JMX interoperability

Starting with v6.0, WebSphere Application Server implements JMX Version 1.2.

Differences between v6.0.x, and v6.1 and later

The product supports communication with earlier levels of the server through the SOAP connector. The earlier levels of the server cannot be more than two releases earlier. v6 and later servers can communicate with each other through an RMI connector, with one restriction. The javax.management.MBeanInfo class and its subclasses do not interoperate between v6.1.02 and version 6.0.2. You will receive a java.lang.IllegalArgumentException exception when attempting to send any instance of these classes between a v6.1 and v6.0.2. This restriction affects clients that perform the following operations.

• A wsadmin scripting client that tries to perform the following operations, for example in Jacl,:

  $Help attributes MBeanObjectName
  $Help operations MBeanObjectName
  $Help notifications MBeanObjectName
  

• Any Java client that tries to call:

  com.ibm.websphere.management.AdminClient.getMBeanInfo(ObjectName name);
  com.ibm.websphere.management.AdminService.getMBeanInfo(ObjectName name);
  javax.management.MBeanServer.getMBeanInfo(ObjectName name);
  

A serialization format mismatch exists between the JMX implementation in v6.1 and later and v6.0.x releases. When a v6.0.x wsadmin script or a v6.0.x administrative client tries to retrieve the ModelMBeanInfo interface of a v6.1 and later MBean, the expected field names are not found in the deserialized object because of the case difference between the versions. For example, the following wsadmin function does not work when a v6.0.x wsadmin script connects to a v6.1 and later server:

$Help attributes MBeanObjectName
$Help operations MBeanObjectName
$Help all MBeanObjectName

where BeanObjectName is a string representation of a v6.1 and later MBean Object.

To avoid this problem, set the jmx.serial.form Java virtual machine (JVM) custom property on the JVM custom properties page in the administrative console. Create the custom property by specifying the name value-pair on the v6.1 and later Application Server that we are connecting to from a v6.0.x client. The field names are forced to lowercase to be compatible with what the v6.0.x client expects. The lowercase field names contradict the JMX specification and compromise interoperability with future versions. Therefore, the recommendation is that we set this property only when it is absolutely needed in a mixed version environment.

Information	Value
Property name	jmx.serial.form
Data type	string
Value	1.2.0 or 1.2.1

To access the JVM custom properties page, go to:

(ZOS) Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server1. Then, under Server Infrastructure > Java and process management > Process definition > Control > Java virtual machine > Custom properties.

Servers > Server Types > WebSphere application servers > server1. Then, under Server Infrastructure > Java and process management > Process Definition > Java virtual machine > Custom properties.

Use administrative programs (JMX)