Changes for Version 3 Release 1

This topic lists the technical changes that were introduced in or incorporated into IMS Connect Extensions Version 3 Release 1.

Fourth Edition (SC27-9517-03)
Streaming performance data to Splunk
A new Splunk application has been introduced, and an existing application has been updated in this release.
  • IMS Connect Open Database analysis Splunk application

    IMS system administrators and application developers can now analyze IMS Connect Open Database workloads with the help of the new IMS Connect Open Database analysis Splunk starter application. You can use this application with the IMS Connect Extensions feed to explore new ways to monitor your IMS Connect and Open Database environment.

  • z/OS Connect tracking token support

    For customers who monitor z/OS Connect workloads, the existing Splunk starter application has been updated to demonstrate how to access the z/OS Connect field and make the critical step toward correlating IMS Connect activity with z/OS Connect SMF123 records.

For more information on using the IMS Connect Extensions feed to stream data to Splunk, refer to the z Open Data repository on GitHub.

Enhancements to IMS Connect Extensions feed client (APAR PH56965)
You can now forward ODBM information as an IMS Connect Extensions feed to a system that listens on a TCP/IP port to read JSON Lines data. As a result, you can detect any ODBM issues. The ODBM data is included in the JSON output when you specify JSON as the destination for the IMS Connect Extensions feed. For more information, see IMS Connect Extensions feed fields.

In addition, the new RECONNECTS parameter enables you to set a limit on the number of reconnection attempts, giving you more control over the connection process. For more information, see IMS Connect Extensions feed parameters for DESTINATION=JSON.

Support for the z/OS Connect token field in the IMS Connect Extension feed (APAR PH55459)

You can now forward z/OS Connect token as an IMS Connect Extensions feed to a system that listens on a TCP/IP port to read JSON Lines data. For more information, see IMS Connect Extensions feed fields.

To provide more enhanced secure (SSL/TLS) connections, the TLS protocol version in Security parameters has been upgraded to 1.3 by dropping earlier supported version 1.0. Therefore, the supported versions of TLS are V1.3, V1.2, and V1.1.

New parameter to cache failed authentication requests (APAR PH52365)
The new parameter CACHE_VERIFY_FAILURES in the SECURITY option specified in the CEXCTLIN data set enables the caching of failed authentication requests. Thereby, you can reduce the significant amount of CPU overhead that might result for instance from repeated requests using a revoked userID. For more information, see SECURITY option.
Third Edition (SC27-9517-02)
Option to specify alternate TCP/IP stack for console listener port (APAR PH39625)
The TCPIP_CONTROL option specified in the CEXCTLIN data set provides the ability to specify an alternate TCP/IP stack for use by the IMS Connect Extensions console listener port. This is useful when network separation between listener traffic and IMS Connect message traffic is desired. For more information, see TCPIP_CONTROL option.
New Routing list option (APAR PH39257)
The new option changes the routing list processing to the first available data store instead of all the available data stores specified in the ordered list.

You can use the Route to first available in list order option on the Routing List to override workload balancing and define the order of precedence that datastores are selected for routing. For more information, see Routing OTMA workload to one or more IMS data stores.

Second Edition (SC27-9517-01)
IP address blocking (APAR PH36104)
Users can now block client requests from a specific IP address or a range of IP addresses using IMS Connect Extensions IP address rules. For more information, see Creating workload rules for specific IP addresses.
Exclude a user exit from IP address rule processing (APAR PH36104)
Users can now exclude specified user exits from IP address rule processing. For more information, see Defining user exits.
Override the OTMA trusted user flag (APAR PH11798)
Users can now configure an IP address rule to force set or clear the OTMA trusted user flag (OMUSR_TRSTUSR) in the OTMA header. For more information, see Creating workload rules for specific IP addresses.
Assign user ID supplied in client SSL certificate to requests on AT-TLS connections (APAR PH09987)
Users can now use the CLIENTCERT_UID parameter on the SECURITY CEXCTLIN option to allow messages on AT-TLS connections to be assigned the user ID associated with a client SSL certificate. Once obtained, the user ID is implicitly trusted and can be used to create an ACEE. For more information, see SECURITY option.
Option to suppress select IMS Connect Extensions SYSLOG messages (APAR PH19834)
Users can now use the DROP_WTO parameter on the MESSAGE CEXCTLIN option to suppress specified SYSLOG messages generated by IMS Connect Extensions. For more information, see MESSAGE option.
General documentation updates
The user's guide has also been updated in the following ways:
First Edition (SC27-9517-00)
Expose near real-time IMS Connect transaction summary data to analytics engines
Analyze IMS Connect transaction summary data in analytics platforms such as Splunk using the IMS Connect Extensions feed. This information can be formatted as JSON Lines, written to SMF, or by writing it to data sets for use in IBM IMS Performance Analyzer for z/OS, IBM IMS Problem Investigator for z/OS, and IBM® Transaction Analysis Workbench for z/OS. For more information on the IMS Connect Extensions feed, see Forwarding a live feed of IMS Connect events.
Enhancements to the IMS Connect Extensions status monitor to display socket and journal usage
Users can now view socket and IMS Connect Extensions journal usage in the IMS Connect Extensions ISPF dialog and Operations Console for z/OS® Explorer. For more information on ISPF changes, see Using the Operations dialog. For more information on the Operations Console, see Displaying statistics on IMS Connect activity.
Query journal, socket, and status monitor resource statuses and statistics in REXX
Users can now query the status of the IMS Connect Extensions journal, IMS Connect socket usage, and statistics supplied by the status monitor using the IMS Connect Extensions host command environment for REXX. Several new REXX samples that demonstrate just some of the ways in which these queries can be used for enhanced automation of your systems can be found in the SCEXSAMP library. For more information, see QUERY commands. For new REXX samples that demonstrate how to use these features, see REXX automation samples for the IMS Connect Extensions host command environment.
IP address rules
IP address rules allow you to specify what preconditioning is to take place on workloads coming from specific IP addresses. Use IP address rules to treat messages coming from an IP address as a trusted user or to assign a specific user ID to the request. See Creating workload rules for specific IP addresses.
Changes to CONNECT host command for REXX
The CONNECT host command for REXX has been modified in the following ways:
  • The APPLID parameter is no longer required.
  • PASSTIK=YES is now the default authenticator.
See CONNECT command.
Changes to TRACE host command for REXX
The TRACE host command for REXX has been modified to allow you to more easily modify an active trace by making the default values apply only when a trace is not currently active. See TRACE command.
Renamed sample job CEXCMDS for access control configuration
Sample job CEXCMDS that implements IMS Connect Extensions resource profiles has been renamed to CEXRACF. See Example: typical access control configuration.
Support for PassTickets in IMS Open Database (APAR PH01608)
Support in IMS Connect Extensions security to allow IMS Connect DRDA clients to pass in a PassTicket instead of a password for user authentication in IMS Connect for accessing IMS DB through ODBM.
Wildcard support for the DESTID in OTMA routing rules (APAR PI79483)
Users can now define OTMA routing rules that can service a set of transactions by specifying wildcards (*) that can match multiple IRM_IMSDestID field values. This reduces the number of rules required to support a range of IRM_IMSDestIDs that need to be handled in the same way. For more information, see Defining OTMA routing rules and OTMA routing rule (RTG) ADD command.
Installation requirements for product library SFUNLINK
Product library SFUNLINK previously supplied with IMS Connect Extensions V2.4 is now supplied in IBM Common Services Library for z/OS (5655-CSL). Refer to the IMS Connect Extensions program directory for installation instructions.
IMS Connect Extensions Operations Console for IBM Explorer for z/OS (z/OS Explorer)
The IMS Connect Extensions Operations Console is now available for direct download via the Internet. For the most up to date information, visit the Install Eclipse Tools page on the IBM Developer website.