Java SE 6, 7, and 7.1 end of service in WebSphere Application Server V8.5
Java™ SE 6 has been removed from service. Java SE 8 is the recommended Java SDK because it provides the latest features and security updates. In version 8.5.5.14 and higher, the embedded Java SDK 6 is replaced with Java SE 8. You can install and use the optional Java SE 7 and 7.1, but no service can be provided after the end of the support dates, which might expose your environment to security risks. Java SE 7 and 7.1 are being removed from service in July 2022 for WebSphere Application Server v8.5 traditional. For Liberty, Java SE 7 and 7.1 were removed from service in September 2019.
WebSphere Application Server v8.5 traditional
Java SE 6 has been removed from service in WebSphere® Application Server v8.5. The embedded Java SDK 6 has been replaced with Java SDK 8.
Java SE 7 and 7.1 will be removed from service in WebSphere Application Server v8.5 in July 2022. It is recommended that you use the embedded Java SDK 8.
- After updating to 8.5.5.14 or higher from an installation with embedded Java SDK 6, any existing profile that uses the embedded Java SDK 6 is replaced by the embedded Java SDK 8.
- If you have been using 8.5.5.13 with the optional Java JDK 8, the embedded Java SDK 8 is installed when you update to version 8.5.5.14. It is recommended to use the embedded Java SDK 8 that is installed with 8.5.5.14 or higher.
- On IBM i, Java SE 6 end of service is in December 2017. Installation of fix pack 8.5.5.13 and later fails if the user has any profile or server that uses Java SE 6. If no profile uses Java SE 6, then the Java SE 6 artifacts, which are used by the managesdk command, will be removed.
-
After you update to version 8.5.5.19 or higher for Linux on POWER8 Little Endian (LE) from an installation with embedded Java SDK 7.1, any existing profile that uses the embedded Java SDK 7.1 is replaced by the embedded Java SDK 8.
If you were using version 8.5.5.18 with the optional Java JDK 8 when you update to version 8.5.5.19, any existing profile that uses the optional Java JDK 8 is replaced by the embedded Java SDK 8.
If an existing profile fails to migrate to Java SDK 8, see WebSphere Application Server 8.5.5.19+ does not successfully switch to bundled JDK 8 after update.
In versions 8.5.5.11, 8.5.5.12, and 8.5.5.13, you can install either Java SE 6 or Java SE 8 as the version of Java SE contained in the /java and /java64 directories in WebSphere Application Server and used by default during server and node configuration. For existing installations that are being updated, your current Java level remains the same. For example, if you previously installed version 8.5.5.10 with Java SE 6, and you update to version 8.5.5.11, your Java version remains Java SE 6. For information about how to migrate to Java SE 8, see Migrating to Java Platform, Standard Edition 7 or 8.
user.wasjava
property.- To install Java SE 8, specify
-properties user.wasjava=java8
. - To install Java SE 8 for version 8.5.5.18 for Linux on POWER8 Little
Endian (LE), specify
-properties user.wasjava=java8
. - To install Java SE 6, specify
-properties user.wasjava=java6
.
- Use of properties,
user.wasjava=java8
oruser.wasjava=java6
applies ONLY to new installations of the product and will not work for product upgrades through fix packs. - You can use the
user.wasjava=java8
property only with new installations of the product for Linux on POWER8 Little Endian (LE). Theuser.wasjava=java8
property does not work for product upgrades through fix packs for Linux on POWER8 LE.
- To install Java SE 8, specify
-properties user.wasjava=java8
. - To install Java SE 6, specify
-properties user.wasjava=java6
.
user.wasjava
property is specified in version 8.5.5.14 and
later, it will be ignored and Java SE 8 is installed. - New cells that run only Java SE 8 or the optional Java SE 7 or Java SE 7.1 offerings.
- Existing cells that contain servers currently using only Java SE 8 or the optional Java SE 7 or Java SE 7.1 offerings.
In version 8.5.5.14 and higher and as part of a new installation, you can only install 64-bit Java SE 7.0. If you are updating to version 8.5.5.14 from a previous version, the bit level of Java SE 7.0 remains the same prior to the update.
For IBM i Version 7.2, instructions on how to install Java SE 8.0 and update your existing WebSphere Application Server profiles to use Java SE 8 can be found in the IBM i documentation. For IBM i Version 7.1, instructions on how to install Java SE 8 and update your existing WebSphere Application Server profiles to use Java SE 8 can be found in the IBM i memo to users. The managesdk command topic provides additional information about updating existing profiles.
- Switching existing profiles to use Java SDK 8
- When you update your installation to version 8.5.5.14 or higher, any existing profile that uses
embedded Java SDK 6 will automatically be switched to the new embedded Java SDK 8 during the fixpack
update process.
- In a swinging profile configuration, when the profile locations are not known or are unmounted
from the file system during the fixpack update to version 8.5.5.14 or higher, these profiles are not
automatically switched from embedded Java SDK 6 to the new embedded Java SDK 8. To migrate an
existing profile from Java SE 6 to Java SE 8, you must run the
setupProfileSDK.sh
script manually. ThesetupProfileSDK.sh
script is located in the was_install_root/bin/sdk directory. This script must be set with the path to theprofileRegistry.xml
file. The following example illustrates correct usage of the script:./setupProfileSDK.sh <path_to_profileRegistry.xml>
This script performs the required steps for migrating a profile to Java SE 8.setupProfileSDK.bat <path_to_profileRegistry.xml>
- In a swinging profile configuration, when the profile locations are not known or are unmounted
from the file system during the fixpack update to version 8.5.5.14 or higher, these profiles are not
automatically switched from embedded Java SDK 6 to the new embedded Java SDK 8. To migrate an
existing profile from Java SE 6 to Java SE 8, you must run the
Liberty
Support for using Java SE 6 with Liberty ended in September 2017.
Support for using Java SE 7 and 7.1 with Liberty ended in September 2019.
The Liberty kernel was recompiled for 19.0.0.9. Beginning with 19.0.0.9, the Liberty kernel no longer runs with Java SE 6, 7, or 7.1. If you continue to use Java SE 6, 7, or 7.1 on earlier fix packs after the end of support date, you might expose your environment to security risks.
Java SE 8 is the recommended Java SDK because it provides the latest features and security updates. For archive users, use the .zip file packages that are bundled with IBM Java SDK 8. For IBM Installation Manager users, use the IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition, Version 8 package and install it to the package group that contains Liberty.
For more information about the Java SE version to use for Liberty, see the Liberty documentation on IBM documentation or the Open Liberty website.
Supplements
- Application Client
- Starting in version 8.5.5.11, the default Java SDK is Java SE 8, and is only available in a
64-bit configuration. If you require a 32-bit version of Java, you can continue to use Java SE 6,
but no service can be provided after the end of support in April 2018, which might expose your
environment to security risks.
In version 8.5.5.16, you can use 32-bit Java SE 8 on the Windows 32-bit operating system only.
- WebSphere Customization Toolbox
- In version 8.5.5.11 and higher, when using Java SE 8 as the default SDK, the graphical user interface (GUI) for the WebSphere Customization Toolbox is supported only on AIX, HP-UX, Linux®, and Windows. The GUI is not supported on Solaris systems when using Java SE 8 as the default SDK. To use the WebSphere Customization Toolbox on Solaris when using Java SE 8, use the wctcmd -tool pct command. You can continue to use the GUI on all supported platforms that are supported by Java SE 6, but no service can be provided after the end of support in April 2018, which could expose your environment to security risks.
- IBM HTTP Server
-
For command line or response file operations, you can use the
user.wasjava
property to install Java. Specifying the property is optional. If you do not specify the property, Java SE 8 is installed as the default.- To specify Java SE 8, specify
-properties user.wasjava=java8
. - To specify Java SE 6, specify
-properties user.wasjava=java6
.
Notes:- These properties are not required for installing and updating to version
8.5.5.14. If the
user.wasjava
property is specified in version 8.5.5.14 and later, it will be ignored and Java SE 8 is installed. - On Windows, only the 32-bit version of Java SE 8 is available.
- To specify Java SE 8, specify
- Web Server Plug-ins for IBM WebSphere Application Server
-
For command line or response file operations, you can use the
user.wasjava
property to install Java. Specifying the property is optional. If you do not specify the property, Java SE 8 is installed as the default.- To specify Java SE 8, specify
-properties user.wasjava=java8
. - To specify Java SE 6, specify
-properties user.wasjava=java6
.
Note: These properties are not required for installing and updating to version 8.5.5.14. If theuser.wasjava
property is specified in version 8.5.5.14 and later, it will be ignored and Java SE 8 is installed. - To specify Java SE 8, specify
Edge Components
Starting in version 8.5.5.11, the default Java SDK is Java SE 8. For more information about this change, see the Edge Components java upgrade technote.