2.2 Java Management Extensions (JMX)

The system management functionality of WAS is based on the use of Java Management Extensions (JMX). JMX is a framework that provides a standard way of exposing Java resources, for example appservers, to a system management infrastructure. The JMX framework allows a provider to implement functions, such as listing the configuration settings, and allows users to edit the settings. It also includes a notification layer that can be used by management applications to monitor events, such as the startup of an appserver.

The use of JMX opens the door to third-party management tool providers. Users of WebSphere are no longer restricted to IBM-supplied management tools.

JMX is a Java specification (JSR-003) that is part of J2SE 1.5. A separate specification defines the J2EE management API (JSR-77) for managing a J2EE conforming appserver. The J2EE 1.4 specification requires that all J2EE products support the Enterprise Edition management API. WAS provides managed objects (MOs) as defined in the JSR-77 specification and hence is manageable from third-party management products that delivers J2EE management capabilities.

IBM WAS V6.x implements JMX 1.2, while V5.x implements JMX 1.1. Due to the evolution of the JMX specification, the serialization format for JMX objects, such as javax.management.ObjectName, differs between the two specifications.

The WAS V6.1 JMX run time has been enhanced to be aware of the version of the client with which it is communicating. It makes appropriate transformations on these incompatible serialized formats so as to allow the different version run times to communicate with each other. This makes it possible for a V5.x administrative client to call a V6.1 deployment manager, node, or server. Similarly, a V6.1 administrative client can call a V5.x node or server.