21CS Announces VSEn 6.4

Key features at a glance:

• IBM z14 Architecture Level Set: Aligned with IBM currently supported HW, VSEⁿ 6.4 requires at a minimum an IBM z14 (3906) or IBM z14-ZR1 (3907), supporting all the following and newer IBM HW generations, including the latest IBM z17. This will allow future performance improvements in the OS and Middleware leveraging the z14 instruction set, and to update compilers to generate code for newer HW, resulting in better performance and less CPU consumption and costs.
• Fast System Upgrade (FSU) support from IBM z/VSE 6.1, 6.2 and 21CS VSEⁿ 6.3 direct to VSEⁿ 6.4: Like with VSEⁿ 6.3, VSEⁿ 6.4 continue to support Fast System Upgrade, for a very smooth and quick upgrade from previous releases with no layout changes, without having to tailor all the users and applications. If you would like to upgrade from IBM z/VSE 5.2 to 21CS VSEⁿ 6.4, it is possible by first upgrading to 21CS VSEⁿ 6.3. Of course, if a new installation is wanted, for example due to disk type or size changes, this is also possible.
• VSEⁿ SCRT multi release support: VSEⁿ SCRT now supports multi-release MSU aggregation within the same machine, where the 4 hour rolling average MSU peak consumed for all VSEⁿ releases will be aggregated for smooth release upgrades.
• VSEⁿ System License Key support: In order to provide more flexibility for test and evaluations and reduce audits at customer sites, VSEⁿ 6.4 is introducing the VSEⁿ System License Key. This key will be valid for a given release, timeframe, machine serial number, machine type and capacity model, and with an implemented design to support up to 10 keys. Having multiple keys registered, will avoid disruption when a key expires, the machine serial is changed (moving from primary machine to a disaster recovery machine) or a higher capacity model is used during capacity on-demand.
• IBM Storage Safeguarded Copy VSEⁿ console messages on-hold management support: This feature allows to dynamically deactivate and activate the on-hold attribute for the particular message, so that the IBM Storage Safeguarded Copy do not generate unnecessary messages and therefore extra work for your operators on the VSEⁿ console and reduce console on-hold congestion in a programmatic way.
• Latest release of 21CS TCP/IP for VSEⁿ 2.4 and 21CS IPv6/VSE 1.5 with all the fixes and enhancements provided through the service stream.
• Rebase of VSEⁿ Crypto Services (based on OpenSSL) from 1.1.1t to 3.0.11: As OpenSSL 1.1.1 LTS release reached its end of support phase, it is very important to rebase to the next supported LTS release 3.0.11, leveraging new Cyphers suites and “providers” architecture. This ensures that any possible security fixes and enhancements that VSEⁿ customers might need in the future, can be delivered quickly.
• VSEⁿ REST API client now has support for Batch workloads: Until now the VSEⁿ REST API, both as Client and Server were restricted for Online (OLTP) workloads. Now VSEⁿ 6.4 also supports VSEn REST API as Client for Batch workloads.
• OLTP (based on IBM CICS TS technology) hardening: Since high availability Online Transaction Processing is key to most of VSEⁿ customers, 21CS has provides now a way to shutdown any unintentional application looping transactions without having to shut down the complete OLTP region.
• SMDMU (based on IBM DITTO technology) logical tape to tape comparison support: This feature will help VSEⁿ customers involved in datacenter and/or tape storage migrations, to support tape comparisons ignoring the volume id. 
• VSEⁿ Connectors support for the latest LTS Java Runtime Environments: 21CS has made the necessary enhancements to support all the current LTS Java Runtime Environments (8, 11, 17 & 21) to fulfill VSEⁿ Connector customers’ needs.
• VSEⁿ Connectors Cloud Native (containers) support: As VSEⁿ Connectors customers get more familiarized with Cloud Native/Containers architectures and deployment models with Kubernetes, OpenShift, Rancher or Docker, 21CS has decided to provide the VSEⁿ Connectors Server tools also as cloud native container images, which provides ease of deployment. Container images will be provided for the following platforms: Linux on Z, Linux on x86 and Windows. 

Statement of direction:

Additionally, 21CS intends to provide the following enhancements in the near future: 

• IBM Z Secure Boot support: For VSEⁿ customers requiring extra security assurance and leveraging the HW features from IBM z16 generation, 21CS intends to support IBM Z Secure Boot, first for SCSI/FBA devices and then for ECKD/DASD devices.

• SDB (based on IBM DB2 technology) Client support for long passwords: 21CS plans to provide SDB Client support for passwords up to 60 characters to improve security and be compliant with new standards. This fulfills VSEⁿ customers’ requirement using SDB Client to connect to IBM DB2 Servers outside of VSEⁿ, where the password rules are defined by the OS security rules of the platform where is running, like Linux on Z, and support for passwords longer than 8 characters is needed.

• MQ SSL/TLS Cyphers update: After reviving MQ for VSEⁿ, the focus of the 21CS MQ team is to update the SSL/TLS cyphers supported by MQ to support the current and most secure ones. 

Pricing:

• VSEⁿ 6.4 will be offered at no additional cost to VSEⁿ 6.3 customers. 
• For IBM z/VSE customers that have not yet licensed 21CS VSEⁿ 6.3 or 6.4, the 21CS VSEⁿ pricing is similar (in most cases more attractive) to IBM z/VSE AEWLC pricing, offering full capacity or sub-capacity pricing. For detailed price information, please contact vse@21cs.com. 

Ordering:

• Interested in upgrading to 21CS VSEⁿ 6.4? Please contact vse@21cs.com to learn more and talk to an expert.
• All existing 21CS VSEⁿ customers will receive an updated Product Order License Information Attachment via 21CS/Teracloud that will reflect the new release. 
• If you are not yet licensing 21CS VSEⁿ, 21CS/Teracloud will provide you the 21CS VSEⁿ Customer Relationship Agreement and the 21CS VSEⁿ Product Order License Information Attachment for the products you wish to license. 

Support:

• Support is included at no additional cost as part of the 21CS VSEⁿ 6.4 license, as long as the product is in its supported lifecycle phase. 
• Each release is planned to be supported at least 5 years from the release availability date. 
• End of support for a release will be announced at least 1 year before it is effective, providing customers time to upgrade to the next supported release. 
• If you have a 21CS VSEⁿ license and have any technical questions or issues, please contact our support team by sending an email to support@21cs.com or calling +1 978-451-1010 and stating the licensed product and release you need help with. 

Vendor Compatibility and Support:

• 21CS VSEⁿ team continues to work jointly with the VSEⁿ Vendors which provided a healthy ecosystem of solutions for VSEⁿ customers. 
• VSEⁿ Vendors have tested, certified and are ready to provide support to their solutions on VSEⁿ 6.4. 
• For concrete vendor solutions’ inquiries and possible enhancements needed, we recommend contacting the Vendor directly and optionally reaching to vse@21cs.com if you need help to reach a particular Vendor.