Jon Power

Jon Power: CEO and Founder of Sector7

Jon Power, the founder and CEO of Sector7, has been at the forefront of software migration since 1985. What began in Luton, UK, as a small operation has grown into a globally recognized leader in OpenVMS migration. Sector7 is known for tackling some of the most complex migrations on the planet, not just dealing with the application code but also diving deep into the intricacies of VMS middleware.

After setting up the company’s headquarters in Austin, Texas, in the 1990s, Jon led Sector7 to become IBM’s migration factory, eventually selling the large-scale server consolidation side of the business to IBM.

Patented Migration Tools and Methodologies

Awarded two patents for migration processes, Jon pioneered tools and methodologies that allow Sector7 to complete migrations that take weeks, rather than the typical 18 months. The company’s multi-million-line tool kit handles the heavy lifting, rehosting OpenVMS applications to UNIX/Linux environments while preserving essential business logic.

Jon’s love for OpenVMS migrations is at the heart of Sector7. After more than 30 years, he and his team still take great pride in getting their hands dirty with clients’ complex systems. Jon often says:
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“We always hope for a little ‘spice’ in our projects.”

Sector7 carefully selects which migrations to undertake, knowing that the complexity of a migration isn’t just about the technical side—it’s about timing, scope, and precise execution. With Sector7’s patented methodologies, they ensure projects are always on time and on budget, allowing clients to avoid the common pitfalls of migration.

A People-First Philosophy

Sector7’s philosophy is that while technology is important, it ranks much further down the list of success factors. Jon often reflects on his early days, saying:
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“I think back to 1987, when we were doing our first VMS migration, and I remember saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if our future selves could throw a copy of the software through a wormhole?’ Well, here we are 30 years later, with the tools we wish we had back then, and we know exactly what to do.”

A Hands-On Approach

At Sector7, everyone is a programmer.

Jon explains:
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“We all program here—whether it’s the CEO, sales leads, or project leads. We don’t just talk about our tools; we actually use them.”

This hands-on approach has built Sector7’s reputation for excellence in solving the toughest migration challenges without failure. Jon even admits that he prefers debugging millions of lines of code over tasks like updating the website, humorously recalling how long it took to finish the site simply because he found himself enjoying programming on his iMac.

A Passion for Programming and Problem Solving

Today, Jon Power remains as passionate about programming and migration as when he founded Sector7 nearly four decades ago. Whether it’s rewriting the DECFORMS compiler or working on the next big OpenVMS-to-UNIX migration, Jon and his team are always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

With a unique blend of technology, expertise, and commitment, Jon ensures that every project is delivered on time and on budget. He proudly declares:
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“We don’t fail”

because after 39 years of doing this, Jon and the team at Sector7 still love what they do.