IBM CICS Transaction Server for z/OS, V5.5 is enhanced using continuous delivery, together with significant updates to the CICS Transaction Server for z/OS, V5.6 open beta offering

IBM Latin America Software Announcement LP20-0022
January 7, 2020

Table of contents

	Overview		Technical information
	Key requirements		Ordering information
	Planned availability date		Terms and conditions
	Description		Latin America distribution
	Program number

Overview

IBM® CICS® Transaction Server for z/OS®, V5.5 continuous delivery

CICS Transaction Server for z/OS (CICS TS) is a powerful mixed-language application server that can process hundreds of thousands of business transactions every second. The continuous delivery (CD) model for CICS TS V5.5 further extends its capabilities with innovative new functions that greatly improve the development experience, while at the same time providing significant updates in the core areas of resilience, security, and management.

Key features delivered in this CD release in support of selected current releases of CICS TS include:

Support for Spring Boot
Enhanced CICS support for IBM SDK for Node.js - z/OS V12
New CICS TS plug-in for Gradle to automate the building of CICS bundles that contain a rich set of bundle artifacts

CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering

The CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering is available for clients who want to explore potential new CICS capability and assess the value to their business. It can be downloaded, at no charge, from the IBM CICS open beta offering website.

Key features delivered in this release of the CICS TS open beta offering include:

Enhanced support for CICS TS as an HTTP client when communicating with an HTTP server using Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Improved reporting and action for z/OS short-on-storage conditions
Improved ability to protect against and track increasing CICSPlex® System Manager (SM) data space usage
Enhancements to the CICS TS API to provide broader applicability and to simplify bundle deployment during development

Key requirements

For CICS TS V5.5, CICS TS Value Unit Edition V5.5, and CICS TS Developer Trial V5.5:

IBM zEnterprise® 196 or higher 64-bit IBM z/Architecture® processors
IBM z/OS, V2.2 (5650-ZOS), or later
IBM 64-bit SDK for z/OS, Java™ Technology Edition, V8.0, or later

For the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering:

IBM zEnterprise EC12¹ or 64-bit IBM z/Architecture processors
IBM z/OS, V2.3¹ (5650-ZOS), or later
IBM 64-bit SDK for z/OS, Java Technology Edition, V8.0, or later

Details of system requirements for CICS products are available at the Software Product Compatibility Reports website.

¹Hardware and software requirements for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering are updated since it was first introduced in October 2019. For the relevant Software Announcement details, see the Reference information section.

Planned availability date

January 7, 2020, for the majority of CICS TS V5.5 CD enhancements
January 31, 2020, for CD enhancements to the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering
March 31, 2020, for the remainder of CICS TS V5.5 CD enhancements

Description

Enhancements to CICS TS V5.5 and the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering

CICS TS delivers a number of new and enhanced capabilities by using the standard service channel to implement a CD model. CD is a DevOps approach that enables development teams to produce software in short cycles and release the software at any time. Using a CD model, developers can build, test, and release reliable software with greater speed and frequency.

With this latest CD update to CICS TS V5.5, the following capabilities are delivered:

Support for Spring Boot
- Available for CICS TS V5.5 using APAR PH14856, and for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- The CICS Liberty JVM server supports Spring Boot applications using the Spring application programming model. Spring was originally designed to simplify Java Enterprise Edition (EE), using plain old Java objects (POJOs) and dependency injection. It has since grown to extend and encompass many aspects of Java EE development. Spring Boot builds on Spring by adding components to avoid complex configuration, reduce development time, and offer a simpler startup experience.
- Spring Boot applications can run on CICS without modification. It also is possible to configure Spring Boot applications for integration with CICS transactions and security, and to call the CICS API using JCICS.
- When built as a web application archive (WAR), a Spring Boot application can be deployed and managed using CICS bundles in the same way as can other CICS Liberty applications.
- A Spring Boot application can use the annotation @ CICS Program to define a method as the target of a CICS program. This can be linked from COBOL or other non-Java CICS programs using the channel and container interface.

Enhanced CICS support for IBM SDK for Node.js - z/OS V12
- Available for CICS TS V5.5 using APAR PH18618, and also available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- CICS TS V5.5 introduced support for IBM SDK for Node.js - z/OS V8.² This earlier release of Node.js - z/OS provided a full JavaScript™ run time, server-side APIs, and libraries to efficiently build high-performance, highly scalable network applications for IBM Z®. This enabled developers to write JavaScript applications, including optimized calls to CICS programs and for those applications to be run and managed in CICS.
- With CICS TS V5.6, Node.js - z/OS support is enhanced for version 12, including the Node.js - z/OS long-term support release. This provides for faster startup, better default heap limits, updates to the V8 JavaScript engine, Transport Layer Security, the HTTP parser llhttp, N-API, and ES6 module support.

New CICS TS plug-in for Gradle to automate the building of CICS bundles that contain a rich set of bundle artifacts
- Available for CICS TS V5.2, or later, including CICS TS V5.5, and for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- The development experience is enhanced for developers who are familiar with a Gradle-style approach to automatic dependency resolution and build chains. In particular, Java developers now can build CICS bundles containing Java artifacts, together with a wide range of other CICS resources that could be used in a CICS Java application, without any hard requirement to use the CICS Explorer® SDK. The following capabilities are provided by this enhancement:
  - A cics-bundle-gradle open source project that contains a collection of Gradle plug-ins and utilities. The collection can be used to build CICS bundles as part of a Gradle build, ready to be installed into CICS TS.
  - A CICS bundle Gradle plug-in (named com.ibm.cics.bundle) to support the building of CICS bundles containing any of the following bundle parts: WAR (.war), EAR (.ear), OSGI bundle (.osgibundle), event binding (.evbind), event processing adapter (.epadapter), event processing adapter set (.epadapterset), file (.file), library resource (.library), policy (.policy), program (.program), TCP/IP service (.tcpipservice), transaction (.transaction), URI map (.urimap), and enterprise bundle archive (.eba).
  - The CICS bundle Gradle plug-in can be used to create CICS bundles by using the Gradle command-line tool or environments that support Gradle, including Eclipse, IntelliJ, and VS Code.
  - The CICS bundle Gradle plug-in can push lifecycle bundles as part of a Gradle build by using the bundle deployment API that is delivered as part of the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
  - Because the J CICS library and CICS annotation processor are available in the Maven Central repository, Java developers easily can add the required versions of the Java CICS APIs and the CICS annotation processor to their dependencies in a Gradle build. The dependencies can be referenced directly, either from Maven Central or as approved dependencies from a local repository, using tools such as JFrog Artifactory or Sonatype Nexus.

Enhanced support for CICS TS as an HTTP client when communicating with an HTTP server using TLS
- Available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- CICS TS supports the use of Server Name Indication (SNI), as defined in Internet Engineering Task Force RFC 6066. No configuration change is required. CICS supports SNI if supported by the communicating HTTP server.

Improved reporting and action for z/OS short-on-storage (SOS) conditions
- Available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- New resilience features are added to CICS TS to monitor and guard against a shortage of z/OS 24-bit and 31-bit storage. SOS messages will be issued to indicate when CICS is short of z/OS storage. The new policy option of setting WLM Health can be used in conjunction with these messages to direct workloads away from this region until the SOS is resolved. In addition, new task control block (TCB) requests will wait if CICS is in an SOS condition.

Improved ability to protect against and track increasing CICSPlex System Manager (SM) data space usage
- Available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- Enforced protection is added for CICSPlex SM API programs exceeding the available CICSPlex SM data space storage limits, reducing the risk for large environments. CICSPlex SM API commands now will return an appropriate response rather than causing CICSPlex SM address space (CMAS) termination resulting from exceeding available data space storage.

Enhancements to the CICS TS API to provide broader applicability and simplify bundle deployment during development
- Available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- As previously announced in October 2019, ² a new API is delivered to the CMCI JVM server to improve the CICS TS developer experience. This new API can be used in conjunction with the new CICS plug-in for Gradle to allow a developer who uses a Gradle tool chain to choose to have a CICS bundle installed as part of their build process. This improves the developer's workflow and significantly simplifies the CICS knowledge required by a Java developer who is able to use Gradle.

Updated CICS TS plug-in for Maven to automate the building of additional bundle artifacts
- Available for CICS TS V5.2, or later, including CICS TS V5.5, and also available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- The CICS bundle Maven plug-in (named cics-bundle-maven-plugin) that is delivered as part of the cics-bundle-maven open-source project now supports the building of CICS bundles containing enterprise bundle archive (.eba) bundle parts, in addition to the other bundle parts previously announced. ²

Changes to feature toggle configuration
- Available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- A region ID-specific feature toggle configuration is implemented in a subdirectory of the USSCONFIG, with a directory name equal to the regions applied. This allows region-specific feature toggles to override the common set of feature toggles in the USSCONFIG.

Enhancements to CONFDATA to redact passwords in traces and dumps
- Available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- CICS TS CONFDATA is enhanced by redacting information from additional trace points, including some data in containers and base64 data. CONFDATA stops transport data from being traced that might contain passwords. The associated system initialization table (SIT) option is enabled by default.

Support for HTTP OPTIONS
- Available for both CICS TS V5.4 and CICS TS V5.5 using APAR PH16992, and the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering.
- CICS TS provides a new user-replaceable module, DFHWBOPT. This is a handler program that can be invoked to process HTTP OPTIONS requests. The new program will be linked, if specified, by feature toggle com.ibm.cics.http.options.handler. It returns a notification message that it has been invoked. When DFHWBOPT is invoked, an analyzer program is not invoked.

² For details of related software announcements for CD models and the general availability of products, see the Reference information section.

Details of CICS TS open beta programs

The CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering is available for clients who want to assess its value to their business. It can be downloaded, at no charge, from the IBM CICS open beta offering website.

Beta releases enable clients to sign up for and acquire early releases of a product for the purposes of testing before it is made commercially available. Typically, product offerings that are provided by a beta program:

Are free of charge
Are not warranted
Have no support of any kind
May not be used for productive purposes
Contain a disabling device that will prevent it from being used after the test period ends

Participants in a beta program typically gain insight into IBM strategy and direction. Participants also can accrue earlier benefits and payback from new functions, and can gain a competitive edge and the opportunity for public recognition as a technology leader. They are encouraged to provide feedback and articulate their own requirements to IBM, with the potential to help influence and shape future IBM products.

To register an interest in future managed CICS TS beta programs, contact the CICS Early Programs coordinator at cicsep@uk.ibm.com.

Hardware and software support services

SmoothStart/installation services

IBM SmoothStart Services and Installation Services are not provided.

Further information about CICS services is available.

Reference information

IBM Software Announcements

For information on the October 2019 update of CICS TS V5.5, and the introduction of the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering, see Software Announcement LP19-0560, dated October 1, 2019.

For information on the July 2019 update of CICS TS V5.5 and CICS Explorer® V5.5, see Software Announcement LP19-0122, dated July 2, 2019.

For information on the general availability of CICS TS V5.5, see Software Announcement LP18-0423, dated October 2, 2018.

For information on the general availability of CICS Explorer V5.5, see Software Announcement LP18-0514, dated October 2, 2018.

For information on Node.js - z/OS V12, see Software Announcement LP19-0651, dated December 10, 2019.

CICS web pages

For up-to-date information on CICS family products, see the CICS home page.

The CICS support web page can be used to search for terms, phrases, error codes, and APAR numbers.

CICS SupportPacs

CICS SupportPacs are available, at no charge, and are designed to complement and extend the capabilities of CICS TS.

Program number

Program number	V.R.M	Program name
5655-Y04	5.5.0	CICS Transaction Server for z/OS
5722-DFJ	5.5.0	CICS Transaction Server for z/OS Value Unit Edition
5722-DFK	1.1.0	CICS Transaction Server for z/OS Value Unit Edition S&S
5655-Y30	5.5.0	CICS Transaction Server for z/OS Developer Trial
5655-Y15	1.1.0	CICS Transaction Server for z/OS Developer Trial S&S
5655-BTA	5.6.0	CICS Transaction Server for z/OS open beta

Technical information

Specified operating environment

Hardware requirements

CICS TS V5.5 and the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering run on any machine that supports the required z/OS operating system. For example:

IBM zEnterprise 196 or subsequent 64-bit z/Architecture processors
IBM zEnterprise EC12 or subsequent 64-bit z/Architecture processors

Software requirements

For CICS TS V5.5, CICS TS Value Unit Edition V5.5, and CICS TS Developer Trial V5.5:

IBM z/OS, V2.2 (5650-ZOS), or later
IBM 64-bit SDK for z/OS, Java Technology Edition, V8.0, or later

For the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering:

IBM z/OS, V2.3 (5650-ZOS), or later
IBM 64-bit SDK for z/OS, Java Technology Edition, V8.0, or later

Details of system requirements for CICS products are available at the Software Product Compatibility Reports website.

Compatibility

Application programming summary

The high-level programming languages and compilers that are in service on IBM z/OS and have CICS translator support are detailed in the "High-level language support" topic in the CICS TS V5.5 product documentation.

Performance considerations

Performance information is available in the CICS TS V5.5 documentation in IBM Knowledge Center.

User group requirements

User requirements for CICS TS can be created, viewed, and voted for in the IBM Request for Enhancement (RFE) community.

Planning information

Packaging

For details of packaging, physical delivery, and electronic delivery, see the CICS TS V5.5 (general availability) Software Announcement LP18-0423, dated October 2, 2018.

Security, auditability, and control

Both CICS TS V5.5 and the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering use the security and auditability features of the operating system under which they are running.

The client is responsible for evaluation, selection, and implementation of security features, administrative procedures, and appropriate controls in application systems and communication facilities.

Ordering information

Publications

CICS TS V5.5 product documentation

Product documentation for CICS TS V5.5 is refreshed regularly to reflect feedback from users and includes changes that result from IBM Service and continuous delivery releases. Detailed information is provided in IBM Knowledge Center in the section entitled What documentation is available?

For CICS TS V5.5, online documentation and PDF format documentation are available in IBM Knowledge Center.

Effective January 31, 2020, online documentation will be available for the CICS TS V5.6 open beta offering in IBM Knowledge Center.

Subsequent updates (technical newsletters or revisions between releases) to the publications shipped with the product will be distributed to the user of record for as long as a license for this software remains in effect. A separate publication order or subscription is not needed.

Customized Offerings

Product deliverables are shipped only through CBPDO and ServerPac. These customized offerings are offered for internet delivery from Shopz. For more details on internet delivery, go to the Help section on the Shopz website.

IBM recommends internet delivery. However, if you still require physical media, you can choose DVD.

Many products can be ordered in ServerPac the month following their availability in CBPDO. z/OS can be ordered through CBPDO and ServerPac on the planned availability date. Many products will also be orderable in a Product ServerPac without also having to order the z/OS operating system or subsystem.

Shopz and CFSW will determine the eligibility based on product requisite checking. For more details on the product ServerPac, go to the Help section on the Shopz website.

Production of software product orders will begin on the planned availability date.

CBPDO shipments will begin one week after the planned availability date.
ServerPac shipments will begin two weeks after the planned availability date.

Terms and conditions

The terms are unaffected by this announcement.

Statement of good security practices

IT system security involves protecting systems and information through prevention, detection, and response to improper access from within and outside your enterprise. Improper access can result in information being altered, destroyed, or misappropriated or can result in misuse of your systems to attack others. Without a comprehensive approach to security, no IT system or product should be considered completely secure and no single product or security measure can be completely effective in preventing improper access. IBM systems and products are designed to be part of a lawful, comprehensive security approach, which will necessarily involve additional operational procedures, and may require other systems, products, or services to be most effective.

Important: IBM does not warrant that any systems, products, or services are immune from, or will make your enterprise immune from, the malicious or illegal conduct of any party.

Latin America distribution

All Latin American countries except Cuba.

Trademarks

IBM, CICS, z/OS, CICSPlex, zEnterprise, z/Architecture, IBM Z and CICS Explorer are registered trademarks of IBM Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.

Oracle and Java are trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates in the United States, other countries, or both.

Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.

Terms of use

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