New in this release
IBM WebSphere Application Server offers a world-class infrastructure for
open e-business platforms. As the foundation of the WebSphere software platform,
WebSphere Application Server provides a rich, e-business application deployment
environment with a complete set of application services including capabilities
for transaction management, security, clustering, performance, availability,
connectivity and scalability.
Several new and improved features are summarized here, with links to more
information.
Features that are new or improved are indicated by release level. Technical
updates are indicated similarly throughout the documentation. Version 3.5
and Version 4 users will know this as the documentation Revision history or What's
New.
See also the Site Map, available in the
top-level navigational view in each online information center. From the Site
Map, you can determine updates relative to the documentation at the V5.0 level.
![[5.0 only]](../../v50.gif)
See also the Site Map, available from the
banner of the online information center. From the Site Map, you can determine
updates relative to the documentation at the V5.0 level.
Planning, installation, and product migration
New and improved WebSphere Samples
Gallery
- Technology centered Samples, including EJB, J2EE client, JMS, JSP, and
Servlet Samples.
- The Plants by WebSphere "super Sample," demonstrating multiple
technologies used to build realistic applications.
- Java Petstore Sample
- ANT-based build scripts enabling you to run, modify, rebuild, and run
the Samples again.
- Use of Cloudscape rather than DB2 for the Samples requiring a database.
Cloudscape has a smaller footprint.
For more information, see Samples Gallery.
Servers
- The Application Server now runs with the high
performing:
![[5.0 only]](../../v50.gif)
![[Version 5.0.1]](../../v501.gif)
IBM Developer Kit, Java Technology
Edition, Version 1.3.1 used on AIX, Windows, Linux, and z/OS operating systems
- Java 2 SDK from Sun
on the Solaris Operating Environment
- Java 2 SDK from HP-UX
on the HP-UX operating system
To confirm that you
have the latest version of the IBM SDK for z/OS, you can use a java -version command.
For more information about build dates and included fixes, see Service summary - IBM SDK for z/OS, Java 2 Technology Edition
- The system name space structure provided by the name server has changed
significantly since the last release, including:
- The Version 5 name space is distributed, meaning that objects are not
all bound under a single context root as with previous versions.
- The name space consists of partitions. Some partitions in the name space
contain transient bindings and some partitions contain persistent bindings.
Applications > EJB modules
- EJB persistence manager has been re-architected to support EJB 2.0 CMP
scheme, which differs greatly from the EJB 1.1 scheme
- EJB persistence manager has improved in modularity, maintainability, and
performance. Maintenance focuses on configuration of server components, with
less need to regenerate deployed artifacts
- EJB 2.0 specification support, including:
- Local and remote beans
- Message-driven beans
- Container-managed relationships
- A portable finder query language
- All other aspects of the specification
- Programming model
- Abstract and concrete entity beans
- Local home and local entity interfaces
- Container-managed association relationships
- Dependent values
- EJB query language
- Plus these features that add high performance persistence beyond EJB 2.0:
- Changing semantic behavior
- Entity bean inheritance
- Optimistic concurrency control
- Read-ahead
- Intent mechanism support
- Support for different types of backend access mechanisms
- Procedural access
- SQLJ
- Data caching
- Powerful new features enhance container-managed persistence (CMP) entity
bean performance, including:
- Caching of bean data at several levels
- Long lifetime caching, for beans that change only infrequently and thus
remain read-only across many transactions
- Read-ahead, which pre-loads groups and working-sets of beans in a single
datastore operation by following selected bean relationships
- Optimistic concurrency control, which minimizes the amount of time data
is actually locked during updates and thus increases overall throughput in
heavily-used applications
- CMP beans and bean-managed persistence (BMP) beans can share datastore
connections, allowing access to related data by both kinds of beans when in
the same transaction.
- CMP beans may inherit from one another (in other words, they may subclass
one another). The Application Server will recognize this during bean deployment
and at run time will -- for example -- allow finders to return beans of that
class or any subclass. Inheritance may be expressed in relational datastores
in either "single-table" or "root-leaf" arrangements.
Applications > Web modules
- Servlet 2.3 with Filters and Events
- JSP 1.2 with XML Syntax
- Filters are Java classes that can be configured to operate on (filter)
the request and response data of a requested resource.
The resource to
filter, and filter precedence is specified in the deployment descriptor information
found in the web.xml file of a Web application. Initialization parameters
for filters can also be specified in the web.xml. Filters can be chained and
can be configured to work on a single resource or a group of resources. Typical
usages for filters include logging filters, image conversion filters, encryption
filters, and MIME-type filters (functionally equivalent to the old style servlet
chaining).
- The HttpUtils class is deprecated in 2.3 and its methods are replaced
by new methods in the request object. The HttpUtils class will still be available
for use by servlet writers until a future servlet specification directs its
complete removal.
- The product no longer requires the JSP-enabling servlet
The file
serving enabled check box in the IBM extensions tab of the Web
module properties in the Application Assembly Tool controls this function
for V5, V5.0.1, and V5.0.2. (It is selected by default.)
![[5.0 only]](../../v50.gif)
Adding JSP files
to the WAR file in the Application Assembly Tool or to the appropriate application_name.war directory
of the installed enterprise application causes the JSP files to be served.
![[5.0 only]](../../v50.gif)
Adding
HTML files to the Web archive (WAR) file in the Application Assembly Tool
or to the appropriate application_name.war directory of the installed
enterprise application causes the HTML files to be served.
Applications > Web services
WebSphere
Application Server Version 5.02 introduces support for Web services for J2EE
(JSR-109).
The new Web services standards are
developed for the Java language under the Java Community Process (JCP). These
standards include the Java API for XML-based remote procedure call, JAX-RPC
(JSR-101), and Web services for J2EE.
The
JAX-RPC standard covers the programming model and bindings for using Web Services
Description Language (WSDL) for Web services in the Java language. The Web
services standard for J2EE covers the use of JAX-RPC in a J2EE environment,
as well as the deployment of Web services implementations in a J2EE server.
Both standards are part of the J2EE 1.4 release.
Web services development tools have been enhanced
and are now based on the Java API for XML-based remote procedure call (JAX-RPC)
1.0 and on the Web services for J2EE, Version 1.0 (JSR-109) specifications.
See Implementing Web services for
an introduction to the new documentation based on these specifications.
Web services enable businesses to connect
applications to other business applications, to deliver business functions
to a broader set of customers and partners, to interact with marketplaces
more efficiently, and to create new business models dynamically. To that extent,
the product provides four protocols that support Web services:
- Web Services Description Language (WSDL), an XML-based description language
that provides a way to catalog and describe services
- Universal Discovery Description and Integration (UDDI), a global, platform-independent,
open framework to enable businesses to discover each other, define their interaction,
and share information in a global registry
- SOAP, a lightweight protocol for exchange of information in a decentralized,
distributed environment
- eXtensible Markup Language (XML), which provides a common language for
exchanging information.
- Enhanced Web Services, including WSIF and Web Services Security. New and
improved features in Web services support include:
- An open source implementation of a Web Services Invocation Framework (WSIF),
new in this release. It includes protocol isolation and dynamic invocation
(no stubs)
- Newly-enhanced Web services capabilities of WebSphere Studio (sold separately)
for developing Web services.
Web services security functionality that is based
on standards included in the Web services security (WS-Security) specification.
Web services security is a message-level standard, based on securing SOAP
messages through XML digital signature, confidentiality through XML encryption,
and credential propagation through security tokens. See Securing Web services based on WS-Security for
information on securing Web services.
Applications > Application services
- Changes and improvements in naming support include:
- The way that the system binds objects into the name space has changed
significantly.
Before WebSphere Application Server Version 5.0, all objects
were bound relative to a single root context. Now they are bound to a context
that is specific to the server associated with the object. This context is
referred to as the server root context. Each server has its own server root
context. An initial context can be any server root context. This means that
jndiName values in deployment descriptors and lookup names in thin clients
must be qualified when the object associated with the name is bound under
a server root context different from the initial context.
- Changes and improvements in dynamic caching include:
- Version 4 supported the configuration of dynamic servlet caching through
the use of a servletcache.xml file. For migration purposes, this
file is still supported by this release. In order to utilize the new and improved
functionality of the dynamic cache service in this release, you must configure
your cache policy using the new cachespec.xml format.
- Sophisticated dynamic network caching follows these directives, meaning
explicit cache APIs are not needed:
- Cache within the J2EE context (such as Servlet, JSP, and EJB patterns)
- Describe caching behavior in the form of XML cache policy files, providing
a more flexible cache policy deployment descriptor
The dynamic caching engine features:
- Disk overflow of cached objects through Java Object store/access (put
and get)
- Least Recently Used (LRU) management
- XML cache policy management (such as the use of ID generation)
- Invalidation management
Caching support includes:
- Servlet and JSP results caching (same as Version 4)
- Command caching
- Pattern caching
- Web services caching
- Internationalization support enables applications to become global
by determining the client locale and changing supported attributes, such as
currency, character sets, and so on.
- Class loaders are new and improved as of Version 5.0. For more information,
see Class loading.
Resources > Messaging
- Java Message Service (JMS) through embedded provider
- Supports point-to-point and publish/subscribe styles of messaging
- Used for message-driven bean support
- Integrated with transaction manager (JMS with XA)
- Used for messaging within a cluster or cell
- Support for plugging in other JMS providers, including MQ Series
- Messaging and e-mail interfaces through JavaBeans Activation Framework
(JAF), Remote Method Invocation over Internet InterORB Protocol (RMI/IIOP),
the JavaMail API, and Java Messaging Service (JMS) with the help of IBM MQ
Series
Resources > Data access
The administrative console pages for configuring
data sources now contain options for testing the data source connections.
- All connector access is through J2C.
- JDBC access managed via J2C relational resource connector
- Legacy JDBC support is provided
- Data access support provides a complete implementation of the JCA 1.0
specification, including support for:
- Connection sharing
This version fully supports the res-sharing-scope
tag within the resource reference (resource-ref) element, so the product
supports both shareable and unshareable connections.
- Get/use/close and get/use/cache programming models for connection handles
The
product supports the Web container. Both EJB and Web components can utilize
the J2EE Connector Architecture.
- XA, local, and No transaction models of resource adapters, including XA
recovery
- Security options A and C per the specification
- Res-auth settings of either application or container.
In Version 4,
the res-auth setting was disregarded. That is, it was treated as if the value
of res-auth was set to application. If your existing applications had res-auth
set to container, you might get different behavior if you install them into
the new environment without any changes.
Applications must be packaged as J2EE 1.3 applications.
Security
The z/OS SecureWay LDAP server is now supported,
using the same configuration as that of IBM SecureWay LDAP. The z/OS SecureWay
LDAP server functions just like any other LDAP server currently supported
by IBM WebSphere Application Server.
- Four administrative roles are now available for securing the administrative
console.
- Enhanced security features include:
- JAAS
- CSIv2 interoperability
- Java2 security
- Support for third party Security Providers
For more information, see Welcome to Security.
- Distributed systems management, security, and directory support
- J2EE (J2EE 1.3 - as of V5.0.2) security
support, including JAAS programming model and CSIv2 for CORBA interoperability
- Web services security includes signatures and credential propagation
- Support for third party security providers (prior to JSR 115)
- A new UserRegistry interface, to which Version 4 users should consider
migrating from the deprecated CustomRegistry interface that was introduced
in V4.
- The Trust Association Interceptor interface remains backward compatible
with that of Version 4.
- The application login helper functions provided in Version 4 and prior
releases are deprecated, but still supported.
- The login helper functions are replaced by the JAAS LoginContext and subject-based
programming model in Version 5.
WebSphere
Application Server, Version 5.0.2 includes Federal Information Processing
Standards (FIPS) cryptographic modules including Java Secure Socket Extension
(JSSE) and Java Cryptography Extension (JCE). These IBMJSSEFIPS and IBMJCEFIPS
modules are FIPS 140-2 certified.
- APAR PQ87788 corrected the instructions for encoding plain text passwords.
For more information, see Protecting plain text passwords.
- A tutorial for enabling security
is available at the following location: WebSphere education
on demand: Enabling security best practice tutorials
System administration
- JMX support:
- Support for alerts
- Run-time attributes and access to run-time operations, configurations,
and performance data
For more information, see Deploying and managing using programming.
- Scripting support:
- Based on Bean Scripting Framework (BSF), supports multiple scripting languages;
- Parallel capability between scripting and Web-based administrative console
- Interactive and script modes
- Multiple connection styles (SOAP, RMI)
- Remote administration support
- Ability to access any MBean registered in any server in the cell
- Run-time attributes and access to run-time operations, configurations,
and performance data
- WebSphere administrative console:
- Accesses configuration data and the run-time state of ongoing operations.
- Supports multiple users, providing the ability to customize preferences
for each user.
- Provides coarse-grain administrative security control and filtering for
roles such as administrator, monitor, configurator, and operator.
- Filters and search capabilities for collections.
- Exists in all product packages. The V4.0 Java-based console is no longer
available.
- Scales to provide additional features as additional product packages are
installed.
- Supports struts and tiles.
- Displays run-time and configuration exceptions, with a toggle function
to switch the view.
For more information, see Using the administrative console.
- Many command line tools are now available for specific tasks. For more
information, see Managing using command line tools.
Monitoring and tuning performance
- Performance features include:
- Dynamic, multi tier caching, which is set up per node or Application
Server using XML files. Such caching is most effective for non-user-specific
output, such as mutual fund prices.
- Dynamic reloading of enterprise beans.
- JNDI caching, which improves performance by caching expensive lookups.
- Caching of dynamic content, such as servlets and JSP files, to improve
throughput.
- The product can be tuned from the WebSphere administrative console.
Troubleshooting
Enhanced problem
determination features include:
Searchable topic ID:
rovr_whatsnew_main
Last updated: Jun 21, 2007 4:12:58 PM CDT
WebSphere Application Server Express, Version 5.0.2
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.exp.doc/info/exp/ae/rovr_whatsnew_main.html