IMS system enhancements

The enhancements to the IMS 15.3 system are not specific to either the IMS Database Manager or the IMS Transaction Manager and might impact both.

Data set support for zHyperWrite
In IMS 15.3, you can specify whether to use zHyperWrite for writing data to the write-ahead log data sets (WADS) and online log data sets (OLDS). The command output of /DISPLAY OLDS shows whether zHyperWrite is used when data is written to the OLDS or WADS.
Improved queue manager scalability for IMS OTMA CM1 and APPC synchronous messages enhancement
The IMS 15 APAR PH51463 enhances queue manager scalability for IMS OTMA CM1 and APPC synchronous messages.
IMS Connect enhancements
In IMS 15.3, IMS Connect is enhanced in multiple ways to improve reliability, availability, serviceability, and security.
IMS installed level enhancements
In IMS 15.3, IMS installed level enhancements enable you to get information about the installed IMS release, version, and modification level.
IMS security enhancements
IMS 15.3 introduces security enhancements.
INQY ENVIRON2 enhancement
The new INQY call ENVIRON2 subfunction returns more information about an IMS execution environment than the ENVIRON subfunction. ENVIRON2 returns output such as primary and active JVM addressing modes, Managed ACB activation, IMS installed version, and IMS function level. To use this enhancement, install APAR/PTF PH45098/UI90543.
Non-stop PSB after an application abends in a non-message-driven BMP region
You can program the Non-Discardable Messages exit (DFSNDMX0) to control programs after an application abends in a non-message-driven BMP region. To do so, this enhancement provides new keywords that you can use with the optional NDMX_CALLED_FOR() parameter.
IMS JDBC Map Case enhancement
The JDBC Map Case enhancement provides an optional removeInvalidCaseFields connection property to return only valid map case columns and fields in a SQL result set.
IMS Connect send-only with error protocol enhancement
In IMS 15.3, IMS Connect clients can use the new send-only with error protocol to send transactions and receive errors that occur in IMS Connect.
IMS compliance control blocks support
In IMS 15.3, the IMS compliance control blocks support provides access to compliance-related data in the Operation Manager and IMS Connect that can be collected for compliance audit purposes.
IMS Fast Monitor (FASTMON) user exit enhancement
IMS 15.3 introduces a new exit, the IMS Fast Monitor user exit (FASTMON), which provides a programming interface for you to capture the same data that is available to the IMS Monitor.
ACEE creation and management enhancement for ESAF Db2 interface
In IMS 15.3, a new optional keyword RLA= Y|N is added to the SSM member of the IMS PROCLIB data set for the Db2 subsystem to reduce the overheads of ACEE creation and management. This is delivered through APAR PH33024.
HEX and binary literal support in JDBC SQL queries
In IMS 15.3, IMS Universal JDBC Drivers support the usage of HEX and binary literals in the SQL syntax. This enhancement is delivered with APAR PH25586/ UI 71410 for IMS15 and PH 25585/ UI71424 for IMS14.
IMS support for IBM z/OS Workload Interaction Correlator
With the introduction of IMS support for IBM® z/OS® Workload Interaction Correlator in IMS 15.3, you can gain a unified view of workload performance data for an IMS system and other participating z/OS components and middleware.
INIT OLC TYPE(ACBMBR) command enhancement
The INIT OLC TYPE(ACBMBR) command has new a option called BLDPSBNO.
Overflow sequential access method (OSAM) data set encryption
Install PH16682/UI67505 to enable OSAM data set z/OS encryption, which allows you to enhance security without changes to applications and to reduce outages.
REXXIMS MAPDEF packed decimal function enhancement
In IMS 15.3, the IMS adapter REXXIMS is enhanced to increase the max MAPDEF length value to 16 bytes for packed (P) and 32 bytes for zoned (Z) data types. This enhancement is delivered with APAR/PTF PH16409/UI66831.
Data privacy for diagnostics support for IMS 64-bit storage
To protect sensitive diagnostic data that is sent to IBM or other third-party vendors, you can use a sample job run against an IMS dump to redact 64-bit storage objects that have been tagged as SENSITIVE by IMS.
ByteBuffers in the IMS Universal JDBC and DL/I Interfaces
In IMS 15.3, ByteBuffers have been enabled in the IMS Universal JDBC and DL/I interfaces. A new interface for issuing ICAL and enhanced support for Dynamic Arrays and ArrayResultSets have also been added. This feature is delivered by the APAR PH14157/UI64958.
Database segment mapping enhancement
In IMS 15.3, the database segment mapping enhancement allows application developers to access an IMS database segment whose schema is determined by the key feedback data from a parent segment without knowledge of the database schema. This enhancement is delivered with APAR/PI94643/UI59325 (for IMS14) and PI97302/UI59327 (for IMS15).
STOP REGION command enhancement
The /STOP REGION command has a new ABDUMP FORCE keyword to terminate regions with a TERM PENDING or WAIT-INIT-INPROG status when a CREATE THREAD is not performed on IMS.
Starting Common Service Layer components enhancement
In IMS 15.3 with APAR/PTF PH04044/UI60475, IMS is enhanced to automatically start, by using a procedure in an IMS control region, the Common Service Layer (CSL) address spaces in a Resource Manager (RM) environment. More specifically, this enhancement enables IMS to automatically start in an RM environment the Operations Manager (OM), Structured Call Interface (SCI), and RM address spaces of the CSL.
IMS restart message enhancement
In IMS 15.3, message DFS5055I is added to enable you to determine whether IMS restart is in progress, completed, or hung.
Open Database Manager (ODBM) and JDBC driver support for INIT STATUS Group call
In IMS 15.3, support for ODBM to allow INIT STATUS GROUPx call from an application using IMS Universal Drivers (UDB) is added. This feature is delivered through the APARs PH0366 and PH02698 (for IMS Universal Drivers).
UPDATE TRAN command enhancement
In IMS 15.3, the UPDATE TRAN command is enhanced with APAR/PTF PH00581/UI58235. The enhancement enables you to run the UPDATE TRAN command with the PLCTTIME attribute specified whether or not dynamic resource definition (DRD) is enabled.
Log record PARDLI flag enhancement
In IMS 15.3, the X'08' Log record has been enhanced to include a flag that indicates the use of the Parallel DL/I mode (PARDLI) of the IMS application region that application has been scheduled into. Install APAR/PTF PI99293/UI58053 to enable this enhancement.
IMS Universal Database resource adapter connectivity enhancement for WebSphere Application Server Liberty
In IMS 15.3, the IMS Universal Database resource adapter is enhanced to provide type-2 and type-4 connectivity support for WebSphere® Application Server Liberty.
IVP support for 8-character TSO/E user IDs on z/OS 2.3
In IMS 15.3, the IVP supports the use of 8-character TSO/E user IDs. This requires that IMS run on z/OS 2.3 or later.
Function level activation control enhancement
In IMS 15.3 with APAR/PTF PI83839/UI52153, you can dynamically enable or disable new IMS functions that are delivered as PTFs under the IMS continuous delivery model without causing an IMS system outage. After you install a new IMS function, you control when to enable and disable the function by using the UPDATE IMSFUNC command.

Parent topic: IMS 15.3 enhancements