WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, Version 6.0.x     Operating Systems: AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows

What is new in this release

This version contains many new and exciting improvements of interest, whether you are new to WebSphere Application Server or making the transition from a prior release.

New Welcome! This version helps you:
There is now greater consistency across the WebSphere Application Server family from top to bottom, including the Express version. Furthermore, consistent features across the family include:

This version provides better scaling so more concurrent users can access an application. This can help reduce administrative and licensing costs for companies and provides better flexibility to quickly bring additional user resources on board.

[Version 6.0.1 and later]This is the first release in which all platforms have been made available at the same time, with the same feature-functionality. Common code and delivery enhance the mobility of applications. You can now deploy your applications on the platforms best suited to your needs, without delay or trade-off.

[Version 6.0.2]Enhancements include:

What is new for installers

New The biggest improvement to the installation process is that now you can install one copy of the core files (binary system files and processes) on a machine, then use profiles to define multiple application server runtime environments -- each with its own administrative interfaces -- that share the core files. This improvement provides enhancements for preparing, installing, maintaining, and removing installations, including a decreased disk image footprint.

Another big change is the introduction of separate installation routines for the Application Server product, the Web server, the Web server plug-ins, and the clients so that you can install only what you need on a particular machine.

At a glance, these are the main new items in installation, migration, coexistence, and interoperability:
  • [Version 6.0.2]New platform support as described in Detailed system requirements. A quick summary is provided in the Support announcement.
  • [Version 6.0.2]IPv6 enablement for the load balancer and caching proxy components
  • [Version 6.0.2]Enhanced installation verification utility
  • [Version 6.0.1 and later]Selective support for specific 64-bit platforms
  • Selective support for Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6), the next evolution in Internet Protocol
  • Simplified operating system setup and prerequisites
  • Updated Launchpad application for planning and starting installation more easily
  • Improved documentation
  • More componentized installation procedures let you install only what you need
  • Smaller disk image footprint
  • Binary files are shared by installations on the same machine
  • Updated First Steps application for getting started quickly after installation
  • Simplified service
  • Easier removal and reinstallation
  • Better indicators of installation status
  • Silent installation requires license acceptance
  • New migration wizard
  • Cell can be upgraded incrementally, as described in New: Incremental cell upgrade.

For additional details about each item, including links to relevant documentation, see What is new for installers.

What is new for administrators

New The biggest improvements and changes in system administration, monitoring, and tuning can be summarized as follows:
  • High availability
  • Changes to the default configuration
  • Incremental cell upgrade for easier migration
  • Fine-grained application update and other deployment improvements
  • Enhanced administrative infrastructure, with J2EE 1.4 related changes
  • Growing set of administrative commands
  • Improved installation and configuration, with profiles
  • Improved monitoring and performance tuning
  • Default messaging provider
  • Even more administrative improvements!

For details about each item, including links to relevant documentation, see What is new for administrators.

What is new for security specialists

New The biggest improvement in security involves the set of supported specifications.

[Version 6.0.2]Enhancements include:
  • Common Criteria Assurance Level 4 security functionality, with full certification to follow before year end 2005
  • Full FIPS 140-2 cryptographic standard compliance
  • Support for multiple LDAP directory services binding and failover
  • Ability to change the user ID and password on LDAP servers on demand
  • Custom password encryption
  • Programming interfaces for implementing identity assertion with trust validation

See What is new for security specialists.

What is new for developers

New The biggest improvement in development is support for the J2EE 1.4 specification, enabling you to take advantage of the latest Java technology, as described in Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) specification. All editions, including WebSphere Application Server Express, are J2EE 1.4 compliant.

Another big change is the inclusion of several WebSphere programming model extensions in all WebSphere Application Server editions that were formerly available only in certain editions. As a starting point for learning about the available extensions, see Learn about WebSphere programming extensions.

In addition, deploying applications has never been easier -- particularly redeploying updated applications or modules. For what is new with deployment, see New: Application deployment improvements.

[Version 6.0.2]A class loader viewer now is available in the administrative console.

For information about several smaller but significant changes in the development and assembly infrastructure, and for various types of WebSphere applications, see What is new for developers.

What is new for troubleshooters

New The biggest change in troubleshooting support and serviceability is increased ability to automatically detect and recover from problems. Many serviceability improvements are described in the IBM Education Assistant presentation: Serviceability enhancements.

The troubleshooting section has been revamped and expanded to include extensive support information, including the ability to search live, Web-based support resources by using the customized query fields in the "Web search" page.

[Version 6.0.2]Enhancements include:
  • Class loader viewer (described in New: Application deployment improvements)
  • Memory dump analyzer and viewer
  • Memory leak detection and configuration checking
  • Enhanced logging, involving First Failure Data Capture (FFDC) and Jakarta Common Logging
  • Ability to start servers in recovery-only mode to manage recovery from failure better

For details about these and other changes, see What is new for troubleshooters.

Improvements to this documentation

  • New How do I?... feature gathers documentation, multimedia demonstrations, tutorials, guided activities (formerly cheat sheets), and presentations for commonly performed tasks
  • Improved installation documentation
  • Improved scripting documentation
  • Conceptual overviews and what is new topics have better content and are easier to find
  • Quick start shortcuts direct you quickly to key materials
  • New Learn about WebSphere applications section for studying the programming model
  • Improved, task-based table of contents
  • Improvements to troubleshooting content and placement

For additional details, see New features of this documentation.




Sub-topics
What is new for installers
What is new for administrators
What is new for security specialists
What is new for developers
What is new for troubleshooters
Overview and new features for installing an application serving environment
Overview and new features for migrating, coexisting, and interoperating
Overview and new features for administering applications and their environments
Overview and new features for securing applications and their environment
Overview and new features for developing and deploying applications
Overview and new features for monitoring
Overview and new features for tuning performance
Overview and new features for troubleshooting

Related concepts
Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) specification
Release notes
New features of this documentation
Packaging
Guided activities for the administrative console

Related reference
Deprecated and removed features

Concept topic    

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Last updated: Dec 11, 2005 4:07:15 PM CST
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