- Tighter operational and financial integration; Maximo positioned as the single source of operational truth.
Long-term support
MaxIron continues to support the client by proactively identifying optimisation opportunities, sharing cross-sector best practice, and continuously refining system performance and governance. The same architects who designed the upgrade remain on the account.
Related services
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