04
Wed, Dec
6 New Articles
  1. You are here:  
  2. Home
  3. MORE
  4. Commentary
  5. Analysis of News Events
  6. IBM Kicks Off New Round of WebSphere Upgrades

IBM Kicks Off New Round of WebSphere Upgrades

Analysis of News Events
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Over the last month, IBM has taken significant steps to enhance several of its WebSphere middleware products and development tools. Those enhancements are just the opening shots in what promises to be a year full of changes for the WebSphere software portfolio and the many products with which it competes.

The enhancements began to roll out in late November when IBM announced WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 5.1. An iSeries version of WAS 5.1 started shipping last Friday. In mid-December, IBM unveiled WAS Express Edition 5.1, which includes many WAS 5.1 features and will ship on February 20, 2004. Also in mid-December, IBM announced that its Rational Software division is taking over the management of its WebSphere Studio family of development tools. Rational intends to not only enhance but also simplify the often-bewildering array of products in the family.

Faster...Better...But Not Cheaper

Both WAS 5.1 and WAS Express Edition 5.1 contain next-generation technologies that are meant to make Java development more productive and less complicated. One of these technologies is JavaServer Faces (JSF), a framework of JavaServer Pages (JSP) tags and Java classes that will simplify the user interface development process. With JSF, developers will gain libraries of consistent, reusable GUI components that they can drag and drop into applications and Web pages. JSF will reduce the time it takes to develop GUIs, make component libraries more manageable, and make it easier for developers to learn JSP. Moreover, since most Java vendors intend to support JSF, many application servers and development tools will include the component libraries.

While JSF has tremendous potential, developers should note that its specification is still under review by the Java Community Process. As such, the JSF implementations in both editions of WAS 5.1 are pre-release versions that should be used only for testing purposes. As soon as JSF is finalized, IBM intends to upgrade both WAS 5.1 editions with an official implementation.

Another key feature of both WAS 5.1 and WAS Express Edition 5.1 is support for the Java Technology Edition 1.4 Software Development Kit (SDK 1.4). Besides supporting new Web services technologies and standards, SDK 1.4 introduces a simple expression language for developing JSPs that is highly similar to scripting languages. The language, which is supported in both WAS 5.1 and WAS 5.1 Express Edition, helps to further reduce the learning curve for JSP neophytes.

Of course, adding support in WAS for JSF and SDK 1.4 will matter little if your development tools don't include the technologies. To address this need, IBM will add both technologies to its WebSphere Studio 5.1 family of products. The company will probably announce the additions tomorrow and should include WebSphere Development Studio for iSeries in the list of upgraded products. By the way, IBM more than doubled most license fees for WebSphere Development Studio Advanced Edition for iSeries earlier this month. If you're an Advanced Edition user, be sure to purchase any additional licenses you might need before March 31, 2004. Until this date, IBM is offering a 25% discount off the newly increased prices.

Speaking of the iSeries, IBM has added some features to the iSeries version of WAS Express Edition 5.1 that are not in the Windows and Linux versions. One of these is Web Services Object Runtime Framework, a facility that lets developers create Web services that access DB2, yet requires minimal knowledge of XML or SQL. IBM has also upgraded the Telephone Directory application to include integration with Lotus Sametime and Enterprise Identity Mapping domain servers. Finally, IBM has added a Welcome Page to WAS Express Edition that is more than just an opening Web browser screen. Welcome Page provides administrative interfaces that let users configure properties for the Telephone Directory and any other applications that IBM might add to WAS Express Edition in the future.

A Kinder, Gentler Java

To a great extent, the WAS 5.1 releases kick off an IBM effort to create a new generation of Java tools that are more developer-friendly. For years, IBM and other Java vendors have trailed Microsoft's Visual Studio tool suite in both ease of use and productivity. Now, with standards efforts such as JSF and SDK 1.4, the Java camp is working to close the gap. Those standards and a variety of vendor-proprietary enhancements are entering the market via a flurry of new products. These include BEA System's WebLogic Workshop, Sun Microsystems' Java Studio Creator (formerly known as Project Rave), and a simplified WebSphere tool portfolio that IBM is calling its Software Development Platform (SDP). IBM plans to roll out SDP over the course of 2004 and has put its Rational Software division in charge of the effort.

Of course, Microsoft won't stand still during 2004. By the middle of the year, it will likely release the first public beta of "Whidbey," its code name for Visual Studio.NET 2004. Whidbey will offer many productivity enhancements, including features that Microsoft claims could reduce coding for some common tasks by as much as 50-70%. If Whidbey delivers on its promises, it will raise the bar that IBM and other Microsoft competitors have to hurdle.

In short, while the WAS upgrades bring some welcome enhancements to iSeries users, they are only the beginning of what will be a busy year. With Microsoft and the Java vendors stepping up their efforts to win over programmers, the development tool market will prove to be a rapidly changing battlefield during 2004.

Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LEE KROON
Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology.
BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: