z/VSE 6.1, CICS Transaction Server for z/VSE V2.1 and upcoming Live Virtual Class

During my absence z/VSE V 6.1 (ZP15-0281) and CICS Transaction Server for z/VSE V2.1 (ZP15-0494) were announced. In the meantime these products are already available since last week, but I still wanted to mention them because there's a Live Virtual Class tomorrow December1, 2015 at 17PM Brussels Time.

The content of this Live Virtual Class

This LVC session gives some information about the z/VSE 6.1 release content. z/VSE 6.1 comes with a new CICS TS version, the first new version since 16 years. The new CICS functions will be discussed. z/VSE 6.1 focuses also on security, networking, hardware exploitation and connectivity to Linux on z Systems and other platforms. Both TCP/IP stacks come with a new version or release. Their functionality is addressed, too.

You can find all the necessary information about it and the link to register over here.

Nevertheless let me also give you the highlights of these two products. Apparently it's a big year for z/VSE. z/VSE celebrated its 50th anniversary (that's actually 1965-2015) and there's a new CICS version for z/VSE for the first time in 16 years (that means since last century in 1999) !

IBM® z/VSE® V6.1 is designed to:

Exploit innovative IBM z13™ technology

• Configurable Crypto Express5S for data encryption and SSL acceleration.
• FICON® Express16S supporting a link rate of 16 Gbps.

Support enhanced IBM System Storage® options

• IBM System Storage TS7700 Virtualization Engine Release 3.3.
• IBM System Storage DS8870 Release 7.5 (ECKD™ and FCP-attached SCSI disks).
• IBM FlashSystem® V9000 for use with FCP-attached SCSI disks.

Introduce an architectural level set of IBM System z10®, or later

Deliver CICS® TS for z/VSE V2.1. CICS TS for z/VSE V2.1 can only be used with z/VSE V6.1, and replaces CICS TS for VSE/ESA V1.1.1. New functionality includes:

• Update and control capabilities to CICS resources for the CICS Explorer® system management tool.
• A new API to enable the transfer of large amounts of structured data between CICS applications to meet the needs of growing workloads.

Deliver IBM TCP/IP for z/VSE V2.1

• This new version replaces IBM TCP/IP for VSE/ESA V1.5F, and includes firewall functionality and other enhancements.

Deliver IBM IPv6/VSE V1.2

• This new release of IPv6/VSE provides firewall functionality, increased network availability, and other enhancements.

Add trigger functionality for the WebSphere® MQ Client for VSE

• The MQ Client Trigger Monitor adds trigger functionality for the WebSphere MQ Client for VSE to ease asynchronous message processing.

Some more useful information.
Those who are really into z/VSE know of course that I'm only their secondary blog source of information about z/VSE. For those who don't know it yet, I'll mention it again : Ingolf Salm does a far more extensive (ànd better) job at blogging about z/VSE than I do. So, go and have a look over there if you're into z/VSE.

Save the date - January 25-29, 2016 : z Systems Benelux Study Tour to NYC !

Here's a first blog post with some interesting news for out Benelux customers. IBM Belgium is organizing another z Systems Study Tour at the beginning of next year on January 25-29, 2016. I'll communicate the full details as soon as they are available. Here's an extract from the general invite we received so far from Hans Deketele (IBM Belgium).

"We will be going to New York City, USA, where you will get all the latest information in the world of z Systems and LinuxONE. Main themes this year are:

• z Systems roadmap : what the future brings ...
• LinuxONE : Linux your way, Linux without risk and Linux without limits !
• Cognitive Computing : what it is and what it can mean to you ...
• New workloads on z : Realtime Analytics, Cloud, Mobile, Security, API management
• ... and of course the networking with colleagues, peers and IBM experts !"

If you already attended a study tour, then you know it's worth your time. If you haven't, then grab your chance now. Last time the study tour was organized, the participants were live at the announcement of the z13. I have no idea whether someting similar might be happening this time . . .

Back in town after an absence of two months, what's next ?

Well, if you come by once in a while, you will have noticed that I've been out for a couple of months. And you've also read why. In the end the concussion, and the accompanying headaches; were, or still are, the worst. I'm gradually building up my working hours and I'm really astonished at how much stuff is happening in just a couple of months.

So I only now found out about the new DS8000 announcements, LTO7, some Red Alerts, news about new versions of DB2 and IMS and I'm trying to get a good view on LinuxOne. Oh, and I also missed the z/VSE anniversary. I think I'll have some 'recap' blogs on some of those items. If you've already read all about it elsewhere, then just skip them and if you're solely depending on my blog for your z Systems news, then you already have a pretty good idea what the next topics will be about.

So, just to let you know : I'm back !