What's new in IBM z/OS Connect?

3.0.100

(APAR PH69148)

Enhancements

• zosConnect-3.0 z/OS Connect is enhanced to support generating an API project from either an OpenAPI 2.0 document or an OpenAPI 3.0 document when using the API-first method to deploy to a z/OS Connect Server with the zosConnect-3.0 feature. You can continue to generate an API project by using an OpenAPI 2.0 document for deployment to a z/OS Connect Server with the zosConnect-2.0 feature. For more information, see Developing APIs with "API-first".
• zosConnect-3.0 Containers The ZosConnect Custom Resource (CR) is enhanced to use volumes in a container platform to mount keystores for your z/OS Connect API image to use. For more information, see Configure volumes (Optional).
• zosConnect-3.0 Containers The IBM z/OS Connect Operator is updated to 1.0.14 and the z/OS Connect CASE package bundle file is updated to 1.0.15.

Fixes

• zosConnect-2.0 PH65523 - Incorrect HTTP status code 500 and response returned when a request times out.
• PH68109 - Message BAQH4005E: Unable to send request to the z/OS Connect Server can be misleading.
• zosConnect-3.0 PH68964 - The default value for the z/OS Connect Gradle plug-in property wideComp3 is incorrectly documented as YES.

3.0.99

(APAR PH68482)

Enhancements

• zosConnect-3.0 z/OS Connect is enhanced to support generating an API requester from either an OpenAPI 2.0 document or an OpenAPI 3.0 document when deploying to a z/OS Connect Server with the zosConnect-3.0 feature. You can continue generate an API requester from an OpenAPI 2.0 document for deployment to a z/OS Connect Server with the zosConnect-2.0 feature. For more information, see Developing an API requester.
• zosConnect-3.0 z/OS Connect now supports correlation between SMF 123 records and WebSphere® Application Server Liberty SMF 120 subtype 11 records for both API provider and API requester requests. This enhancement enables improved visibility into request processing by linking z/OS Connect activity with Liberty server details such as CPU usage, network client information, and other request-specific metrics. For more information, see Correlating SMF 123 records with WebSphere Application Server Liberty SMF 120 records. For information about configuring User Data with WebSphere Application Server Liberty with the zosConnect-2.0 feature, see Configuring the correlation of SMF 123 records with SMF 120 records and with the zosConnect-3.0 feature, see Configuring the correlation of SMF 123 records with SMF 120 records.
• zosConnect-3.0 The z/OS Connect Server configured with the zosConnect-3.0 feature has been enhanced to improve the performance of API provider and API requester through the use of a JSONata expression cache.
• zosConnect-2.0 The WOLA service provider is now supported for use with CICS Transaction Server 6.3. (The WebSphere Application Server Liberty 25.0.0.9 embedded in z/OS Connect has the fix for WebSphere Application Server Liberty APAR PH68425 applied).
• zosConnect-2.0 The version of the z/OS Connect API Toolkit for Aqua 3.3 is updated to 3.3.0.10.

Fixes

• zosConnect-3.0 PH64653 - z/OS Connect Designer in Red Hat® OpenShift® Dev Spaces reports "We're sorry but we can't find anything here".
• zosConnect-2.0 PH67628 - Updating the size of an array, which uses an array counter, in a service results in the array being incorrectly processed. Fix available in z/OS Connect API Toolkit 3.3.0.10.
• zosConnect-3.0 PH67732 - HTTP status code 500 is returned when an OpenAPI 3 API requester sends an empty request body.
• PH67753 - java.lang.ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException: Array index out of range: 0 followed by BAQR7033E: Internal server error.
• zosConnect-3.0 PH68476 - Message CWPMI2005W is reported when z/OS Connect is configured to run within CICS Transaction Server 6.3.
• zosConnect-2.0 zosConnect-3.0 PH68904 - z/OS Connect reports javax.security.auth.login.CredentialException at V3.0.98.0.
• PH69152 - The sample JCL in the DDDEF HOLD data for the z/OS Connect V3.0.98.0 PTFs is incorrect.

3.0.98

(APAR PH68103)

Enhancements

• zosConnect-3.0 You can now enable Open API 3 API operations as Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools to allow AI agents to access programs and data on z/OS. For more information about MCP, see What is MCP? and to configure MCP with z/OS Connect, see Configuring MCP for IBM z/OS Connect.
• zosConnect-3.0 An additional transport mechanism has been provided to link IMS and z/OS Connect for API requester scenarios. Typically, IMS configurations use the IBM z/OS client web enablement toolkit (Web toolkit) transport to enable communications from IMS to a z/OS Connect Server. However, the IBM Web toolkit mandates that POSIX(ON) must be specified for the Language Environment enclave. If your IMS application requires POSIX(OFF) then the IMS TM Resource Adapter can now be used to create a connection between IMS and a z/OS Connect Server. For information, see Configuring IMS to access IBM z/OS Connect to call APIs.
• zosConnect-3.0 The Creating and deploying the API requester tutorial has been updated to include support for the PATCH HTTP method. For more information, see Creating and deploying the API requester tutorial
• zosConnect-2.0 The version of the z/OS Connect API Toolkit for Aqua 3.4 is updated to 3.4.0.3 and can now be installed by using the IBM Installation Manager. The z/OS Connect API Toolkit for Aqua 3.3 remains at 3.3.0.9.
• The version of Liberty that is embedded in IBM z/OS Connect is upgraded to 25.0.0.9. For more information, see What is new in this release of Liberty in the WebSphere Application Server for z/OS Liberty documentation.
• z/OS Connect now supports CICS 6.3.
• z/OS Connect now supports z/OS 3.2.

Fixes

• zosConnect-3.0 PH67465 - API requester response data is printed incorrectly in the Host API trace.
• zosConnect-2.0 PH67628 - Updating the size of an array, which uses an array counter, in a service results in the array being incorrectly processed. Fix available in z/OS Connect API Toolkit 3.4.0.3.

3.0.97

(APAR PH67751)

Enhancements

• zosConnect-3.0 The z/OS Connect development tooling has been enhanced with the z/OS Connect development tools for Visual Studio Code extension that generates z/OS Connect API provider and API requester project artifacts from an OpenAPI 3.0 document. For more information about installing the Visual Studio Code (VSC) extension, see Installing the IBM z/OS Connect development tools for Visual Studio Code extension. To generate API provider project artifacts, see Using the IBM z/OS Connect development tools for Visual Studio Code for an API project and to generate API requester project artifacts, see Using the IBM z/OS Connect development tools for Visual Studio Code for an API requester project.
• The OAuth 2.0 access token support for API requester has been enhanced to provide the ability to retrieve a token from an alternative field in the authorization server JSON response to the default access_token field. For more information, see Retrieving an alternative token from the OAuth 2.0 server response when using the zosConnect-2.0 feature and Retrieving an alternative token from the OAuth 2.0 server response when using the zosConnect-3.0 feature.
• The configuration element pages have been improved for usability and accessibility. For more information, see zosConnect-2.0 Configuration elements and zosConnect-3.0 Configuration elements.
• zosConnect-2.0 z/OS Connect is compatible with API toolkit 3.3.0.9. and 3.4.0.2.

Fixes

• zosConnect-2.0 PH63357 - Message BAQR1143E Internal server error is reported for API requesters, due to a NullPointerException.
• zosConnect-2.0 PH67257- additionalProperties for nested JSON objects are not processed correctly for OpenAPI 2 API requesters.

3.0.96

(APAR PH67345)

Enhancements

• zosConnect-3.0z/OS Connect has been enhanced to implement OpenTelemetry tracing. For more information about monitoring with OpenTelemetry with z/OS Connect, see Monitoring with OpenTelemetry and to configure OpenTelemetry with z/OS Connect, see Configuring OpenTelemetry for monitoring with z/OS Connect.
• zosConnect-2.0 The BAQT* messages have been updated to include the api name. For more information, see BAQT messages.
• zosConnect-3.0 The version of Gradle that is embedded in the z/OS Connect Designer and shipped as part of the z/OS Connect installation in <installation_path>/gradle.zip has been upgraded to Gradle 9.0.0.
  Note: Java 17 is the minimum version that is required to run Gradle 9.0.0.
• zosConnect-3.0 The version of the API provider Gradle plug-in is upgraded to 1.4.11.
• zosConnect-3.0 The version of the API requester Gradle plug-in is upgraded to 1.2.6.
• Containers The IBM z/OS Connect Operator is updated to 1.0.12 and the z/OS Connect CASE package bundle file is updated to 1.0.13.

Fixes

• zosConnect-3.0 PH64282 - z/OS Connect API providers do not map headers case-insensitively.
• zosConnect-2.0 PH66905 - Message BAQT0007E The length of the response message is invalid could provide more diagnostic information.
• PH67248 - A high elapsed time is reported for the first invocation of an API requester after a period of inactivity.

3.0.95

(APAR PH67003)

Enhancements

• The version of Liberty that is embedded in IBM z/OS Connect is upgraded to 25.0.0.6. For more information, see What is new in this release of Liberty in the WebSphere Application Server for z/OS Liberty documentation.
• Containers z/OS Connect Designer has been enhanced with the zosconnect_remote_download_allowlist property that allows URL imports only from specified hosts. For more information, see Configuring an allowlist for IBM z/OS Connect Designer.
• The GMOMW* messages have had formatting updates. For more information, see GMOM messages.

Fixes

• zosConnect-3.0 PH65995 - z/OS Connect does not check API requester required fields are set.

3.0.94

(APAR PH66550)

Enhancements

• zosConnect-3.0 Containers The z/OS Connect Designer has been enhanced to support nested arrays and the UI page header has been redesigned responsiveness and accessibility.
• Containers Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces allows development of APIs within a cloud-based environment. The Creating a CICS z/OS Connect API getting started tutorial now includes steps on how to create and edit a z/OS Connect API project in the z/OS Connect Designer that is deployed in Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces. For more information, see Using z/OS Connect Designer with Red Hat OpenShift Dev Spaces.
• The z/OS Connect Accessibility features topic now includes more details with regards accessibility support for z/OS Connect users. For more information, see IBM z/OS Connect accessibility features.
• zosConnect-3.0 The version of the API requester Gradle plug-in is upgraded to 1.2.5.
• zosConnect-2.0 The IBM z/OS Connect API toolkit is compatible with 3.3.0.8. and 3.4.0.1.

Fixes

• zosConnect-3.0 PH66774 - A field with a duplicated name is not returned to an OpenAPI 3 API requester.

3.0.93

(APAR PH66161)

Enhancements

• zosConnect-3.0 API requester can now call API endpoints by using Data Areas. By calling the new BAQPUTN Host API verb, the COBOL or PL/I application builds the request payload dynamically for each request as required. For more information, see Writing an application that calls the Host API.
• zosConnect-3.0 IBM z/OS Connect now supports monitoring for JCICS connections. For more information, see Monitoring interceptor interfaces.
• zosConnect-3.0 The z/OS Connect Designer will automatically sync the request.yaml and the response_xxx.yaml files with an updated OpenAPI document in your z/OS Connect API project.
• The version of Liberty that is embedded in IBM z/OS Connect is upgraded to 25.0.0.3. For more information, see What is new in this release of Liberty in the WebSphere Application Server for z/OS Liberty documentation.
• zosConnect-3.0 The version of the API provider Gradle plug-in is upgraded to 1.4.10.
• zosConnect-3.0 The version of the API requester Gradle plug-in is upgraded to 1.2.4.
• Containers The IBM z/OS Connect Operator is updated to 1.0.11 and the z/OS Connect CASE package bundle file is updated to 1.0.12.
• zosConnect-2.0 The IBM z/OS Connect build toolkit (zconbt) is updated to 1.20.
• zosConnect-2.0 The IBM z/OS Connect API toolkit is compatible with 3.3.0.8. and 3.4.0.0

Fixes

• PH63252 z/OS Connect only retries requests with a new token if a WWW-Authenticate header that contains invalid_token is returned.
• zosConnect-3.0 PH64358 - Message BAQH2001S is reported when the BAQZ-TRACE-VERBOSE parameter is specified.
• zosConnect-2.0 PH64635 - The z/OS Connect build toolkit generates request copybooks as though additionalProperties: true was set.
• zosConnect-2.0 PH64565 - The z/OS Connect build toolkit 1.15 (and later) does not produce response copybooks properly.
• PH66235 - Message BAQR0688E is reported intermittently with TLS IPIC connections to CICS at 3.0.91.0 and 3.0.92.0.
• zosConnect-3.0 PH66360 - AbendU4094 reported in an API requester program using policy support.
• zosConnect-2.0 PH66378 - Loop in z/OS Connect with method com/ibm/jzos/fields/IbmDoubleField.hfp2bfp consuming zIIP CPU.

3.0.92

(APAR PH65640)

Announcements

zosConnect-2.0 Support for Aqua 3.2 (IBM Explorer for z/OS) will be withdrawn on 30 April 2025. For more information, see Product lifecycle: IBM Explorer for z/OS. Users are encouraged to move to the latest Aqua 3.4 platform that is built on Eclipse 4.31 and Java 17.

Enhancements

• zosConnect-3.0 IBM z/OS Connect now provides policy capability for API requesters. Use z/OS Connect policies to dynamically choose the API endpoint for the API requester based on the policy header values sent by the z/OS application. For more information about configuring policies, see Configuring IBM z/OS Connect policies and for more information about specifying policy header values in a z/OS application, see Specify policies.
• zosConnect-3.0 Java 21 is now supported when running a z/OS Connect Server within a CICS Liberty JVM Server. For more information, see What's new in CICS TS 6.2?
• zosConnect-3.0A new What is the IBM z/OS Connect Operator? topic to provide an introduction to the IBM z/OS Connect Operator and its functionality to create, configure, and manage z/OS Connect container deployments. For more information, see What is the IBM z/OS Connect Operator?

Fixes

• PH64559 - A javax.crypto.BadPaddingException is reported with securityUtility encoded passwords containing special characters.

3.0.91

(APAR PH65316)

Enhancements

• The IBM z/OS Connect (OpenAPI 2) documentation and the IBM z/OS Connect (OpenAPI 3) documentation are merged to one complete set of documentation for IBM z/OS Connect 3.0. For more information, see z/OS Connect documentation migration to one set of documentation and Using the IBM Documentation search feature.
• API projects created with the z/OS Connect Designer, loading the existing projects into the Designer will update them to the latest version and display an informational message. For API projects created by using the z/OS Connect API provider or z/OS Connect API provider Gradle plug-ins, when building with the latest plug-in versions, the WAR files are updated to use the latest API project file versions. For more information, see Updating z/OS Connect API project files.
• zosConnect-3.0 The version of the API provider Gradle plug-in is upgraded to 1.4.9.
• zosConnect-3.0 The version of the API requester Gradle plug-in is upgraded to 1.2.3.
• Containers z/OS Connect Operator is updated to 1.0.10 and the z/OS Connect CASE package bundle file is updated to 1.0.11. For more information, see Install the IBM Operator Catalog in Red Hat OpenShift.
• zosConnect-2.0 IBM z/OS Connect is compatible with API toolkit 3.2.9.16, 3.3.0.7, and 3.4.0.0.

Fixes

• zosConnect-2.0 PH62509 - Fields with Code page conversion disabled and Omit fields with uniform byte values set are not omitted.
• zosConnect-2.0 PH62596 - Using a redefined field as an array counter throws a NullPointerException.
• zosConnect-3.0 PH64000 - OpenAPI 3 optional fields found because they are set to null causing the _existence flag to be set incorrectly.
• zosConnect-3.0 PH64881 - An empty object in an OpenAPI 3 payload is not processed by the z/OS Connect Server.
• zosConnect-2.0 PH65315 - IBM z/OS Connect creates unnecessary empty resources/imsmobile-config directories when starting.
• PH65373 - IPIC connections receive BAQR0664E reason:java.net.SocketTimeoutException: Read timed out.