WebSphere Application Server 6 Available for Evaluation

IBM released code for the next version of WebSphere Application Server, which touts support for the J2EE 1.4 specification. IBM is offering a "technical preview" download of WebSphere Application Server 6 -- dubbed WAS Technology for Developers 6 -- which focuses on delivering J2EE 1.4 capabilities. The new J2EE 1.4 features focus on Web services integration and support, Java Connector Architecture (JCA) connectivity, and new servlet and Java Server Pages (JSP) technology. New feature highlights follow. Web Services WAS Technology for Developers 6 includes a JAX-RPC 1.1 API that provides interoperability based on Web Services Description Language (WSDL) and SOAP protocols, and supports Web service endpoints based on servlets and enterprise beans. It also supports JSR-109, which defines deployment requirements for Web services. WAS Technology for Developers 6 also includes the WS-I Basic Profile 1.1, which ensures Web services interoperability among different platforms. Java Connector Architecture The software offers bidirectional connectivity between enterprise information systems and J2EE-compliant applications. It also provides message persistence using JMS plug-ins to existing database software. Servlets and JSP Technology WAS Technology for Developers 6 includes servlets that support request listeners and enhanced filters. It's also easier to build JSP pages using new page and extension development models, IBM says. Other Finally, WAS Technology for Developers 6 supports the following specifications: Java Servlet 2.4, JSP 2.0, Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) 2.1, Java Message Service (JMS) 1.1, JDBC 3.0, and the Java API for XML Processing (JAXP) 1.2. You can download the WAS Technology for Developers 6 code and Getting Started Guide here.