IBM z/OS Connect 3.0.101 brings exciting new capabilities for containerized deployments and enhanced developer flexibility. This release introduces support for the IBM z/OS Connect Operator on z/OS Container Platform, enabling native deployment of z/OS Connect APIs on z/OS with s390x architecture. Additionally, new documentation provides guidance for manually creating mapping files, giving developers greater control over API data transformations. The release also includes important fixes and updates to the Operator (1.1.0), CASE package (1.1.0), and Gradle plug-ins - API provider (1.5.1) and API requester (1.3.1).
For more information on these updates, refer to APAR PH69396. If you’re new to IBM z/OS Connect, you can find more information about its features and benefits by visiting this page.
NEW: z/OS Connect Operator on z/OS Container Platform
IBM z/OS Connect now supports deployment on z/OS Container Platform with the z/OS Connect Operator, bringing the power of containerized API management directly to your z/OS environment. This enhancement enables organizations to deploy and manage z/OS Connect APIs in a containerized environment on z/OS with s390x architecture, combining the benefits of Kubernetes container orchestration with the security and performance of z/OS.
Key Benefits:
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z/OS Deployment: Run containerized z/OS Connect APIs directly on z/OS, eliminating the need for separate infrastructure
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Simplified Management: Leverage the IBM z/OS Connect Operator for automated deployment, scaling, and lifecycle management
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Enhanced Security: Keep sensitive data and APIs within the z/OS security perimeter
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Consistent Operations: Use familiar Kubernetes-style declarative configuration and management
This capability is particularly valuable for organizations that want to modernize their API infrastructure while maintaining data residency on z/OS and leveraging existing z/OS security controls.
Getting Started:
Enhancements
Manual Mapping File Creation Documentation
Developers now have comprehensive documentation for manually creating mapping files within API provider projects for the zosConnect-3.0 feature. While the z/OS Connect Designer and Gradle plug-ins provide automated mapping file generation, this new documentation enables advanced use cases where manual control is required.
When to Use Manual Mapping:
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Custom Transformations: Implement complex data transformations not supported by automated tools
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Fine-Grained Control: Precisely control how data is mapped between APIs and z/OS Assets
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Integration Scenarios: Handle unique integration requirements or legacy data structures
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Troubleshooting: Understand and modify existing mapping files for debugging
This enhancement addresses a frequently requested feature (AHA idea ZCEE-I-518) and provides developers with the flexibility to handle edge cases and specialized requirements.
Learn More:
OpenTelemetry Trace Context Propagation to IMS
z/OS Connect is enhanced to support propagating OpenTelemetry trace context to IMS, enabling end-to-end distributed tracing across your API ecosystem. This enhancement improves observability and troubleshooting capabilities for APIs that interact with IMS applications.
Learn More:
Updated Components
IBM z/OS Connect Operator: Updated to version 1.1.0
z/OS Connect CASE Package: Updated to version 1.1.0
Liberty: Upgraded to version 25.0.0.12
Gradle Plug-ins:
API toolkit for Aqua 3.4: Updated to version 3.4.0.4 (zosConnect-2.0)
Build toolkit (zconbt): Updated to version 1.21 (zosConnect-2.0)
Fixes
This release includes important fixes to improve stability and functionality:
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PH68247: Resolved ClassNotFoundException for IMS API providers after updating to Java 17 or later
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PH68493: Fixed issue where z/OS Connect incorrectly reported CICS abend code AIPM
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PH68978: Resolved SLF4J messages reported after updating from Designer V3.0.94 to V3.0.97.0
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PH69220: Fixed mpOpenAPI-2.0 feature to support x-ibm-zcon-roles-allowed values at global level when viewing API documents. See Configuring access to get OpenAPI definitions
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PH69611: Resolved invalid schema error when maxLength or minLength are specified
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