Features Added in Enterprise Server 2.2 Update 2

Character Set Enhancements

Database Access

The following new features are available in database access support:

COBSQL

HCO for DB2 LUW

This release introduces GEN-HV-FROM-GROUP - a new DB2 ECM compiler directive option, that generates host variables for all elementary data items when a multiple-level group variable is used in a FETCH or singleton SELECT DB2 statement.

OpenESQL

This version provides the following new OpenESQL features:

• Support for SQL Server 2014.
• New SQL Compiler directive options:
  • DETECTDATE=SERVER - resolves host variables alignment with column data types in an SQL table.
  • GEN-HV-FROM-GROUP - generates host variables for all elementary data items when a multiple-level group variable is used in a FETCH or singleton SELECT SQL statement.
• Sample applications - the following native COBOL SQL sample applications are new with this version:
  • Get Diagnostics - demonstrates how to use GET DIAGNOSTICS EXEC SQL calls to get diagnostic information from various DBMSs.
  • LOB Data Types - Demonstrates how to INSERT and SELECT LOB data in a native application using various DBMSs.

XA switch modules

The following XA switch module updates are available in this version:

• Oracle switch module:
  • Supports User Impersonation when statically registered.
  • Enables you to specify which XA resource definitions use User Impersonation.
  • Now compiled with one source file, rather than two.

External Call Interface (ECI)

Enhancements to the ECI include:

• The ECI for Java clients is no longer restricted to the 32K Commarea. You can now transfer virtually unlimited containers of any size in a channel to a CICS server program. See ECI Java Interface for more information.
• Java support for IBM's implementation of ECI, which, in turn, uses the Micro Focus implementation.
• A ECI RA for WebSphere; however, in this release, no IMTK tooling is provided for servlets or JSP.

External Security Facility (ESF)

The Enterprise Server External Security Facility (ESF) now supports caching the results of some security queries. This can improve the performance of enterprise server instances and of the MFDS when they are configured to use external security.

To enable caching, you need to set non-zero values for the Cache limit (maximum size of the cache) and Cache TTL (Time To Live, or how long before a cached result expires) settings on the MFDS Security tab, the Default ES Security tab, or on the Security tab for an individual enterprise server. (Currently, the cache settings for Security Managers have no effect; you need to set cache parameters on one of the three Security pages mentioned earlier.)

For more information, see http://supportline.microfocus.com/examplesandutilities/doxygen/caching.html.

IMS Connect

This release now supports Java IMS Connect messages except when also using the IBM-supplied HWSJAVA0 I/O exit, excluding customizations to that exit.

PL/I General Enhancements

Enhancements are provided in the following areas:

• Attributes - the PL/I DECLARE statement now supports the OPTIONAL attribute as part of the parameter-descriptor list or as an attribute in a parameter declaration. This provides an improved functionality and a greater language compatibility for customers looking to migrate applications from z/OS environments.
• Built-in functions - the PL/I Compiler and run-time system now support the PRESENT and OMITTED built-in functions which provides an improved functionality and a greater language compatibility if you are looking to migrate applications from z/OS environments.
• Compound operators - the PL/I macro preprocessor now supports the compound operators += , -=, *=, and /= within macro assignment statements.
• Error handling - you can now use the EXEC CICS HANDLE ABEND check which provides a consistent error handling technique for PL/I programs running under CICS that is consistent with error handling on the mainframe. EXEC CICS HANDLE ABEND determines error handling for programs running under CICS. Conditions detected by CICS cause an abend if established using EXEC CICS HANDLE ABEND, and PL/I ON units do not get control. If EXEC CICS HANDLE ABEND is not established, CICS defines that the action taken will be as defined by CICS, which normally leads to a transaction abend.

Transaction classes (Technology Preview)

Transaction classes provide a mechanism to limit the number of CICS^® tasks in your system. By spreading your tasks across a number of transaction classes and configuring the maximum number of tasks that can be dispatched within each transaction class, you can control resource contention between tasks and limit the number of tasks that CICS considers eligible for dispatching at task attach.

Tunables