IBM Enhances Web Enablement Bundle, But for V5R4 Only

As part of the server announcements last week, IBM also made some tweaks to its so-called Web Enablement bundle of tools that it has created to make i5/OS servers easier to configure and manage as they are set up to support Web-style applications.

The Web Enablement software actually comes with its own licensed program product designation, 5722-WE2. The key new feature that IBM added this time around is called Express Runtime Web Environments for i5/OS, which is an installation program that IBM put on a CD or DVD drive to provide one-step installation of WebSphere Application Server-Express V6.0 and iSeries Access for Web V5R4. The Express Runtime program comes with an example RPG program interfacing with WebSphere, illustrating how to make use of the WebFacing and Host Access Transformation Services features of the WebSphere Development Studio Client development tool for the i5 line.

The Express Runtime Web Environments for i5/OS program is expected to be available October 20. All of the enhancements in the Web Enablement stack are only available for i5/OS V5R4, which is the latest release. They are not supported on OS/400 V5R3, the prior release of the operating system that runs on iSeries and i5 servers. i5/OS V5R4 will run on any iSeries or i5 machine that has been announced since 2000, which means those bearing an iSeries 8XX, iSeries 5XX, or i5 5XX designation.

I will go into more detail on other changes IBM made in the i5/OS stack in next week’s issue.