Does it matter what version of iWay is installed on remote servers? We will be upgrading our environment to version 7.6.2. Our person responsible for upgrading the DB2 remote server was told that 7.6.2 is not supported on our DB2 server, but 7.6.0 is listed as supported on the matrix. Will it cause any problems to have the main WF server on iWay 7.6.2 and the DB2 server on iWay 7.6.0?

Most likely it will work, but it's probably not very safe. If you have any issues at all, techsupport will tell you that this is not a supported configuration and that all the servers should be at the same level. In any case, I find it hard to believe that 7.6.2 would not be supported on the DB2 server. Maybe the matrix has not been updated yet or they looked at a previous version.

Suzanne,

The list you are looking at probably is a list of versions that have been officially TESTED. This does not mean that this is the only combination of versions that will work. Usually IBI specifically says a certain combination WON'T work if it doesn't and why if there is an issue. But, as Darin says, I would be very surprised if you experience issues.

Just another note. The main concern is when mixing versions of the WF Client (I.E 7.1.3) and the WF Server pieces (I.E. 7.6.2), not with Database backend versions.

The supported systems and adapters information document shows zOS 1.4 and up zSeries 32on64bit supported for 7.6.0 and zOS 1.6 and up zSeries 32on64bit for 7.6.2. Our current version of the mainframe operating system is z/OS v1r4. Would you suggest 7.6.0 or 7.6.2 for the DB2 server?

Since the documentation specifically says 1.6 and up with 7.6.2 as opposed to 1.4 and up with 7.6.0, I would stick to version 7.6.0 if you are using 1.4 of the zOS. It is the zOS version on the box on which the WF Server will be running that is the issue, NOT the DB2 version. It sounds like you have DB2 running on a zOS 1.4 machine. Do not confuse the two. The version of the zOS is what you need to concern yourself with, not the version of DB2. You probably use the term 'DB2 Server' because DB2 is running on the same server as WebFOCUS. I hope this helps.

The gotcha here is that 7.6.0 is the first release of 7.6 and therefore contains issues that are fixed with 7.6.1 or 7.6.2. You may need to drop back to 7.1.7 if you cannot get the zOS upgraded to 1.6.

FYI, I did not see WF 7.6.0 listed on the download section of IBI's web site. Do you already have a copy?

Hopefully this will clarify - WF Server and an instance of iWay are running on a W2K server and then we have an instance of iWay on zOS 1.4 where DB2 resides. We have the instance of iWay on zOS 1.4 set up as a remote server on the W2K server.

I install & maintain iWay across Windows servers and z/OS. The only release issue that I have run into in many years (since FOCNET days), is that the z/OS version must be at the same or earlier release than the Windows server.

If the z/OS release is higher, communications will not work with the Windows server.

According to your signature, you are currently running version 713 for all WF/iWay pieces. Since your zOS is only 1.4 it looks like, according to the documentation you quoted, you cannot upgrade all WF/iWay pieces to version 762. Depending on the complexity of the requests sent to the remote server on zOS, you might be able to get away with upgrading WF/iWay on the Windows server to 762 and upgrading the iWay on zOS to 717 or leaving it at 713. We currently have WF713 on Windows servers with an iWay 527 remote server on VM/CMS so I know this type of thing will work. We have simple data extraction requests going to the iWay server to pull data down to WF on Windows.

I realize there are a bunch of new features in 762 which may be why you are looking to upgrade. If all you are doing is pulling data from DB2 via the iWay remote server to the WF/iWay of Windows then you could probably get away with what I outlined above.

Just for clarity, WebFOCUS is comprised of two main components: WF Client and WF Server. In regards to your install on Windows, when you say WF Server I think you mean the WF Client and when you say iWay I think you mean the WF Server. the WF Server is an iWay Server but is usually referred to as the WF Server for a WebFOCUS installation.

I hope this helps.

I'm curious as to why you have a remote server on zOS to access the DB2 data. You should be able to access the DB2 data directly from WebFOCUS on the Windows server. Could it be that you have only the WF Client piece on windows and the WF Server (iWay) piece on zOS? If this is the case you probably can only upgrade both pieces to 717.