WebSphere Application Server

Specification level support

The workbench now includes support for IBM® WebSphere® Application Server v7.0 and WebSphere Application Server v6.1 with Feature Pack for Web Services, Web 2.0, and EJB 3.0.

The following table summarizes the specification levels that each server supports.

WebSphere Application Server release level Specification Level
EAR EJB Web Application Client
v6.0
  • 1.2
  • 1.3
  • 1.4
  • 1.1
  • 2.0
  • 2.1
  • 2.2
  • 2.3
  • 2.4
  • 1.2
  • 1.3
  • 1.4
v6.1
v6.1 with the Feature Pack for Web services
v6.1 with the Feature Pack for Web 2.0
v6.1 with the Feature Pack for Web services and the Feature Pack for Web 2.0
v6.1 with the Feature Pack for EJB 3.0
  • 1.2
  • 1.3
  • 1.4
  • 5.0

The server does not fully support the Java EE 5 specification level. It supports an EAR 5.0 application containing EJB 3.0 modules with Web or Application Client modules at the J2EE 1.4 (or earlier) specification-level.

  • 1.1
  • 2.0
  • 2.1
  • 3.0

In an EJB 3.0 module, CMP 2.1, 2.0 or 1.1 is not supported.

  • 2.2
  • 2.3
  • 2.4

Java EE 5 specification-level is not supported. In other words, Web 2.5 is not supported.

  • 1.2
  • 1.3
  • 1.4

In other words, Application Client 5.0 is not supported.

v6.1 with the Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 and the Feature Pack for Web 2.0
v7.0
  • 1.2
  • 1.3
  • 1.4
  • 5.0
  • 1.1
  • 2.0
  • 2.1
  • 3.0
  • 2.2
  • 2.3
  • 2.4
  • 2.5
  • 1.2
  • 1.3
  • 1.4
  • 5.0

The workbench no longer supports tools for WebSphere Application Server v5.1 or WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment environment. However, by using WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment, you can continue to run the profile management tool from the workbench to create and augment profiles.

WebSphere Application Server v6.1 with Feature Pack for EJB 3.0

When publishing an application to a WebSphere Application Server v6.1 with EJB 3.0 Feature Pack, Java™ Enterprise Edition (Java EE) 5 support is available for both Enterprise archive (EAR) and Enterprise JavaBeans™ (EJB) modules; however, container-managed persistence (CMP) beans at 2.1, 2.0, or 1.1, are not supported in an EJB 3.0 module. In addition, the Web module must remain at Web 2.4, 2.3, or 2.2 specification-level and the application client module must remain at Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE) 1.4, 1.3, or 1.2 specification level.

Although, the WebSphere Application Server v6.1 with the Feature Pack for EJB 3.0 does not support Servlet 2.5 Web archive (WAR) files and Java EE 5 application client modules, the application server does support annotated injections for Servlet 2.4 WAR files and J2EE 1.4 application clients as a common annotations extension.

WebSphere Application Server with Feature Pack for Web 2.0

The WebSphere Application Server with Feature Pack for Web 2.0 can be installed on top of any of the following WebSphere Application Server release:

  • WebSphere Application Server v6.1
  • WebSphere Application Server v6.1 with Feature Pack for Web Services
  • WebSphere Application Server v6.1 with Feature Pack for EJB 3.0
Although the WebSphere Application Server with Feature Pack for Web 2.0 can be installed on top of WebSphere Application Server v6.0.2, the IBM Rational Software Delivery Platform currently does not support this runtime configuration.

New WebSphere Application Server tools
  • A new option to automatically determine connection settings is available under the Server connection type and administrative ports section of both the New Server wizard and the server editor. When you use this option, the workbench, automatically selects which available connection type to use.

    This image shows the Server editor.

  • A new test connection link is available under the server connection type and administrative ports section of both the New Sever wizard and the server editor. Use this link to test the connection between the server and the workbench to determine if there are any connection problems. When a connection fails, messages display with possible explanations and solutions.

  • A new connection type, InterProcess Connector (IPC), is available for WebSphere Application Server v7.0. It offers a more stable and robust connection between the workbench and a local WebSphere Application Server v7.0.

  • A new Workspace Migration dialog appears when opening a workspace that contains projects targeting a server runtime that is not defined in the workspace. Use this dialog to replace undefined server runtimes with runtimes already defined in the workspace. This helps resolve errors such as: Unbound classpath container and Target runtime WebSphere Application Server vX.X is not defined.

    This image shows the Workspace Migration dialog that assists you in replacing an undefined server runtime with a defined runtime.

  • The Table and Data Source Creator wizard now supports creating tables and data sources for testing Java Persistence API (JPA) beans on a WebSphere Application Server:

    This image shows the Table and Data Source Creator wizard that assists you in testing JPA beans on a WebSphere Application Server.

  • When you right-click a server in the Servers view, there is a new Properties option in the pop-up menu. Use the Properties pages to find general information about the server, such as the name of the server, server type, vendor, and the location of its metadata. You can also use the Properties pages to monitor data sent to the server ports. For WebSphere Application Servers, you can also use the Properties pages to view the log files, profile name, and directory.

  • When you use the Installation Manager to install the integrated test environments for WebSphere Application Server, you can create profiles during the installation or create the profiles in the workbench after installation. This flexibility assists a server administrator when installing the application server for an enterprise..

EJB deployment tool

EJB deployment code specification-level differences

For the EJB 3.0 specification-level you no longer need to generate the EJB deployment code. The server runtime automatically generates the required deployment code. You can continue to generate EJB deployment code for the EJB 1.1, 2.0, and 2.1 specification-levels by using the Prepare for Deployment option in the workbench or the command-line tool, ejbdeploy.

Database systems support

Support for the following database systems has been added when generating EJB deployment code for WebSphere Application Server v6.1 with Fix Pack 11 (v6.1.0.11) and later:

  • IBM® DB2® Universal Database™ v9.1 for Linux™, UNIX™, and Windows®
  • DB2 Universal Database for z/OS®, v9

    This option includes the generated data model that has all the new catalog features of DB2 Universal Database for z/OS v9 specified in the new function mode. It enables the option to work with the generated data model available in the workbench.

Jython tools

WebSphere Application Server v7.0 adds wsadmin objects to Jython script libraries

The WebSphere Application Server v7.0 adds numerous WebSphere Administrative (wsadmin) objects to the Jython scripting libraries, in addition to the standard five wsadmin objects: AdminControl, AdminConfig, AdminApp, AdminTask, and Help.

In the Jython preferences (Window > Preferences > Jython), select Enable content assist for WebSphere Application Server v7.0 script libraries. The additional wsadmin objects are available when you use content assist (Ctrl+Space) in the Jython editor.

Restriction: The additional wsadmin objects are supported for Jython scripts running on a WebSphere Application Server v7.0.

This image shows the the Jython content assist.