Installation is an easier, more consistent, and functionally rich experience across platforms, installable components, and types of installations.
Platform support is described on the Detailed system requirements page. A quick summary of new platform support is provided in the Support announcement.
Deprecated and removed features describes features that are being replaced or removed in this or future releases.
Simplified setup and prerequisites | Redesigned product features simplify
operating system setup and reduce prerequisites. See Preparing the base operating system and Hardware and software requirements on z/OS. |
Better indicators of installation status | Improved logging and status indicators let you easily determine the success or failure of an installation. |
Improved Customization Dialog menus | The Customization Dialog main menus have been reorganized for clarity. They now show the configuration options more clearly and the product data set panel has been updated to simplify setup. |
Ability to create managed nodes directly | You now can directly configure managed nodes (with a node agent but no application servers) and add them to a Network Deployment cell. Create new application servers in the node using scripting or the administrative console. It is no longer necessary to create a standalone application server (formerly called a base application server) to build a Network Deployment cell. |
Improved installation documentation | New installation documentation helps
you retrieve relevant information. See Overview and new features for installing an application serving environment. |
Independent product SDK | The Java Software Development Kit is now shipped, installed and serviced as part of WebSphere® Application Server. There is no longer a separate FMID for the SDK. This makes the WebSphere Application Server for z/OS product independent of any other SDK installed on the same z/OS systems. The shipped SDK resides in app_server_root/java. |
Changed product installation root | Additional directory structure changes are introduced as described in What is new for administrators. |
Query product version information | You can query product version information. See versionInfo command. |
Incremental cell upgrade | You can incrementally upgrade nodes in a cell. |
Removed use of static application environments | The Workload Management dynamic application environment SPE (APAR OW54622, included in z/OS Version 1.5 and above) is a prerequisite for this product running under z/OS Version 1.4. You no longer need to set up or update static application environments in WLM. |
Simplified service | The installation program installs the system files (shared binary files), which you do not update until you install a service fix. Creation and configuration of application servers do not change the system files. |
Easier removal and reinstallation | Removal and reinstallation of application
server environments is simplified and faster. Application server environments
are much easier to install and much easier to uninstall than in previous
version. Uninstalling an application server profile does not change
the shared system files of the product. Profile directories retain the logs for reference. Delete them if no longer needed. |
MQ Series integrated JMS removed from product installation | WebSphere Application Server no longer
uses MQ Series to support the embedded JMS function contained in the
application server. The MQ Series product is not included any more. You can use either a separate WebSphere MQ license or the new service integration bus architecture for messaging services. If you set up the integrated JMS under Version 5.0 or Version 5.1, you can continue to use any JMS servers on nodes which have not yet migrated to Version 6.0.x. |
New application server address space | Each application server controller now uses a new address space, called the control region adjunct (CRA), to attach to service integration buses for messaging. |
Included code for clients in the product HFS | Additional downloadable clients and plug-ins are now installed in the product HFS. |
Enlarged product HFS | Because of the addition of client code, the product HFS has grown significantly. If you have a 3390-3 DASD device, you will no longer be able to house the entire product HFS on a single DASD volume. The Program Directory contains instructions for creating a secondary product HFS to hold the downloadable clients and plug-ins. |
Installing the client | Application server clients and plug-in code no longer are shipped in the product hierarchical file system. Instead, they are provided among the installation discs. An additional HFS for client and plug-in code no longer is required. |