Release Notes for WebSphere Business Integration Toolset, Version 4.3
These release notes cover release information for WebSphere(R) Business Integration Toolset, version 4.3. They contain the following sections:
Note: Important information about this product may be
available in Technical Support Flashes issued after these release notes
were published. These can be found on the WebSphere Business
Integration support Web site, http://www.ibm.com/websphere/integration/wbiserver/support.
Select the component area of interest and search the flashes section.
New in this release
This section lists the new features and improvements made in this release.
General
- Support for DB2 Information Integrator
A new Visual Test Connector response window has been added to support Information
Integrator. The new functionality includes the ability to handle more than
one top-level business object when responding to Information Integrator
requests from Adapter Framework. The logic to handle multiple business
objects has been added to the new GUI input table tree, Save Business Object,
and Load Business Object. This new response window also displays request
information coming from Information Integrator.
- InterChange Server supports bidirectional script data exchange and processing.
Support is included for displaying and editing bidirectional script characters
in all GUI tools.
- Failed Event Manager has been added in this release.
Failed Event Manager is a Web-based tool that manages failed events from
the Web. This tool is similar to the Java(R)-based flow manager, but it provides role-based access control by making
use of the security features of ICS. Role-based access control restricts
the ability of users with certain roles to access critical data.
- Web Services
This version of ICS adds the ability to execute Web Services natively within
the integration system. WebSphere Business Integration tools have support
for discovering, testing, and executing Web Services. Web Services are
treated like an Integration Component in System Manager; they are displayed
as reusable components in Activity Editor and can be used in maps or collaborations.
See the following guides for details: Implementation Guide for WebSphere InterChange Server, Map Development Guide, and Collaboration Development Guide.
System Manager
- Two new tabs have been added to the InterChange Server configuration editor:
The Security-RBAC tab to support role-based access control (RBAC), LDAP,
and audit configuration; and the Privacy tab to support privacy configuration..
- Two new editors have been added for RBAC administration. One is the users
and roles editor, where users, roles, and memberships are presented and
managed. The other is the security policy editor, where administrators
can grant roles operation access permission or revoke it.
- Support has been added for importing and exporting user registries from
and to a binary file located in InterChange Server.
- Support has been added for importing and exporting role membership and
security policies from and to a file. This can still be done with repos_copy.
- Administrators can now reset any user's password and view all login sessions. They can log out a particular user or a session using the Security Administration dialog.
- A progress bar is now displayed when you deploy components or compile maps
and collaboration templates on the server.
- An error message is now returned when another compile-deploy operation
is initiated before the preceding one is complete.
- Support has been added for deploying, importing, and exporting class files.
- Three configuration options have been added: to skip validation or force
the overwriting of business objects during deployment; to configure event
sequencing for connector controller and collaboration objects; and to configure
the reconnect retry time and the reconnect retry interval for a database
to support database connection resilience.
- A CORBA tab has been added to the ICS Edit Configuration tab. You can use
the tab to configure CORBA parameters, such as OAport, OAipAddr, OAthreadMax,
and OAthreadMaxIdle. The parameters take effect after ICS restart.
Integrated Test Environment
- Installation of WebSphere Business Integration Adapter Framework is now
required for the client simulator to work properly.
- RMI communication between ITE and InterChange server has been replaced
with CORBA to take advantage of the existing communication channel to the
server. Therefore, RMI port information is no longer needed when starting
a test server. The flag "-test" is now included to start a test
server.
- Remote server support is enabled. ITE now can connect to a server residing on a different machine from ITE. Connecting to a remote server is now similar to connecting to a local server. However, for performance, you can turn on or off the server log transmission and business object data trace as needed.
A server is local or remote depending on whether ICS is started from ITE task manager (local) or on the command line (remote).
A local server works the way ITE did in previous releases, and a remote server acts differently on server logging and business object data trace in that these activities are now transparent. However, you can turn server logging on or off and choose to always get the business object data file when connecting to a remote server.
The remote console output relies on the server logging infrastructure.
Therefore, only the messages logged with the logging APIs are displayed
in the console. The local console output is the Java process output, which
includes the server logging messages and any Java console output including
System.out.println.
- A different set of user name and password can be given for starting up
a client simulator because the new RBAC feature may require more stringent
security control.
- You can now configure the retry times for a client simulator connecting to ICS.
Process Designer
An auto-layout feature has been added to Process Designer. Template diagram
layout can be automatically formatted by clicking a button. Because undo
is not supported, save the diagram before applying auto-layout, so that
the diagram can be restored by reopening the saved diagram.
Map Designer
- The menu option Automatic Mapping has been added to the Tools menu. It maps common attribute names between business objects.
- The menu option Reverse Mapping has been added to the Tools menu. It swaps
the source and destination business objects positions, and the mappings
in the original map are reversed.
- The "custom" transformation now allows for choosing function
blocks, which in previous versions were available only through Activity
Editor.
Activity Editor
- The "import custom JAR library as function block" functionality
has been enhanced for Java source parsing. When a custom .jar file is imported
as a function block in Activity Editor, any Java file included in the custom
.jar library is processed. Additional information from the Java file, including
Javadoc comments and method argument names, are included in the generated
function block.
- You can now use the standard import and export commands in System Manager
to import and export activity setting configurations, including custom
.jar library settings and activity user group settings.
- The Activity Editor Group block has been enhanced with an icon to manage
components better when the activity group is reused.
Connector Configurator
- Extended help has been added to the short description of some standard and connector-specific properties. Clicking the short description displays a button, which, when clicked, opens a browser window with the extended help.
- Extended validation has been added for standard and connector-specific
properties based on string subtypes and target operating system.
- A new security tab has been added for configuring security. If DeliveryTransport
is JMS, you can configure privacy values, including the target system Keystore
path name and password, and message privacy levels. If DeliveryTransport
is IDL, you can set an adapter identity and password.
- A Validate button has been added to the Messaging tab. Clicking the button causes Connector Configurator to attempt to make a connection with the specified queue manager. You are notified if the connection attempt is a success or failure.
- The following standard properties have been added:
Property name |
Description |
AdapterHelpName |
Finds a connector-specific property extended help file |
BiDi.Application |
Specifies if this adapter supports bidirectional data coming in from external
applications. |
BiDi.Broker |
Specifies if this adapter supports bidirectional data in communications
with the broker. |
BiDi.Metadata |
Specifies the bidirectional format of meta/configuration data |
BiDi.Transformation |
Specifies if the bidirectional transformation should be invoked at run
time |
CommonEventInfrastructure |
Specifies if Common Event Infrastructure (CEI) should be invoked at run
time |
CommonEventInfrastructureContextURL |
Sets the URL to access to the CEI server application |
ControllerEventSequencing |
Enables event sequencing in the connector controller |
jms.ListenerConcurrency |
Specifies the number of concurrent listeners for the JMS controller |
jms.TransportOptimized |
Determines if the work in progress (WIP) is optimized. A WebSphere MQ provider
is required for optimized WIP. |
ResultsSetEnabled |
Enables or disables results set support |
ResultsSetSize |
Sets the maximum number of business objects to be returned to Information
Integrator |
TivoliMonitorTransactionPerformance |
Specifies if IBM Tivoli Monitoring for Transaction Performance (ITMTP) should be invoked at run time. |
SNMP toolset
- The SNMP Agent now supports the SNMP V2 GET-BULK command.
- Due to the addition of the RBAC security feature to InterChange Server,
SNMP Configuration Manager has added a section to allow you to specify
the server, user name, and password to gain access to a certain ICS.
repos_copy
- The option -xmsp has been added for importing and exporting roles, memberships,
and security policies.
- The option -xnoclasses has been added. If it is specified when you export
the repository, no class files are exported from the server.
- When you deploy the repository, if you do not specify the option -xcompilePackage,
the existence of class files for map and collaboration templates in the
repository file is validated. If the files are not found, the server compiles
those maps and collaboration templates.
Product fix history
Between releases 4.2.2 and 4.3, the following problems, based on customer-reported
cases, were fixed.
System Manager
Tracking number |
Problem |
18687 |
For
user-created folders inside a project, System Manager returns an error
when creating a collaboration object. |
Process Designer
Tracking number |
Problem |
20719 |
Asynchronous
outbound and inbound service calls are not
supported in BPEL Import and Export processes. For synchronous service
calls, you might lose information about regular and compensation ports
and business objects. |
22643 |
Tangled
decision nodes. The decision nodes are tangled when old templates are
upgraded to new templates where the branch decision logic is moved from
the individual links to a decision node. The problem arises because a
decision node is inserted as a new node between action nodes (where
there is no space for it). The branch ports are arbitrarily assigned to
the outgoing links, which causes additional problems in the shape of
the links. However,
the branching logic itself is not affected. |
31900 |
When Process Designer is launched from the System Manager project tree
with a given template name, the business object definitions may not be
available if the template definition window is not opened first. This can
happen when the service call advanced property is configured for correlation
set, and business object probes are edited. |
Activity Editor
Tracking number |
Problem |
31398 |
Long descriptions are truncated in the properties panel. The full description
can be seen as a tool tip by mousing over the property. |
Connector Configurator
Tracking number |
Description |
18981 |
Connector Configurator, Business Object Designer, Map Designer, Process
Designer, and Relationship Designer show deleted projects in their project
lists. |
34367 |
Supported business objects and maps are not properly removed from the connector
definition, which causes dependency validation errors. |
35225 |
There is an abnormal program termination when opening a configuration with
a large number of business objects. |
System Monitor
Tracking number |
Problem |
31713 |
The -ccountry parameter for the WBSMMigrate.bat script did not work. Migration is done
automatically now when the user logs in to System Monitor. The WBSMMigrate.bat
file is no longer used. |
32078 |
If you tried to start a map that was already started, the expected message
that the map is already active was returned. However, after this message
appeared, if you tried to stop the map, a 404 error was returned. |
SNMP
Tracking number |
Problem |
8089 |
The SNMP
Agent and SNMP Configuration Manager are installed together as a
bundle, even though the Agent and the Manager can function on separate
machines. |
Backward compatibility
A configuration saved by this release of the Connector Configurator specifies a version of 4.3.0. Earlier configuration versions must be upgraded by opening and saving the configuration again. During this process, new properties (based on dependencies) are automatically included with default values. See the new properties table in "New in this release."
Hardware and software requirements
Hardware and software requirements are included in the product
documentation. See Installation, migration, upgrade,
and configuration information for links to those guides.
Installation, migration, upgrade, and
configuration information
Whether you are installing the software from the CD or downloading
it from Passport Advantage and installing it from a local directory,
refer to the appropriate guide:
These guides also include general migration, upgrade, and
configuration
information.
Limitations
The following bidirectional enablement limitations exist in this version
of ICS:
- Business object names do not accept bidirectional characters.
- Relationship names do not accept bidirectional characters.
- New template names do not accept bidirectional characters.
- After creating a new template in English, adding a property with a bidirectional
name fails.
- The attributes of temporary business objects that must be created do not
accept bidirectional names.
Known problems and workarounds
The following problems have been found in this release:
General
Tracking number |
Problem |
|
The French
character 0x9C might display incorrectly
in some tools windows. |
|
If you use a non-bidirectional keyboard layout (for example, English) when
you copy bidirectional characters from an external application (for example,
Notepad) and paste them into a C++-based tool GUI, the characters display
as question marks.
Workaround: When copying bidirectional characters from an external source
make sure the current keyboard layout is bidirectional. |
37449 |
A business object template in an external file that has Hebrew characters
in its name cannot be saved. |
58628 |
Bidirectional characters are incorrectly displayed as part of the error
message displayed in the System Manager console. |
System Manager
Tracking number |
Problem |
22302 |
If System Manager is not running, the designer tools display an error message
while launching.
Workaround: This is a warning message. Designers need System Manager for
working with project information. You cannot work with System Manager projects
until System Manager is launched.
|
44456 |
Some System Manager ICL projects might not be deleted properly.
Workaround: Delete the affected ICL project folder using the resource perspective,
then refresh it. |
Connector Configurator
Tracking number |
Problem |
18686 |
You cannot create multiple values of a
connector-specific property in the Connector-Specific Properties
category. You must use the Connector-Specific Property Template wizard
to create multiple values of a connector-specific property. |
30799 |
To specify CORBA properties such as OAport(com.ibm.CORBA.LocalHost), you
must manually edit the adaptername.cfg file produced by Connector Configurator. Or, you can do this in an adaptername.con file (the file produced when a connector is saved to the project instead
of to the file system).
For example:
<tns:property>
<tns:name>CORBA SAPConnector</tns:name>
<tns:isEncrypted>false</tns:isEncrypted>
<tns:updateMethod>component restart</tns:updateMethod>
<tns:location>
<tns:reposController>false</tns:reposController>
<tns:reposAgent>false</tns:reposAgent>
<tns:localConfig>true</tns:localConfig>
</tns:location>
<tns:property>
<tns:name>OAport</tns:name>
<tns:value xml:space="preserve">128</tns:value>
<tns:isEncrypted>false</tns:isEncrypted>
<tns:updateMethod>system restart</tns:updateMethod>
<tns:location>
<tns:reposController>false</tns:reposController>
<tns:reposAgent>false</tns:reposAgent>
<tns:localConfig>true</tns:localConfig>
</tns:location>
</tns:property>
</tns:property>
|
Process Designer
Tracking number |
Problem |
20579 |
Information about Iterator may be lost in BPEL import and export processes. |
|
Process
Designer allows a decision node to follow a start
node, but a decision node should not follow a start node. |
Map Designer
Tracking number |
Problem |
59751 |
You cannot open a map from a file if it is already open from a project. |
SNMP
Tracking number |
Problem |
|
Because on
UNIX platforms only root users can use port 161, the default port for
the SNMP Agent running on a UNIX platform is 1161. On a Windows
platform, the default port remains 161. |
System Monitor
Tracking number |
Problem |
23820 |
When changing the color theme of graphs
(Bar, Line, Stacked Bar), you must click on the large color box choice
for the colors to be set properly. Do not use the small color boxes for
choosing the color theme. |
44358 |
If you use System Monitor with WebSphere Application Server 5.1 on HP-UX,
you cannot browse for active InterChange Servers from the System Monitor
login page.
Workaround: Type the server name in the login page. |
Documentation
To obtain the product documentation, visit the Web site and download the
current documentation set for the release that you are using. Follow the
instructions provided on the Information Center page to complete the
installation.
Product documentation is not included as part of the product package, either
by CD or by electronic product distribution. The documentation for this
product can be found in the following Information Centers:
To obtain the product documentation, visit the Web site and download the
current documentation set for the release that you are using. Follow the
instructions provided on the Information Center page to complete the installation.
