Stabilization notices and discontinued functions

Out-of-date technology inside CICS® Transaction Server for z/OS® is often stabilized and might be reduced in capability or discontinued in a future release.

Stabilized technologies

The following technologies are stabilized. For information about checking for stabilized functions, see CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check.

APPC password expiration management (PEM): Support for APPC PEM is stabilized. The PEM server does not support password phrases. To support authentication with password phrases when using CICS Transaction Gateway with CICS TS, you must migrate from APPC to IP interconnectivity (IPIC) and change your application code to use a current External Security Interface (ESI) API such as CICS_VerifyPassword and CICS_ChangePassword as described in the CICS Transaction Gateway for Multiplatforms product documentation.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0952.
CICS Application Debugging Profile Manager: The CICS application debugging profiles are accessed through either the CADP transaction or the web interface. Both of these interfaces are now stabilized. Consider using the DTCN transaction supplied with IBM® z/OS Debugger instead.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0965.
CICS debugging tools sockets interface: From Version 14.2, IBM z/OS Debugger supports only the TCP/IP Socket Interface for CICS; therefore, the debugging tools sockets interface provided by CICS TS is no longer used and thus stabilized.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0960.
CICS Liberty feature cicsts:jcaLocalEci-1.0: Liberty feature cicsts:jcaLocalEci-1.0 is stabilized. Consider updating applications to use JCICS Link as an alternative. For more information about developing JCICS Link applications, see the com.ibm.cicsdev.link sample in GitHub.; 6.3 Liberty feature cicsts:jcaLocalEci-1.0 is removed.
CICS Liberty features cicsts:zosConnect-1.0 and cicsts:zosConnect-2.0: Liberty feature cicsts:zosConnect-1.0 is deprecated and Liberty feature cicsts:zosConnect-2.0 is removed. You are recommended to migrate to the IBM z/OS Connect JCICS connection provided by the zosConnect-3.0 feature. For more information, see Running a z/OS Connect Server within CICS.; 6.3 Liberty feature cicsts:zosConnect-1.0 is deprecated and Liberty feature cicsts:zosConnect-2.0 is removed.; 6.2 Liberty features cicsts:zosConnect-1.0 and cicsts:zosConnect-2.0 are stabilized.
CICS Service Flow Runtime: Service Flow Runtime and Service Flow Modeler capability in IBM Developer for z/OS 14.2.3 are stabilized. Consider exposing and orchestrating applications as API services by using z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition, CICS web services, or by writing web applications in Java or Node.js.; Where applications contain a mixture of presentation and business logic, consider using the IBM Developer for z/OS refactoring tools to extract reusable components into separate programs that are suitable for API enablement. In addition, IBM Developer for z/OS can integrate with IBM Application Discovery and Delivery Intelligence to enable in-context analysis of source and dependencies to aid refactoring and impact analysis.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0953.
CICS system events: System events are stabilized. Consider moving to Policy system rules. Events that are emitted by policies and CICS application events share a common infrastructure and remain strategic.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0959.
CICS TS Application Handler Java interface: The CICS Application handler Java interface, which can be used to write SOAP web services provider pipeline application handlers in an Axis2 JVM server, is stabilized. Consider writing a web application for API services that use the Java API for XML Web Services (JAX-WS) Liberty features, Node.js, or z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0964.
CICSPlex SM Real-Time Analysis: CICSPlex® SM Real-Time Analysis (RTA) is stabilized. Consider moving to Policy system rules or to a dedicated monitoring product such as IBM OMEGAMON for z/OS.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues either message DFHH0962 or DFHH0963 respectively, depending on whether the MRM or the SAM function is used.
CICSPlex SM Web User Interface: The CICSPlex SM Web User Interface (WUI) is stabilized, although minor additions to views continue. The CICSPlex SM address space (CMAS) and WUI server components continue to support CICS Explorer® and form the basis of the modern CICS user experience. CICS Explorer provides an extensive set of task-oriented views, powerful context-sensitive editors, and supports the new features of CICS TS, enabling developers and systems programmers to be more productive.
CICS Web Interface (CWI) COMMAREA interface: The CICS Web Interface (CWI) COMMAREA interface is stabilized in CICS TS. Consider removing the CWI COMMAREA interface and upgrade any applications to use the EXEC CICS WEB API commands instead.
DFHWBCLI web client interface: The DFHWBCLI Web Client Interface is stabilized. Consider moving to use the CICS WEB API with Session tokens.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0954.
Enterprise Bundle Archive (EBA): Enterprise Bundle Archive (EBA) support is stabilized in CICS TS. Additionally, the ability to build EBAs as part of the CICS bundle export is stabilized in both CICS Explorer and CICS TS build toolkit. Consider either using Gradle or Maven to build EBAs or copying a built EBA into a CICS bundle before export.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0961.
Extended Recovery Facility: XRF system initialization parameter in CICS is stabilized. Consider alternative technologies that provide more flexible high-availability solutions for modern workloads. These solutions include the z/OS Automatic Restart Manager (ARM), CICS data sharing, VTAM® persistent sessions, and use of the cross-system coupling facility.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0951.
JCA ECI adapter: The JCA ECI adapter in the Liberty JVM server is stabilized. Consider updating applications to use JCICS Link as an alternative. For more information about developing JCICS Link applications, see the com.ibm.cicsdev.link sample in GitHub.; 6.3 The JCA ECI adapter in Liberty JVM server is removed.
ONC RPC: Open Network Computing Remote Procedure Call (ONC RPC) is stabilized. Consider exposing and orchestrating applications as API services by using z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition, CICS web services, or by writing web applications in Java or Node.js.; 6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0958.
PDF documentation: PDF format versions of some parts of the CICS Transaction Server documentation are stabilized and no longer updated. The corresponding information in HTML in IBM Documentation remains available. For a list of these PDFs, see Changes to documentation.
Release sensitive XPI call RELSENSCALL: Support for the Release sensitive XPI call is stabilized.; 6.3 Support for the Release sensitive XPI call is removed.
SAML using the CICS STS: Support for SAML using the CICS Security Token Service is stabilized.; 6.3 Support for SAML using the CICS Security Token Service is removed.; 6.2 If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0955.
Signing and encrypting SOAP messages for the WS-Security feature: Support for signing and encrypting SOAP messages for WS-Security feature is stabilized. For more information about WS-Security support, see the Security for SOAP web services.; 6.3 Support for signing and encrypting SOAP messages for the WS-Security feature is removed.
SOTUNING system initialization parameter: The SOTUNING system initialization parameter is stabilized. If SOTUNING=520 is in effect, change its value to SOTUNING=YES.; 6.3 If SOTUNING=520 is in effect, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0966.
USEROUTPUTCLASS function: Support for USEROUTPUTCLASS function used in JVM profile is deprecated as it has a negative effect on the performance of JVMs.; 6.3 Support for USEROUTPUTCLASS function is deprecated.
WS-Security infrastructure options: CICS web services Support for WS-Security infrastructure is stabilized.
WSDL 2.0: Web Services Description Language (WSDL) 2.0 in CICS is stabilized. Use WSDL 1.1 as the de facto standard for SOAP-based web services.

Deprecated functions

The following technologies are deprecated and will be discontinued in a future release.

CICS Liberty feature cicsts:zosConnect-1.0

6.3 Support for Liberty feature cicsts:zosConnect-1.0 is deprecated as of CICS TS 6.3.

JVMSERVER-based configuration option for the web services data transformation service

Support for the JVMSERVER-based configuration option for the web services data transformation service is stabilized. Avoid use of the following pipeline configuration file options:

Avoid using the JAVA_PIPELINE JVM server profile option.

These options can be replaced with the use of non-Java pipeline for CICS web services, z/OS Connect Enterprise Edition, or by writing web applications in Java or Node.js. WSBind files that are currently deployed to an Axis2 pipeline can be redeployed into a non-Java pipeline with no required change to the WSBind files.

6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0964.

USEROUTPUTCLASS function

6.3 Support for USEROUTPUTCLASS function used in JVM profile is deprecated as of CICS TS 6.3. If there is an attempt to use this function, a warning message to be displayed by JVMSERVER and redirected as required.

Discontinued functions

For more information, such as removed messages and commands, see Changes between releases.

CICS Liberty feature cicsts:zosConnect-2.0

6.3 Support for Liberty feature cicsts:zosConnect-2.0 is removed as of CICS TS 6.3.

Java 8 and Java 11

6.3 Support for Java 8 and Java 11 is removed as of CICS TS 6.3.

To learn more about Java versions support, see Migrating applications to new Java versions.

JCA ECI adapter

The JCA ECI adapter in Liberty JVM server is removed as of CICS TS 6.3. Update applications to use JCICS Link as an alternative. For more information about developing JCICS Link applications, see the com.ibm.cicsdev.link sample in GitHub.

SAML using the CICS STS

6.3 Support for SAML using the CICS Security Token Service is removed as of CICS TS 6.3. Consider using IBM DataPower® Gateway or opt for an off-platform alternative to process the SAML tokens.

6.2 If this function is used, the CICS_STABILIZED_FUNCTIONS health check issues message DFHH0955.

Signing and encrypting SOAP messages for the WS-Security feature

6.3 Support for signing and encrypting SOAP messages using the WS-Security protocols is removed as of CICS TS 6.3. You can still use Transport Layer Security (TLS) to secure SOAP messages. As a result, the XML Toolkit for z/OS is no longer required in CICS TS 6.3.

The aspects of WS-Security feature that relate to identity propagation and trust continue to be supported in CICS TS 6.3.

For more information about WS-Security feature support, see the Security for SOAP web services.

Transport Layer Security (TLS)

Support for TLS 1.0 is removed as of CICS TS 6.1. Support for TLS 1.1 is removed as of CICS TS 6.3. Consider using TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3 that provide increased security for TCP/IP connections using Customizing encryption negotiations.

6.2 and later If this function is used, the CICS_REGION_CONFIGURATION health check issues message DFHH0405.

XSNEX global user exit

The signon and signoff global user exit XSNEX was introduced as a temporary migration aid in CICS TS 2.2 and is removed in CICS TS 6.1.