Release Information for Natural Version 9.3.2

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# Release Information for Natural Version 9.3.2

This document covers the following topics:

- Strategy Regarding the Legacy-Unix Platforms

- Changes and Enhancements

- Notice of Future Changes

## 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 sufficient time 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

- Buffer Pool with Enhanced Performance

- DBGAT Profile Parameter Available on Linux

- New API for LDAP Security Profiles

- New PAM Module for Natural Web I/O Interface

- SSL/TLS Security for Debug Attach Server for NaturalONE

- Application Programming Interfaces

- Syntax and Compiler Enhancements

- Natural Availability Server

- Utilities

### Buffer Pool with Enhanced Performance

The read/write buffer pool can now be used on its own in performance-critical environments.

For details about the buffer pool with enhanced performance, see Operations > Natural Buffer Pool > Buffer Pool with Enhanced Performance.

### DBGAT Profile Parameter Available on Linux

The `DBGAT` profile parameter can now be set in a Natural parameter file on Linux.

For details, see Parameter Reference > DBGAT - Debug Attach Server for NaturalONE

### New API for LDAP Security Profiles

The new application programming interface NSCSSXMN allows you to archive and revive LDAP security profiles.

For details, see Natural Security > Application Programming Interfaces.

### New PAM Module for Natural Web I/O Interface

The Natural Web I/O Server installation introduces the new pam_oidc PAM module. This module allows to configure OpenID Connect authentication more easily.

For more information see Natural Web I/O Interface > Installing and Configuring the Natural Web I/O Interface Server > PAM Module for OIDC.

### SSL/TLS Security for Debug Attach Server for NaturalONE

You can now start the debug attach server with SSL/TLS security. You can configure the SSL/TLS security with the `DBGAT` parameter.

For more information about debugging an external Natural application with NaturalONE, see Parameter Reference > DBGAT - Debug Attach Server for NaturalONE.

For detailed information on how to debug external Natural applications, see the NaturalONE documentation.

### Application Programming Interfaces

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

API | Task | Enhancement
--- | --- | ---
`USR2071N` | Support EntireX Security on client side | The example program `USR2071P` has been enhanced with the option to enter the User ID and/or the Broker ID in mixed case or not. This is implemented on Linux and Windows only. The functionality of the API `USR2071N` is not affected.

### Syntax and Compiler Enhancements

- Enhanced Error Messages Indicating Position of Parameter
- GDA (Global Data Area) timestamp value replaced with hash signature
- More detailed error handling for MOVE BY NAME and MOVE BY POSITION
- New PARSE JSON Statement

#### Enhanced Error Messages Indicating Position of Parameter

When a parameter provided in an `INPUT USING MAP`, `CALLNAT`, or `PERFORM` external subroutine does not correspond to a parameter in the called object, an error with the position number of the parameter in error shows.

The error text now also includes the field name of the parameter variable. The variable name is only available at compile time when the `PCHECK` compiler option is set to `ON`. If the external subroutine is received at runtime, the error text does not include the field name.

This change affects the first insert position in the following error messages: NAT0936, NAT0937, NAT0938, NAT0648, NAT0965, NAT0966, NAT0969.

#### GDA (Global Data Area) timestamp value replaced with hash signature

The Natural compiler has been improved to generate an internal hash signature for Natural objects instead of the former timestamp value. The hash signature is generated based on the Natural object structure and remains the same for Natural objects of the same structure whenever compiled.

With this enhancement, the GDA's signature remains the same throughout multiple compiles, provided no structural changes were done in a GDA. As a result, Natural objects using GDA's only need to be re-compiled if there is a change in GDA signature due to a GDA structure change.

The new behavior is more consistent with the documented behavior and has the advantage for developers that fewer object compilations are required. This change also results in error message "NAT0925: GDA signature conflict" being returned, instead of "NAT0933: GDA time-stamp conflict."

#### More detailed error handling for MOVE BY NAME and MOVE BY POSITION

The Natural compiler has been improved to also display mismatching field names of a MOVE BY NAME or MOVE BY POSITION statement. The new error message NAT0321 has been introduced:

    NAT0321 Error :1: in :2: processing fields :3:.

Parameter :1: is filled with the underlying error (e.g. 300 for “Operands are not data transfer compatible.”)

Parameter :2: is filled with statement MOVE BY NAME or MOVE BY POSITION

Parameter :3: is filled with the field name or pair of fields causing the error

Error finding in large structures will be speed up with the additional information.

#### New PARSE JSON Statement

The new `PARSE JSON` statement allows you to parse JSON documents from a Natural program. For more information, see `PARSE JSON` in Statements.

### Natural Availability Server

- Natural Data Transfer Support
- Open Id Connect Authentication
- HTTP Health Check

#### Natural Data Transfer Support

As of this version, the Natural Availability Server supports ...

the "DOWNLOAD PC FILE" statement to download data from the Natural host to the client.
the "UPLOAD PC FILE" statement, to upload files from the client to Natural
the "PRINT" statement, to print the file received from Natural.

For more information, see Natural Availability Server > File Transfer.

#### Open Id Connect Authentication

The Natural Availability Server now supports OpenID Connect authentication. For more information see Natural Availability Server > Advanced Configuration > Open Id Connect Authentication.

#### HTTP Health Check

This HTTP call checks the availability of the Natural Availability Server and the Natural Web I/O Interface server.

The HTTP call is designed to expose the availability state of the node to the load balancer.

For more information see Natural Availability Server > Advanced Configuration > Health check HTTP call.

### Utilities

- Administering the Natural Buffer Pool Monitor (NATBPMON)
- Object Handler
- Natural Configuration Utility

#### Administering the Natural Buffer Pool Monitor (NATBPMON)

The `NATBPMON` administrator can now always invoke the utility. If the maximum buffer pool user limit is reached, the administrator accesses the utility as an emergency user.

#### Object Handler

The Data area format of the Transfer options is enhanced with the value ‘D’ to convert data areas to the `DEFINE DATA` format. Due to the enhanced parameter values, the Profile Maintenance command `UPDATE` must be executed to update the changes into the Object Handler profile. For more information, see the enhanced Data area format of the Transfer option described in Settings. For more information about the profile in the Object Handler utility, see the chapter Profile Settings.

#### Natural Configuration Utility

The Natural Configuration Utility now supports additional buffer pool administrators in the local configuration file.

For further information, see Configuration Utility > Overview of Configuration File Parameters > Administrator Assignments.

## Notice of Future Changes

The following will be changed in upcoming releases of Natural:

### Discontinuing Support for the Natural Runtime Package for Linux.

This is the last version of Natural for Linux and Cloud that supports Natural Runtime (RUN). Natural Runtime will be embedded in the Natural (NAT) package for Linux.

### On this page

- Strategy Regarding the Legacy-Unix Platforms
- Changes and Enhancements
- Notice of Future Changes