New function added in Version 6.0 fix packs

While the What's new in Version 6.0? topic introduces you to the main new function in WebSphere Message Broker Version 6.0, this topic introduces you to additional function that has been added in fix packs.

For detailed information about the content of fix packs, go to the WebSphere Message Broker support Web page and select your product to display the recommended fix pack or to list all available fix packs. Each fix pack includes a memo, called memo.ptf, that includes details of its content.

Start of changeFix Pack V6.0.0.3 enhancementsEnd of change
Start of change
WebSphere Message Broker Extensions, Samples, and Demos
A set of optional product extensions is provided with Fix Pack V6.0.0.3 on a supplemental CD. The options, all of which you can install from the CD, consist of:
Extensions
Choose from a selection of SupportPacs that extend and enhance broker support for your applications. These extensions include additional message flow nodes and utilities that interact with the broker.
Samples
Additional samples demonstrate specific broker functions and complement the existing samples in the Samples Gallery.
Demos
Demos give a visual explanation of broker features to help you to understand how you can create solutions to your business challenges.

The CD provides a graphical interface that describes its content, provides information about the resources that helps you to make decisions about what you want to install, and completes the installation of those resources that you want.

When you install a resource, the CD also installs the documentation associated with that resource which describes its use. For some resources, additional manual installation and setup instructions are provided, and you must complete these steps to take advantage of the installed resource.

The CD also includes a number of links to other sources of information, for example Web sites, that are available to help you to use the function of WebSphere Message Broker.

You can also download an electronic image of the WebSphere Message Broker Extensions, Samples, and Demos CD from Passport Advantage, if you are registered with this scheme.

Java 1.5 SR2 support
Support is added for Java 1.5 (also known as Java 5) SR2.
  • On distributed systems, both Java 1.4.2 and Java 1.5 are installed with WebSphere Message Broker. Java 1.4.2 is configured as the default version; if you prefer to use Java 1.5 you can modify your system, as described in Setting up a command environment.
  • On z/OS, you must obtain and install Java 1.4.2, Java 1.5, or both. When you customize your component definitions, specify which Java installation is accessed by each component, as described in Customizing the level of Java.
Specify SVRCONN channel on Configuration Manager's queue manager
Support is added for naming the server-connection channel on the Configuration Manager's queue manager. This option enables you to set up more than one channel, each having a different level of security for users. See:

WebSphere Message Broker plug-in now available for the IBM Support Assistant (ISA)
A WebSphere Message Broker plug-in is now available for ISA, which helps you to resolve questions and problems with IBM software products by providing access to support-related information and troubleshooting tools. See:

Support for 2007 Daylight Savings Time changes in runtime components
To reflect changes to the start and end of Daylight Savings Time (DST) in the U.S. in 2007, an environment variable MQSI_USE_NEW_US_DST is provided. See Observing 2007 U.S. changes to Daylight Savings Time.

End of change
Fix Pack V6.0.0.2 enhancements:
Extended database support
Support is added for the following databases on Solaris (x86 platform):
  • Oracle 10G
  • Sybase 12.5.3

See Supported databases for details of available database support by operating environment.

See Configuring databases for instructions to configure these databases on this platform.

Mapping enhancements
  • You can select WebSphere MQ constants as target element values. See Setting the value of a target element to a WebSphere MQ constant.
  • Several changes have been made to the wizards in the Mapping node:
    • The new Map by Name wizard performs automatic mapping of sources and targets that have the same or similar names. See Mapping from source: by name.
    • Add Instance and Add Group Instances have been replaced by the Insert Before and Insert After wizards that allow mapping statements to be added at specific locations in a map.
    • The Substitute Element wizard has been replaced with the Replace wizard that allows mapping statements on elements, attributes, and database columns to be substituted by similar statements.
IPv6 support
Internet Protocol Version 6 is now supported. You can enter or refer to an IPv6 address in all situations in which an IPv4 address is valid, for example in the mqsichangeproperties command.

Overview of creating z/OS components
The information that describes the mandatory and optional tasks that create components on z/OS has been enhanced. No new function is provided, but the topics have been changed and extended to improve the order and description of how you achieve the results you want in your broker domain. See Creating WebSphere Message Broker components on z/OS.

Fix Pack V6.0.0.1 enhancements:
Updated Rational support for Message Brokers Toolkit
Message Brokers Toolkit is now based on Rational Application Developer (RAD) Version 6.0.1.1 and is compatible with that release and later Version 6.0.1 updates. It cannot coexist with RAD products that are based on different versions, so such products cannot be below Version 6.0.1.1, and must be below Version 6.0.2. Other Rational products must also be at the latest available level. For detailed guidance about ensuring you have a compatible Rational framework, see the Installation Guide.

Support for 64-bit execution groups
The addition of support for 64-bit execution groups allows the use of very large messages, and also enables WebSphere Message Broker Version 6.0 to run applications in fastpath (trusted) mode when using the 64-bit Queue Manager provided in WebSphere MQ Version 6.0.

Extended platform and operating system support for runtime environments
Support is now provided for the following runtime environments:
  • Solaris (x86-64 platform), running Solaris 10.
  • Linux (POWER platform) on iSeries and pSeries hardware, running either of the following operating systems:
    • Linux PowerPC Red Hat Enterprise Advanced Server V4
    • Linux PowerPC SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 9
  • Linux Red Hat Enterprise Advanced Server V4 on Linux (x86 platform) and Linux (zSeries platform).
  • Solaris 10 on Solaris (SPARC platform) and Solaris (x86-64 platform).

See Operating system requirements for more detailed information about supported environments.

Extended database support
Support is added for the following databases:
  • Remote access to Microsoft SQL Server 2000, from the following platforms:
    • AIX
    • HP-UX
    • Linux (x86 platform)
    • Solaris (SPARC platform)
  • Informix Dynamic Server V9.4, on the following platforms:
    • AIX
    • HP-UX
    • Linux (x86 platform)
    • Solaris (SPARC platform)
    • Windows.
  • IBM DB2 V8 on Solaris (x86-64 platform) and Linux (POWER platform).

See Supported databases for details of available database support by operating environment.

Backward recovery is extended to Version 2.1
You can restore components and resources that you have migrated to Version 6.0 from Version 2.1 products back to their original state. For details of how to do this, see Restoring components and resources to Version 2.1

User exit for tracing message flows
Support is provided for user exits, which enable user-provided custom software to track data passing through message flows in WebSphere Message Brokers. The user-provided functions can be invoked at specific points during the lifecycle of a message as it passes through the message flow, and can invoke utility functions to query information about the point in the flow, and the contents of the message assembly. For more information about user exits see Developing user exits