20
Sat, Apr
5 New Articles
  1. You are here:  
  2. Home
  3. Programming
  4. Programming - Other
  5. Development Tools
  6. IBM Delivers WebSphere Studio Version 5

IBM Delivers WebSphere Studio Version 5

Development Tools
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times
On September 24, IBM announced its latest offering of WebSphere Studio, uniting Java and traditional development assets in a single development environment for Web services. According to IBM, the new software--IBM WebSphere Studio Version 5--increases the speed at which developers can create e-business applications by integrating new and previously existing software across all of IBM's platforms. IBM believes this is a top priority for customers because it lowers the cost of development that requires customers to integrate and modernize existing applications. Most organizations have acquired or developed major application assets through various programming technologies over the past 30 or more years. IBM says that WebSphere Studio Version 5 will bring those applications into its new development environment and allow developers to integrate them into Web services technology.

Rollout of WebSphere Application Server and Tools

The delivery of WebSphere Studio Version 5 also marks the initial rollout of Version 5 of WebSphere Application Server (WAS). WebSphere Studio includes a built-in version of WAS, so developers can begin building, integrating, deploying, and testing applications with the new development environment.

IBM says that the feature-rich functionality of WebSphere Studio Version 5 will separate its offering from the competition because other vendors' products require the customer to rewrite existing applications in Java. According to IBM, this latest release of WebSphere Studio will enable a developer to develop Java-based Web services while modernizing legacy code such as COBOL and PL1. In addition, WebSphere Studio Version 5 lets developers coordinate the flow of multiple back-end applications through Web services--applications that may be needed to complete cross-enterprise business transactions.

IBM claims that "... developers can retrofit and integrate older but still critical software assets as Web services, while writing new applications to standards-based and enterprise-tested Java. This avoids the expensive, time-consuming, and flexibility-limiting effort of conforming to a proprietary framework such as Microsoft .NET."

Standards-Based, High Productivity

According to IBM, WebSphere Studio Version 5 supports the latest standards, including the following:

  • J2EE 1.3
  • Eclipse Version 2
  • Version 7.2 of both Red Hat Linux and SuSE Linux
  • Web Services Business Process Language (BPEL4WS)

In addition, WebSphere developers can now visually construct Web applications using the Apache Struts environment. Apache Struts is an open-source framework that reduces the effort required to build, maintain, and modify Web applications based on standard technologies such as Java servlets, Java Beans, and XML.

In addition, IBM says that WebSphere Studio Version 5 is complemented by the availability of Macromedia ColdFusion MX for WebSphere, which enables ColdFusion applications to run natively in WebSphere.

Other productivity features include performance analysis and tracing tools, legacy asset analysis, automatic code generation, integrated debuggers, and built-in test environments to detect bugs early in the development process. Additional features are designed to help smooth the transition from application development to application deployment. Load-testing and application monitoring enable developers to assess how the applications will function in a production environment.

Big Package, Big Capability, Big Price

Feature-rich functionality is not the only thing that separates WebSphere Studio Version 5 from the rest of the competition. Price per developer is another differentiator, and this is not trivial. WebSphere Studio Application Developer V5 costs $3,499 per user, while the WebSphere Studio Enterprise Developer V5 costs $7,500 per user. In addition, Macromedia ColdFusion MX for IBM WebSphere Application Server is available for $4,000 per processor. These costs will, unfortunately, prevent many organizations below the "enterprise mainframe" level from exploring WebSphere Studio's capabilities for integration, and they certainly drive the cost of investing in e-business development to a new level.

IBM is offering WebSphere Studio through its Passport Advantage Program via IBM Sales Representatives and authorized IBM Business Partners.

Thomas M. Stockwell is the Editor in Chief of MC Press, LLC. He has written extensively about program development, project management, IT management, and IT consulting and has been a frequent contributor to many midrange periodicals. He has authored numerous white papers for iSeries solutions providers. His most recent consulting assignments have been as a Senior Industry Analyst working with IBM on the iSeries, on the mid-market, and specifically on WebSphere brand positioning. He welcomes your comments about this or other articles and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

Thomas Stockwell

Thomas M. Stockwell is an independent IT analyst and writer. He is the former Editor in Chief of MC Press Online and Midrange Computing magazine and has over 20 years of experience as a programmer, systems engineer, IT director, industry analyst, author, speaker, consultant, and editor.  

 

Tom works from his home in the Napa Valley in California. He can be reached at ITincendiary.com.

 

 

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$0.00 Raised:
$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: