Interoperating transactionally between application servers

You can configure application servers so that transaction messages are sent and received between application servers at different versions of WebSphere® Application Server. Depending on the version of the application server, you can set system properties, or use the transaction coordination authorization setting.

About this task

The transaction manager in WebSphere Application Server supports transactional interoperation with other transaction managers through either the CORBA Object Transaction Service (OTS) protocol, or, for JSR-109 compliant requests, the Web Services Atomic Transaction (WS-AT) protocol. Also, the transaction manager can coordinate XA resource managers and be coordinated by Java™ EE Connector Architecture 1.5 resource adapters.

Procedure

  • [AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows][IBM i] To interoperate transactionally, using the OTS protocol to send requests from application servers that are WebSphere Application Server Version 5.0.2 or earlier to application servers that are Version 6 or later, set the following system properties on application servers that are Version 5.0.2 or earlier. 
    com.ibm.ejs.jts.jts.ControlSet.nativeOnly=false
com.ibm.ejs.jts.jts.ControlSet.interoperabilityOnly=true

    For example, to send requests from application servers that are WebSphere Application Server Version 4.0.n to application servers that are WebSphere Application Server Version 6, set the system properties on the Version 4.0.n application servers.

    You do not have to set these properties to receive requests on application servers that are WebSphere Application Server Version 5.0.2 or earlier from application servers that are Version 6 or later.

  • When administrative security is enabled for application servers at WebSphere Application Server Version 6.0.2 or later, you must disable transaction coordination authorization for such servers in the following situations:
    • The server interoperates transactionally with application servers at a version earlier than WebSphere Application Server Version 6.0.2.
    • The server interoperates transactionally with non-WebSphere Application Server servers.
    • The server interoperates transactionally with other servers and the server is not in a Common Criteria EAL4 evaluated configuration.

      [AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows]When administrative security is enabled, the transaction manager is configured by default for use in the Common Criteria EAL4 evaluated configuration.

    The transaction coordination authorization setting controls only the transaction protocol messages between servers that are used to coordinate the completion of a transaction. It does not affect application messages or the security of the server. When transaction coordination authorization is enabled:
    • The server verifies that the sending server is authorized to handle prepare, commit, rollback, and one-phase commit messages.
    • [AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows]The caller will be checked to see if permitted to the administrator role.

    To disable transaction coordination authorization on a server, use the following steps.

    1. In the administrative console, click Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server_name > [Container Settings] Container Services > Transaction Service.
    2. Clear the Enable transaction coordination authorization check box.
    3. Click Apply or OK.
    4. Save your changes to the master configuration.
    5. Restart the server.