IBM is now conducting an open beta for the latest version of its CICS Transaction Server, which adds cloud-style CICS development, deployment, and operations. IBM CICS Transaction Server for z/OS (CICS TS) V5.1 offers new platform-as-a service (PaaS) capabilities that can be used to host software-as-a-service (SaaS)-based CICS applications.
The open beta offers cloud-style development, deployment, and operations to the CICS platform, providing users the opportunity to evaluate these capabilities, determine their relevance to enterprise, and provide feedback to IBM on the concept and implementation.
The combination of new Application, Platform, and Policy definitions is intended to help simplify the assembly, deployment, and lifecycle management of CICS applications, delivering many of the characteristics found in private-cloud systems, IBM adds.
Support has been added for a Java web container, built on WebSphere Application Server Liberty profile technology, which implements the Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP) specifications, enabling users to co-locate your web and business applications.
Various foundational improvements have been added, including support for Java 7 and further 64-bit exploitation. Event processing is expanded by new WRITE OPERATOR and message capture points, and a new capability to emit a single event to multiple adapters.
The CICS-WebSphere MQ dynamic program link (DPL) bridge has been enhanced to pass data using containers, increasing the amount of data that can be passed and broadening the solutions in which it can be used.
The IBM CICS Explorer V5.1 open beta, included with the CICS TS V5.1 open beta, has been updated to include support for the new and enhanced capabilities of this CICS TS deliverable. Download the CICS TS V5.1 open beta from the IBM website at www-01.ibm.com/software/htp/cics/openbeta.