WebSphere software

The WebSphere Application Server drives business agility by providing millions of developers and IT Architects with an innovative, performance-based foundation to build, reuse, run, integrate and manage Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) applications and services. From business critical and key enterprise-wide applications to the smallest departmental level applications, WebSphere Application Server offers the highest levels of reliability, availability, security and scalability.

Only WebSphere Application Server has the three foundational attributes to enable robust and agile business applications: Simplified Development, High Performance and Intelligent Management..

Simplified Development
Increase developer productivity with a proven, standards-based platform. WebSphere Application Server V8 offers enhanced support for standards, emerging technology and a choice of development frameworks that simplifies programming models to increase developer productivity. Integral tooling makes the most of existing technology skills for rapid time-to-value.

• Java EE 5 certification, EJB 3.0 support and Java Persistence API (JPA) and Java Development Kit (JDK) 6.0, deliver simplified programming models for building reusable persistent object
• Web services support, including JAX-WS, SOAP 1.2, MTOM, XOP, WS-ReliableMessaging, WS-Trust, WS-SecureConversation, WS-Policy, and Kerberos Token Profile, simplifies interoperability in mixed environments
• Web 2.0 support (via Feature Pack for Web 2.0) extends Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) by connecting external Web services, internal SOA services, and Java Platform Enterprise Edition (JEE) objects into highly interactive Web application interfaces
• Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) servlets simplify development with standardised support for interactive user sessions involving real-time multimedia elements such as voice, video, instant messaging and online games
• Spring has certification for use with WebSphere Application Server to enable module-based programming
• Single-step installation and configuration, wizards and default configurations, and easy- to-navigate documentation that includes extensive use of sample code help ensure fast and smooth start-up
• IBM Rational? Application Developer for WebSphere V7.5 is available and fully exploits capabilities within WebSphere Application Server V8, accelerating delivery of higher quality, mission-critical applications
• WebSphere Application Server Feature Packs simplify the adoption of new standards such Services Component Architecture (SCA), and improve consumability by enabling users to selectively take advantage of new standards and features while maintaining a more stable internal release cycle

High Performance
Keep your business agile in a constantly changing environment. WebSphere Application Server V8 provides a fast, reliable, available, secure and scalable environment that enables development and application efficiencies so that businesses can do more with fewer resources

Unparalleled Performance
Do more with less. WebSphere Application Server V8 delivers optimised runtime performance through provisioning, web services, and EJB3 enhancements which can result in fewer energy consuming processors performing the same workloads of previous versions

Rock-solid Security
Rest assured, applications and data are secure from attack. WebSphere Application Server V8 delivers optimised runtime performance through provisioning, web services, and EJB3 enhancements which can result in fewer energy consuming processors performing the same workloads of previous versions

• WebSphere Security Domains deliver greater granularity, flexibility and control over users and infrastructure to increase administration efficiencies
• Security auditing capabilities ensure security compliance to ease development
• Broader implementation of Kerberos improves security interoperability with other applications and environments while increasing developer productivity

Run your applications where it makes sense for you.

• WebSphere Application Server V8 supports the broadest range of platforms in the industry, helping provide assurance that your applications can be built to run on the platform that most makes sense for your business.

Intelligent Management
Anticipate and adjust to mission critical issues. WebSphere Application Server V8 offers a simplified infrastructure, flexible and effective application control and runtime efficiency so you can respond to evolving business needs with infrastructure and application intelligence.

• Runtime provisioning and OSGi technology dynamically selects only the needed functions for memory and space reducing the application server footprint
• Flexible Management features in WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment improve efficiencies of administration and allow remote production resource management of WAS Base and WAS Express
• New Administration tools enable attention to the deepest level of security providing fine grained security management levels
• New WebSphere Business Level Applications (WBLA) expands the notion of "application" beyond Java EE 5 to significantly improve the management of multi-component applications, simplifying administrative tasks
• Improved Console Command Assistant, easier security configuration and database connectivity, wizards and a stand-alone thin administration client enable efficient management of the deployment environment

Core to these foundational attributes is a unique focus on investment protection. In any economy businesses need to make decisions that leverage investments from the past to quickly and effectively respond to the future. Thus, businesses need technology that drives business agility and a smarter business outcome.

Investment Protection
Protect investments in applications through reuse and integration. From service-enabling legacy assets to inventing new ones, our technology makes your business accessible to new users in innovative ways, giving you immediate insight and interaction with partners, suppliers and customers and increasing your return on investment.

• New web services support including WS-Business Activity, WS-Notification and WS-I Basic Security Profile, helps you more securely extend your reach and gives better application portability and control. On top of already extensive Web services support, Web 2.0 and a powerful Java Messaging Service (JMS) engine help you extend the reach of your existing applications and maximise asset utilisation.
• Pre-integrated support for WebSphere MQ and tight integration with WebSphere ESB - the combination of these products form a powerful Enterprise Service Bus that can integrate the most diverse set of applications and environments
• New Deployment manager enables you to manage previous versions of WebSphere Application Server so that you can adopt newer infrastructure as your plans require
• New multi-cell support and compatibility features offer the ability to seamlessly adopt newer infrastructure and run applications developed in previous Java Enterprise Edition versions (backwards compatible to JEE v1.2) for WebSphere Application Server to eliminate intensive cost and resource requirements

The following minimum operating system and hardware requirements must be met on the server to support the basic installation and use of WebSphere? Application Server.

Operating System	Software	Hardware
AIX, HP-UX, IBM i, Linux, Solaris, Windows, z/OS	See technical details link on the right for complete list of software requirements.	See technical details link on the right for complete list of software requirements.