Added 2026-05-26:
Discontinuance of support for IBM Shared Memory Communications Version 1 (SMCv1)
What is being removed or changed
IBM intends to discontinue support for Shared Memory Communications Version 1 (SMCv1) in a future z/OS release, including both:
- SMC Dv1 (same Central Processor Complex communications)
- SMC Rv1 (external communications)
SMCv1 supports only same-subnet connectivity, whereas SMCv2 supports both same-subnet and cross-subnet configurations. SMCv2 also provides enhanced capabilities and represents the strategic direction for Shared Memory Communications.
Required customer migration or upgrade actions
Identify where SMCv1 is in use across your environment. Plan a migration to SMCv2 for all applicable workloads. Update network configurations to support SMCv2, including cross-subnet scenarios if needed. Test applications to confirm they operate correctly with SMCv2.
Links to the relevant documentation
z/OS Statement of Direction AD26-0529
Added 2026-04-06:
Policy Agent LDAP Configuration for IDS and QoS
What is being removed or changed
z/OS 3.2 Communications Server is planned to be the last release to support using an LDAP server as a source for Intrusion Detection Services (IDS) and Quality of Service (QoS) policy definitions. This capability is enabled through the ReadFromDirectory statement in the Policy Agent configuration file, which allows Policy Agent to retrieve policy definitions from an LDAP server.
Required customer migration or upgrade actions
Customers who use LDAP-based policy definitions for IDS or QoS should migrate to supported alternatives, such as local Policy Agent configuration files or IBM Network Configuration Assistant for z/OS Communications Server. Any LDAP dependencies for policy retrieval should be removed before upgrading beyond z/OS 3.2.
Links to the relevant documentation
z/OS Statement of Direction AD26-0257