Release Information for Natural Version 9.2.1

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# Release Information for Natural Version 9.2.1

This document covers the following topics:

- Strategy Regarding the Legacy-Unix Platforms

- Changes and Enhancements

## Strategy Regarding the Legacy-Unix Platforms

We would like to inform you that, after a detailed analysis & assessment, Software AG has decided to adjust its strategy regarding the Legacy-Unix platforms HP-UX®, AIX® and Solaris®. With many of our customers already departed from or soon planning to depart their Legacy-Unix platforms due to cost and technical reasons, Software AG has decided Linux x86 will be its strategic open systems platform for Adabas & Natural 2050+ going forward. This will allow Software AG to focus more resources on this platform and maximize the overall value to our customer base.

The end-of-maintenance date (EOM) for Software AG support of the Legacy-Unix platforms is December 31, 2024. For the period from December 31, 2024 to December 31, 2025 Software AG will offer options for non-standard sustained support on the Legacy-Unix platforms for customers who are unable to rehost by the regular EOM date. Both dates apply to all Software AG A&N products (excluding CONNX, which will still be available on Legacy-Unix).

This will provide you with more than five (5) years to rehost your Software AG applications from the Legacy-Unix platform to your preferred Linux x86 platform(s). Software AG recommends one of the following rehosting options:

- RedHat Enterprise Linux®

- SUSE Linux Enterprise

Please be assured that Software AG is prepared to offer assistance in planning and executing your rehosting from the Legacy-Unix platform to an alternative platform.

Following the principles of our "A&N 2050+ Initiative", your rehosting project will be a high priority to Software AG. Our local Software AG teams will be happy to discuss any rehosting topic with you.

If you have any questions regarding the Adabas & Natural platform roadmap, please do not hesitate to contact Adabas & Natural Product Management (e-mail: AskANProdMgt@softwareag.com).

For the Adabas & Natural products on the Legacy-Unix platforms HP-UX®, AIX® and Solaris® we currently plan the following final versions:

| Final Version (GA) | EOM | EOSS
--- | --- | --- | ---
Adabas HP-UX® | 6.7.0, October 2018 | 31.12.2024 | 31.12.2025
Adabas AIX® and Solaris® | 7.0, October 2020 | 31.12.2024 | 31.12.2025
Natural HP-UX® | 9.1.1, October 2018 | 31.12.2024 | 31.12.2025
Natural AIX® and Solaris® | 9.1.3, April 2021 | 31.12.2024 | 31.12.2025

## Changes and Enhancements

- Adabas Database

- Application Programming Interfaces

- DDM Editor

- Object Handler

- SQL Databases

- SORTSZE Parameter

- SYSRPC

- Objects Cataloged with Versions Below Natural Version 5

- Natural Security

### Adabas Database

Natural now supports Multi-Fetch-Factor on statement level for Adabas. This extends the functionality of the statements `READ`, `HISTOGRAM` and `FIND`. For more information about using the Multi-Fetch-Factor on statement level please see Programming Guide > Accessing Data in an Adabas Database > MULTI-FETCH Clause.

### Application Programming Interfaces

The following Natural application programming interfaces (APIs) are new in the `SYSEXT` system library:

API | Task | Enhancement
--- | --- | ---
`USR8220N` | Trigger termination of a Natural RPC server on server side. | The description of the API is more detailed.
`USR8225N` | Provide access to message ID and correlation ID in Natural RPC clients. | This API enables you to maintain message ID and correlation ID of Entire X in an RPC client or server environment. See Maintain Message ID and Correlation ID of EntireX in Operating a Natural RPC Environment.
`USR9175N` | Ping, terminate, or trace a Natural RPC server. | This API can now get or set the trace level for a Natural RPC server in addition to the previous capabilities to ping or to terminate it.
`USR9178N` | Maintain local store clock value | This API maintains local store clock values. It supports store clock with sliding window (1971 - 2114). Additional to the API, copycodes are provided for maintaining local store clock values.

### DDM Editor

Starting with Natural version 9.2, extended ISNs are supported for VSAM DDMs. For this, a new file attribute 'Extended File' can be specified. See also Natural for Windows > Editors > Saving and Cataloging a DDM > Additional Options for VSAM Files.

### Object Handler

The `UNLOAD` and `LOAD` commands of the Object Handler now provide extended field information for the Adabas FDTs (Field Definition Tables). The enhancements include, but are not limited to new options for edit masks (like `NATDATE` and `NATTIME`) and for system fields (like `SESSIONID`).

### SQL Databases

Natural now supports the MySQL and PostgreSQL SQL database types. Entire Access 9.2.1 is a prerequisite for using the new databases.

For more information about creating a DDM from an SQL database, see Editors > DDM Services > Creating DDMs > <CREATE> from SQL.

### SORTSZE Parameter

The upper limit of the SORTSZE parameter in Natural for Linux and Cloud and Natural for Windows has been increased from 2048 to 8192 KB. For more information, refer to Natural for Linux and Cloud > Parameter Reference > SORTSZE.

### SYSRPC

You can now get or set the trace level for the Natural RPC server trace with server commands.

For more information, see the TI, Tn, and T* line commands in SYSRPC Utility > Server Command Execution > Line Commands: Server Command Execution.

### Objects Cataloged with Versions Below Natural Version 5

As of Natural 9.2.1, the execution of Natural objects cataloged with versions below Natural Version 5 will no longer be supported. A recatalog with Natural Version 5 or higher is required.

In order to identify Natural objects cataloged with versions below Natural Version 5, you can use the new Natural system command `SYSLVERS`. For more information, please refer to the System Commands part of this documentation.

### Natural Security

The following enhancements are provided with Natural Security Version 9.2.1:

- Password Rules for User “DBA”
- Administrator Services – Maintenance Log Records
- Protecting a Natural Server Used in Eclipse – Development Mode Options
- Natural RPC – Support of User Names as User IDs
- SECLOAD – Importing External Security Data

#### Password Rules for User “DBA”

The first step after the installation is the change of the password for the administrator user ID “DBA”. To improve password security, the new password for the user “DBA” can no longer be freely chosen. As of this version, it must comply with the following rules:

- Its length must be 8 characters.

- It must contain at least one upper-case letter.

- It must contain at least one number.

- It must contain at least one special character.

- It must not contain the character sequence DBA.

- Every character may appear only once within the password.

For details, see Natural Security > First Steps After the Installation.

#### Administrator Services – Maintenance Log Records

The menu for the processing of maintenance log records provides several new options:

- Time from/to – This option allows you to list only log records written within a specific period of time.

- Function – This option allows you list only log records written for a specific maintenance function (for example, Modify, Delete, Rename).

- Ascending/Descending – This option allows you to list log records in either ascending or descending chronological order.

- Display modification – This option allows you to display intensified the actual modifications in the security profiles.

For details, see Natural Security > Administrator Services > Maintenance Log Records.

#### Protecting a Natural Server Used in Eclipse – Development Mode Options

The new option Commands priv-mode lib. allows you to control the use of Natural system commands for private-mode libraries.

For details, see Natural Security > Protecting the Natural Development Environment in Eclipse > Protection With Development Mode Options.

#### Natural RPC – Support of User Names as User IDs

The option to log on with the user name as user ID has already been available in conjunction with user authentication via an LDAP server. Now, this option also is supported in conjunction with Natural RPC service requests which use LDAP.

For details, see Natural Security > Administrator Services > Authentication Options (LDAP).

#### SECLOAD – Importing External Security Data

The SECLOAD program for loading Natural Security data now allows you to import user identification data from an external security system (LDAP) and load them to a Natural Security system file. As part of the import process, Natural Security user profiles are created automatically for the user data imported.

For details see Natural Security > Transferring Security Data To Another System File > Transferring User Data From an External Security System.

### On this page

- Strategy Regarding the Legacy-Unix Platforms
- Changes and Enhancements