IBM Application Runtime Expert for i

The latest IBM Application Runtime Expert GUI interface (5733ARE) enhancements are available with the HTTP Group PTF:

• IBM i 7.1: SF99368 level 14
• IBM i 6.1: SF99115 level 26

For IBM i 5.4, the GUI interface is not supported, but templates can be run on IBM i 5.4. The required core PTF is: 5722SS1 SI47319.

This PTF upgrades the Web user interface to version 2.5. The upgraded Web user interface contains several new enhancements and fixes:

• Template author information is now shown on template table as a new column, so that templates can be better distinguished in a multiple user environment.
• Support for checking common object attributes ^[1] - more than 400 object type-specific attributes ^[2] can be checked and verified through the File and Directory Attributes plugin.
  
  In the past you would have had to use the Display Object Description (DSPOBJD) command to display so many object attributes using the *FULL or *SERVICE option, and check their specific attributes manually.
  
  To use this new function, click the Additional attributes button on the Select Library Objects view in File and Directory Attributes plugin.

• ^[1] Object common attributes supported:

  Object name
  Object library name
  Return library
  Object auxiliary storage pool (ASP) number
  Object owner Offset
  Object domain
  Extended object attribute
  Text description
  Source file name
  Source file library name
  Source file member name
  Source file updated date and time
  Object saved date and time
  Object restored date and time
  Creator's user profile
  System where object was created
  Reset date
  Saved size
  Save sequence number
  Storage
  Save command
  Save volume ID
  Save device
  Save file name
  Save file library name
  Save label
  System level
  Compiler
  Object level
  User changed
  Licensed program
  Program temporary fix (PTF)
  Authorized program analysis report (APAR)
  Last-used date
  Usage information updated
  Days-used count
  Object size multiplier
  Object compression status
  Allow change by program
  Changed by program
  User-defined attribute
  Object overflowed auxiliary storage pool (ASP) indicator
  Save active date and time
  Object auditing value
  Primary group
  Journal status
  Journal name
  Journal library name
  Journal images
  Journal entries to be omitted
  Journal start date and time
  Digitally signed
  Saved size in units
  Saved size multiplier
  Library auxiliary storage pool (ASP) number
  Object auxiliary storage pool (ASP) device name
  Library auxiliary storage pool (ASP) device name
  Digitally signed by system-trusted source
  Digitally signed more than once
  Primary associated space size
  Optimum space alignment
  Object auxiliary storage pool (ASP) group name
  Library auxiliary storage pool (ASP) group name
  Starting journal receiver name for apply
  Starting journal receiver library name
  Starting journal receiver library auxiliary storage pool (ASP) device name
  Starting journal receiver library auxiliary storage pool (ASP) group name
  Remote journal filter

• ^[2] More than 400 checks for type-specific attributes are supported for the following object types:

  *LIB
  *PGM
  *SRVPGM
  *CMD
  *MODULE
  *JRN
  *JRNRCV

For example: Program state of *PGM object type.

The latest IBM Application Runtime Expert GUI interface (5733ARE) enhancements are available with the HTTP Group PTF:

• IBM i 7.1: SF99368 level 12
• IBM i 6.1: SF99115 level 25

For IBM i 5.4, the GUI interface is not supported, but templates can be run on IBM i 5.4. The required core PTF is: 5722SS1 SI46459.

NOTE: 5733ARE is now dependent on Java 1.6. Ensure 5761JV1 Option 11 is installed along with the latest Java PTF group level.

This PTF upgrades the Web user interface to version 2.3. The upgraded Web user interface contains several new enhancements and fixes:

Support users without *ALLOBJ special authority: Users without *ALLOBJ authority are now able to create template using the GUI tool. Previously, only users with *ALLOBJ authority are able to create templates. Now, users without *ALLOBJ special authority can use the GUI tool to create templates by two ways:

1. Let the system administrator grant permission to use IBM Application Runtime Expert for i GUI tool for the designated users, by using IBM Web Administration for i. For details, refer to Documentation tab on product Web site.
2. Use without permission. It is not recommended. It is not guaranteed and may lead to unexpected result due to insufficient authority. This is designed for advanced user only. However it is useful if only authorized objects are accessed.

Users with *ALLOBJ special authority are not affected.

Other updates and usability enhancements:

• Support new version of common browsers (IE and Firefox)
• Issue fix for Product Verifier plugin: on systems with some languages (e.g. French) the product list can not be shown.
• Widget library compression: The GUI now is faster.
• Upgrade dependent server environment (IBM Integrated Application Server) from 7.1 to 8.1
• Build summary page: When building a template which costs much time, the progress can be periodically shown on the page.

The latest IBM Application Runtime Expert GUI interface (5733ARE) enhancements are available with PTF SI44502.

IMPORTANT: This PTF requires the newest IBM Application Runtime Expert for i core PTF. The newest core (part of the IBM i operating system) PTF is:

• IBM i 7.1: 5770SS1 SI44501
• IBM i 6.1: 5761SS1 SI44776
• IBM i 5.4: 5722SS1 SI45007 - Note templates can be run on IBM i 5.4, but the GUI interface is not supported on this release.

This PTF upgrades the Web user interface to version 2.0. The upgraded Web user interface contains several new enhancements and fixes:

Verify spooled files for CL commands: Scripts and Commands plugin now supports processing of spooled files for CL commands. Spooled files can be verified according to configuration, and user can also save the spooled files into the report file for further investigation.

Passwords for console saved per session: Passwords are now saved in a session based manner with moderate encryption. When verifying systems using the console, a user no longer needs to type the password repeatedly within the same session.

Console remote auto fix: More diagnostic information channels have been added for better problem determination. Auto fix function now performs better when fixing a large number of issues.

GUI support for special characters: Special characters are supported in input fields all throughout the ARE GUI.

Other updates and usability enhancements:

• Library object selection view: A pop-up hint has been added to help the user find the library they are looking for. Now it requires fewer user actions to achieve the task (File and Directory Attributes plugin and File and Directory Authorities plugin).
• PTF plugin: Group PTF description have been added to the PTF plugin so user can easily understand the group PTF details in a more human readable format.
• Console: New system default template configuration inherits the previous settings to ease configuration for multiple system verification.
• Console (IE): password field is smartly disabled when using default user ID.
• IE: Initial values of many input boxes are cleared by default.
• File browsers are now resized according to screen size, and it can utilize more screen space. So the user has a bigger and more comfortable view.
• Command Runner: According to command type, the default checking class is automatically adjusted to the most likely used one.
• Command Runner: Available checking classes are determined automatically according to target value type. Unsuitable checking classes are now hidden from user.
• Build log panel has a new scrolling style so that user can reach action buttons easily.
• Console: import and view existing report function now works with certain IE version.
• Other issue fixes and enhancements (30 plus).

Console support for collector mode: Console now provides a new link to download the remote collected archive (.zip) file for each verified system. This is useful when the Command Runner plugin or the Resource Collector plugin is used in a template. You can put the archive files from the remote systems into a local location to easily review the collected reports and resources.

New SQL Query Verifier plugin GUI: This plugin helps to verify database content. You can specify SQL queries and check the results using this plugin.

Collect command output: Command Runner plugin is now able to log output of the configured commands in collector mode. The output from the CL Commands are collected and placed in the archive file. The output is useful for further analysis.

Stderr support for Command Runner plugin: Command Runner is now able to check stderr of QShell command output.

Collector Mode: The -zipFile parameter can be specified on the command line to enable the Collector Mode. This allows ARE the ability to verify the desired environment and easily package the results in a single zip file for later review.

Resource Collector Plugin: The new resource collector allow the ARE tool the ability verify the desired environment but also provide a single command to gather additional information from the target system and package it in a single zip file for later review. This is an especially useful feature for servicing an application on a remote system.

Command Runner plugin: This plugin allows you the ability to verify the results of Qshell script or CL command on remote systems. Specify any CL Command or program through Qshell. When the ARE template is verified that program/command is run and the results of the call can be verified. For example you can use this to ensure a device is varied.

Refresh Template: You can refresh an existing template base on the information on the current system. This is useful when you have old templates but updated system. This function helps you to easily keep templates updated.

Integrated Template: The integrated template option bundles the core runtime with the template being created. This creates a self contained object including the verification and correct core runtime. This option will ignore the core that resides on the remote system. The latest core PTFs are no longer required on the target system when this option is used. This also means that the template file being created is larger than without the integrated template feature.

Console - Report Viewer: Console now supports import and viewing existing ARE reports in a user friendly view. Import ARE reports from any other system verification and review in this console.

Rule Map Interface API: you can write custom plugin by utilizing Rule Map Interface API. The API enables easy reuse of existing built-in checks and tools.

Other Enhancements

• Console: Automatically select proper JRE on remote system during console verification.
• Console: Default user id and password can be specified to verify multiple system configuration quickly using a common user ID and password for all systems.
• General: Dynamic template core requirement adjust, according to feature selection.
• Custom Plugin: Warning for custom plugin compiled using JDK 6 or above.
• Configuration File Plugin: The new XML parser is now able to handle text content in XML files.
• User ID plugin: Support for verifying UID and GID fields
• Script interface to check version: A new parameter -version is provided in runARE.sh to display core version.

• Several fixes to ensure that editing an existing template, or importing an existing template from a different system, work correctly.
• The ability to customize the check attributes, such as the check type (equals, not equal, in, contains, etc) that is used when verifying key/value pairs in a configuration file.
• The ability to customize the check attributes, such as the check type (equals, not equal, in, contains, etc) that is used when verifying system values.
• A new build status page that displays detailed information about what is happening during the process of building a template.
• The ability to view the full build status summary, from the previous template build, via the Actions button on the main Deployment Template Editor page.
• The Console now only needs to use a single port to perform verification of a target system.