What's new in V8.9.0

General

HTTPClient update (introduced in V8.9.0.1)

The version of HTTPClient used in network communication between the Operational Decision Manager modules is now 4.5.2. The last version was 3.1. Learn more...

Integration with Product Insights

You can use the Product Insights service on IBM® Bluemix® to get a unified view of your usage of Operational Decision Manager. Learn more...

New application server (updated in V8.9.0.2)

The sample server that comes with Operational Decision Manager now uses WebSphere Liberty, which replaces WebSphere® Application Server (WAS). The new application server supports the main components, including Decision Server Rules and Decision Center, and is faster and easier to manage than WAS. Learn more...

Update: The sample server in V8.9.0.2 uses Liberty 16.0.0.4. In versions 8.9 and 8.9.0.1, the sample server uses Liberty 16.0.0.3.

Rule Execution Server

OpenAPI support for running decision services

Generate OpenAPI descriptions, or Swagger, that make it easier to integrate decision service APIs into calling applications. The descriptions are compatible with IBM API Connect® and other API management products. Learn more...

The feature is demonstrated in the tutorial Executing a hosted transparent decision service.

Embedded, managed Java™ XOMs in the RuleApp archive

Managed Java XOMs can now be embedded in a RuleApp archive. You can retrieve or deploy a RuleApp archive with embedded managed Java XOMs. Learn more...

Rule Execution Server tutorials

Executing a hosted transparent decision service

This tutorial shows you how to use OpenAPI descriptions (Swagger) or WSDL to run a ruleset on a hosted transparent decision service (HTDS), and how to run the decision service through API Connect. You also call the ruleset from a client. Learn more...

Debugging a remote Rule Execution Server application

This revised tutorial shows you how to debug a ruleset that is running on a remote server. You enable debugging on the ruleset, and run the application in debug mode. Then, you run the ruleset in the hosted transparent decision service (HTDS) execution tool in the Rule Execution Server console, and correct a problem in a rule, redeploy the fixed ruleset to Rule Execution Server, and verify your changes in the HTDS execution tool. Learn more...

Decision Center Business console

Using Ant tasks to migrate classic rule projects to decision services (introduced in V8.9.0.2)

You can now use Ant tasks to migrate your classic rule projects to decision services. You can migrate to a simple or governed decision service. Learn more...

Customizing the Business console user interface (introduced in V8.9.0.1)

You can customize the Business console user interface by adding new tabs or buttons for a branch, release, or activity. You can also add buttons to a view, for example, for rules, decision tables, decision operations, or deployment configurations. Learn more...

You can use the sample GUI customization, which shows you how to customize the Business console. Learn more...

Comparing and merging branches

You can now use the compare and merge function in the Business console to merge the contents of branches, releases, and activities manually in a decision service. Learn more...

Managing resources in decision service projects

You can now manage resource files in a decision service project in the Business console. Upload files of any type to the project in the Decision Center repository through the Business console. The files are stored in the Resources folder of the project, where you can view, edit, create, or download files. Learn more...

Updating dynamic domains

You can now update dynamic domains from the Model tab in the Business console. If a domain is defined in an Excel file, you can download and upload the file in the Business console. Learn more...

Filtering columns in decision tables

Searching for a specific value in a long decision table can be slow, tedious work. The new filtering feature for decision tables in the Business console can shorten your search time by showing only those rows that contain your filter values. Learn more...

Using custom test data providers

You can now generate scenario files for custom test data providers in the Business console. You select the tests and expected execution details, and then download a custom data provider template. You can then use the template with various data sources, such as XML files or a database. Learn more...

The feature is demonstrated in the sample Custom data provider for tests and simulations.

Direct links to console content

All the URLs in the Business console are accessible externally. You can bookmark the URLs in your browser, or reference them from an external source, and navigate directly to a branch, release, activity, or project element. Learn more...

Comparing versions of a variable set

You can now see the differences between versions of a variable set by comparing snapshots of the versions in the Business console. Learn more...

Decision Center Business console tutorials

Creating a ruleflow

This tutorial shows you how to create a ruleflow in the Business console. You learn how to create a new ruleflow, modify an existing ruleflow to invoke a subflow, and specify the sequence in which the engine executes the rules in a rule task. Learn more...

Creating a simulation

This tutorial shows you how to create a simulation for a decision service in the Business console. You learn how to create metrics and KPIs, create and upload a scenario data file, create a template for a report format, and create and run a simulation configuration. Learn more...

Decision Server Rules

Marshaller file generation (introduced in V8.9.0.1)

The COBOL and PL/I management feature in Rule Designer now generates marshaller JAR files in the /resources/cobol/marshallers and /resources/pli/marshallers folders (instead of /cobol-xom and /pli-xom). These files are synchronized into Decision Center along with the other elements in a rule project, and no longer have to be regenerated when downloaded back into Rule Designer. Projects created with previous versions of the product must have their COBOL and PL/I XOMs generated once to apply this change. Learn more...

Building projects by using the Build Command

You can build projects outside of Eclipse by using the Build Command Maven plug-in. Learn more...

Automatic exception handling in rules (updated in 8.9.0.2)

You can automate exception handling for rules so that the rule engine continues to process rule conditions that generate Java exceptions. In 8.9.0.2, the behavior of the following two BAL expressions is now the same as the other expressions used in rule conditions:

• if there is no ... then ...
• if there is at least ... then ...

The objects are counted only if the overall where clause is true. Learn more...

Decision Server Insights

Maximum batch size default value now 400, instead of 2,000 (introduced in V8.9.0.2)

If the maxBatchSize data source property in the runtime server configuration file is set too high, a cluster can experience problems during a restart. You can increase the default value to improve the load performance from a database, but the upper limit is determined by the WXS maximum message size. The smaller your entities and events are, the larger the batch size can be. A batch size of 400 supports data objects that have a maximum size of 160 KB.

Learn more...

Outbound endpoint performance

You can now retrieve information about your outbound endpoints, and use the information to assess the performance of your solution connectivity. Learn more...

Advanced connectivity properties

New properties are available for advanced solution connectivity configuration. For delivery failures, you can use the thread.max.retry.count property to set the minimum number of times a delivery is reattempted before the delivery is discarded. This property replaces the thread.retry.count.before.discard property. You can also use new properties for HTTP and JMS inbound endpoint configuration, and new advanced thread pool properties for outbound endpoints. Learn more...