DB2 UDB V8 and WebSphere V5. Performance Tuning and Operations Guide2004

2.5 WAS V5.0.2 and Supported J2EE APIs

In this section we introduce you to the new enhancements made in the WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2 and the list of supported J2EE APIs by WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2.

2.5.1 What is new in WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2

WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2 is more than just a "standard fixpack." In this "mini-release", WebSphere demonstrates its continued commitment to the realization of the IBM e-business on demand vision with new platforms and important functional enhancements. Along with support for the Java Development Kit (JDK) 1.4 client container, there are improvements in Web Services Inter-operability and Security, Performance and Application tuning, Platform Support, Systems Management, and Database Integration. The introduction below is categorized by the operational requirements of the on demand operating environment, that is, integrated, virtualized, open and autonomic (refer to Chapter 1, "Introduction" on page 1 for more information about the On Demand strategy).

Integrated

WebSphere Application Server 5.0.2 is an integral component of an on demand operating environment.

Unleash Interoperable and Secure Web Services

IBM provides third-generation support for all of the Web services standards needed for describing and deploying applications or services on a network in a consistent way so that they can be discovered and invoked in a more secure and reliable manner. In addition to high-performing support for all of the newly released Web services standards, WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2 is the first production level application server to support the June 2003 Board Approved Draft of the WS-I Basic Profile 1.0. Developers building Web services applications with WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2 will get a head start on inter-operating across heterogeneous environments and enterprise boundaries. As a result, IBM Web services technology can allow a business to be more efficient, increase the value it can offer to its customers, and better differentiate itself from its competitors.

Industry's Broadest Platform Support

With V5.0.2, WebSphere Application Server and WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment add new platforms to their already broad platform support. Inclusion of the Native Deployment Manager for WebSphere Application Server for zSeries on Linux completes support for zSeries beyond what was included in V5.0. The new WebSphere Application Server for Linux on iSeries™ and pSeries® further demonstrates the WebSphere commitment to open source.

New and completed platforms include:

• Complete support for zSeries on Linux, with the addition of the Native Deployment Manager

• Linux on iSeries and pSeries

• Linux Client (United Linux 1.0)

• Solaris 9

• Windows 2003 (.NET) server 32-bit

• Windows XP Professional (Client Support)

• Windows XP (Development and Test only)

Expanded Database Connectivity

A new, integrated DB2 Correlator with WebSphere Trace provides improved serviceability and better debugging when using WAS and DB2 together. WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2 also extends its support to make use of the New JDBC type 2 driver support for DB2 V8.

Virtualized

With Backup Clusters available in WebSphere Application Server Enterprise, customers can automatically configure their system to set up a back-up cluster of servers in case the primary cluster fails—without having to write any code, saving customers the time spent today setting up back-up clusters. If a cluster goes down, the workload is automatically sent to another cluster elsewhere in your network.

Open

WebSphere Application Sever 5.02 continuously provides the open services infrastructure that allows companies to deploy a core operating environment that works as a reliable foundation capable of handling high-volume secure transactions and Web services.

Move closer to J2EE 1.4 with JDK 1.4

WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2 includes support for the JDK 1.4 client container, the first step toward J2EE 1.4 compliance. With JDK 1.4, enterprises can use Java technology to develop more demanding business applications with less effort and in less time. Improved functionality in JDK 1.4 means developers can now spend less time writing custom code to accomplish the same goal as functions that are now part of the core JDK platform. This allows developers to use a single technology to develop, test, and deploy end-to-end enterprise applications and solutions.

More user friendly than ever before

A more functional replacement for the Application Assembly Tool for WebSphere is being made available as a component of the WebSphere Application Server Toolkit. The Assembly Toolkit for WebSphere Application Server, based on the Eclipse Framework (http://www.eclipse.org), works as a natural part of the WebSphere Studio environment. It provides much-improved function, better usability, and a more consistent user interface with the Eclipse toolset. The new Toolkit is an answer to the complex task of packaging J2EE applications. It is an interface that assists users in updating XML for packaging procedures and other value-add tasks that are not directly related to packaging but will help in their deployment.

Autonomic

More robust self-management functions are in the WebSphere Application Server 5.0.2.

Dynamic workload management

It addresses the aspect of grid computing that monitors and manages application workload. The primary focus of grid computing has been on sharing hardware processor load, such as the heavy numbers crunching of life sciences research. Grid also deals with intelligently sharing application server loads across multiple machines so software runs in parallel, over multiple clusters, thereby allowing transactions to be processed more quickly and efficiently.

Moreover, dynamic workload management dramatically increases application performance and utilization of server resources by acting as an intelligent "traffic cop" within an application server cluster. Previously, application workload running on a cluster of servers was handled with static or fixed weighting algorithms, workload directed to servers based on pre-determined metrics which are based on individual server capacity. With WebSphere, the system can monitor the workload on each server in the cluster and automatically route the application to the one with the lightest workload.

Significantly enhanced Web services and XML performance

The new B2B Parser provides extensive XML parsing performance improvements for the Web Services Engine. This feature, combined with other improvements in the Web Services implementation in WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2, provides significant performance advantages. Additionally, Advanced Performance Advisors simplify the administrator's job by making suggestions on how to set the most critical WebSphere Application Server parameters to maximize performance. Performance Advisors use live data collected from a running system to give tuning advice.

Enhanced monitoring capabilities

The new Request Metrics function helps administrators debug and monitor their system by timing individual requests as they travel through WebSphere Application Server components. In addition to the Web container, the enterprise bean container, and the database, WebSphere Application Server 5.0.2 can provide time spent in the Web server.

For more information about new features and enhancements introduced in WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2, please refer to WebSphere Application Server's home page at:

http://www.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/

2.5.2 Supported J2EE APIs in WAS 5.0.2

Table 2-1 shows you the current mainly supported J2EE APIs/Standards in WebSphere Application Server V5.0.2. As mentioned earlier, WebSphere Application Server Version 5 and Version 5.0.2 is a fully J2EE compatible product. It supports all of the J2EE 1.3 APIs and exceeds many with its extensions.

For further information about WebSphere Application Server, please see WebSphere Application Server Information Center at:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/index.jsp

Or visit the home page for WebSphere Application Server:

http://www.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/