IBM WebSphere Application Server Versions 8.0 (5733-W80) and 8.5 (5733-W85)

Product Support Information:

IBM® WebSphere® Application Server Version 8.0 (5733-W80)

Full support of this product will be discontinued on Start of change December 31st, 2017 End of change . After this date, the WAS v8.0 Express® edition on the IBM i platform will only be supported on a best effort basis under the IBM Web Enablement (5722-WE2) product license. The Base and Network Deployment (ND) editions will no longer be supported.

For more information on the support of the WAS v8.0 product, please refer to the URL: http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/ShowDoc.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/rep_ca/3/897/ENUS916-143/index.html&lang=en&request_locale=en

If you are currently running on WAS v8.0; IBM strongly recommends you migrate to WAS v8.5 or v9.0.

WAS product migration information for the IBM i platform can be found in the following URLs:

WAS v8.5.5 - http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1020832
WAS v9.0 - http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1021398

Support for IBM Java SE 6.0/6.2.6 (5770JV1 Option 11 and 12) will be discontinued on December 31st, 2017

WARNING After this date, no additional fixes or PTFs will be produced for the 5770JV1 Option 11 and 12 LPPs. Support for the 5770JV1 Option 11 and 12 LPPs will be provided on best effort basis only. This will affect WAS v8.5.5 environments and require a migration of WAS v8.5.5 to Java™ SE 7.0, 7.1, or 8.0.

Existing v8.5.5 WebSphere Application Servers may fail to start when the WAS Fix Pack released after December 2017 is applied. Only WebSphere Application Servers configured to use Java SE 6.0 will be affected. If the application server is configured to use JDK 7.0, 7.1, or 8.0; it will not be affected. Please note that the default Java SE for v8.5.5 WebSphere Application Servers is Java SE 6.0 unless they are configured otherwise.

How to identify the Java SE version used by my WAS v8.5 profile and environment?

STRQSH
cd /QIBM/ProdData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/<edition>/bin
./managesdk -listEnabledProfileAll

The output should look something like the following for each:

CWSDK1004I: Profile WAS85SVR :

CWSDK1006I: PROFILE_COMMAND_SDK = 1.6_32

CWSDK1008I: Node AS400_WAS85SVR SDK name: 1.6_32

CWSDK1009I: Server WAS85SVR SDK name: 1.6_32

CWSDK1009I: Server IHS_WEBSERVER SDK name: 1.6_32

CWSDK1001I: Successfully performed the requested managesdk task.

In the above example, you can see that 1.6_32 (Java SE 6.0 32bit) is currently configured to be used.

If you are currently are using Java SE 6.0, 7.0, or 7.1 in your WAS v8.5.5 environment, IBM strongly recommends you migrate your WAS environment to use Java SE 8.0 using the managesdk comamnd.

In order to use Java SE 8.0 with WAS v8.5.5, the following steps will need to be taken:

Install the Java SE 8.0 32 bit (5770-JV1 option 16) and Java SE 8.0 64 bit (5770-JV1 option 17) LPPs.
Refer to the following URL on how to download and install Java SE 8.0 on the IBM i OS. http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1020692
Use the WAS-supplied managesdk command to update existing WebSphere Application Server profile(s) SDK, command default SDK, and new profile SDK to Java SE 8.0.
For detailed managesdk command usage, refer to the URL: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=nas8N1019730

IBM recommends the following commands be executed to change the product and all profile defaults to use JDK 8.0 64 bit (5770JV1 Option 17).

STRQSH
cd /QIBM/ProdData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/<edition>/bin
./managesdk -setNewProfileDefault -sdkname 1.8_64
./managesdk -setCommandDefault -sdkname 1.8_64
./managesdk -enableProfileAll -sdkname 1.8_64 -enableServers

NOTE: IBM strongly recommends that all WebSphere Application Server profiles and product defaults be updated to use Java SE 8.0 prior to December 2017 to avoid any issues.

Java SE 8.0 is the recommended Java SDK because it provides the latest features and security updates and will eliminate another Java SE upgrade when Java SE 7.0/7.1 goes out of support in the future.

Installation of WebSphere Application Server

In IBM i 7.1, IBM Web Enablement for i included IBM WebSphere Application Server - Express V7.0, IBM WebSphere Application Server - Express V8.0, and IBM WebSphere Application Server - Express V8.5. In IBM i 7.2, IBM Web Enablement for i includes IBM WebSphere Application Server - Express V8.0 and IBM WebSphere Application Server - Express V8.5. Additionally, Application Servers V6.1 and V7.0 are not supported on IBM i 7.2.

The minimum required level of WebSphere Application Server V8.0 on 7.2 is 8.0.0.8. The minimum required level of WebSphere Application Server V8.5 on 7.2 is 8.5.5.2. However, for the WebSphere Application Server Liberty profile, which was introduced with Application Server V8.5 the minimum required level for archive type installations is 8.5.0.0 while the minimum required level for IBM Installation Manager type installations is 8.5.5.0.

Upgrading to IBM i 7.2:

If you are currently using Application Server V7.0 and upgrading to 7.2, you need to migrate to the WebSphere Application Server V8.0.0.8 or V8.5.5.2 products. Because migration does not require Application Server V7.0 to be operational, migration can occur before or you upgrade to 7.2.

After you upgrade to 7.2, ensure that all Application Server installations meet the minimum required fix levels. The version identifier is contained in file <app_server_root>/properties/version/WAS.product, where<app_server_root> is the root directory of the WebSphere Application Server installation. For the Liberty profile, the version identifier is contained in <wlp_root>/lib/versions/WebSphereApplicationServer.properties, where <wlp_root> is the root directory of the Liberty profile.
For WebSphere Application Server V8.0, apply fix pack 8 (8.0.0.8) or later if needed. For WebSphere Application Server V8.5, apply fix pack 2 of version 8.5.5 (8.5.5.2) or later if needed. For Installation Manager type installs of the Liberty profile, update the Liberty profile to version 8.5.5.0 or later.
Note: In WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5.5.0, the Liberty profile was promoted from a feature to an independently installable offering. You cannot make an in-place update of the Version 8.5.0.x Liberty profile feature. For more information, see article "Updating the Liberty profile from Version 8.5.0 to Version 8.5.5" in WebSphere Application Server information center.
IMPORTANT: if the Application Server installation was already at the required fix level before the IBM i Operating System upgrade, then update the Application Server service programs for IBM i 7.2. This step does not apply to the WebSphere Application Server Liberty profile.
Prior to updating the service programs, ensure the following conditions are met:
- WebSphere Application Servers are ended
- System value QALWOBJRST is set to *ALL
- The IBM i User Profile running the command has the following special authority set: *ALLOBJ and *SECADM
To update the programs:
- Start the Qshell interpreter.
- cd to <app_server_root>/bin
- Start the _postfpexit script as follows: _postfpexit <app_server_root>
```
Example:
STRQSH
cd /QIBM/ProdData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/Express/bin
_postfpexit /QIBM/ProdData/WebSphere/AppServer/V85/Express
```

Documentation:

For more information, see the WebSphere Application Server Library documentation at this website: http://www.ibm.com/software/webservers/appserv/was/library