Release Information for Natural Version 9.3.3

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# Release Information for Natural Version 9.3.3

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 our 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 GmbH applications from the Legacy-Unix platform to your preferred Linux x86 platform(s). we recommend 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: A&N-ProdMgmt@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

- PROFILER Parameter

- Updated PAM Module for OIDC

- Natural Security

- Application Programming Interfaces

- Syntax and Compiler Enhancements

- Natural Availability Server

- Authentication in Natural Development Server

- Licensing Changes / Community Edition

### PROFILER Parameter

A new `FLAGS` subparameter has been added. It is related to improved time measurement. For details, see Parameter Reference > PROFILER - Profile a Natural Session.

### Updated PAM Module for OIDC

The pam_oidc.so module now supports an account phase, which allows administrators to execute custom scripts for user provisioning or permission management after authentication. These scripts can be executed securely as a specific user, and all actions can be logged in a dedicated file. Security best practices are enforced by requiring that script permissions be set to 750 and by supporting Linux capabilities for privilege changes. For more information see Natural Web I/O Interface > Installing and Configuring the Natural Web I/O Interface Server > PAM Module for OIDC.

### Natural Security

The following enhancements are provided with Natural Security Version 9.3.3:

- New Authentication Options (LDAP)
- Password and Cipher Code

#### New Authentication Options (LDAP)

With the new LDAP authentication options, a user defined in Natural Security can be allowed to use the session if LDAP authentication fails.

- New authentication types in the list of Authentication Options:

  `M3` = master profile - active - Natural Security authentication if LDAP fails.

  `A3` = alternative profile - active - Natural Security authentication if LDAP fails.

  For details, see Natural Security > Invoking LDAP Security Profile Maintenance.

- New value for the Protection level option:

  `3` = Same as protection level `1`, except if LDAP authentication fails, then the user will be authenticated further with Natural Security.

  For details, see Natural Security > Components of an LDAP Security Profile.

#### Password and Cipher Code

For the FUSER and FDIC library files, each entered value in the Password and Cipher code fields is now masked with an asterisk (*). This prevents unauthorized access or exposure of sensitive information. For details, see Natural Security > Library File.

### Application Programming Interfaces

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

API | Task | Enhancement
--- | --- | ---
`USR1055N` | List objects in a library | The API now supports object names containing special (non-ASCII) characters. If the processed library contains objects with such names, set the `V4-SPEC-CHAR` parameter to `Y`.
`USR2023N` | Get type of database | The API now provides the following additional optional parameters: `DB-FCTLEVEL` - The database functional level (output). `DB-PARMTYPE` - The database type as given with the Type setting in the DB assignment (output). `DB-TYPELONG` - The long name of the database type (output). `DB-ENTRIES` - The number of DBID entries to be processed (input). Default/maximum: 257. The example program `USR2023P` now lists the new output values.
USR4206N | List objects in a library | The API now supports object names containing special (non-ASCII) characters. If the processed library contains objects with such names, set the `V3-SPEC-CHAR` parameter to `Y`. As expected, the API now returns all objects in the given range when `OPT-TYPE-OP='I'` and `OPT-TYPE='*'` are set.

### Syntax and Compiler Enhancements

- XRef Data Generation Adapted for NaturalONE Private-mode Libraries
- Enhanced PARSE XML Statement
- Add Edit Mask to WRITE WORK FILE Statement
- Label and Line Number for END-XXX Statement
- New END-SUBROUTINE Label for DEFINE SUBROUTINE Statement
- TO Option for READ BY ISN Statement
- New System Variable *UUID

#### XRef Data Generation Adapted for NaturalONE Private-mode Libraries

Natural for Windows, Linux, and Natural Development Server version 9.3.3 no longer produce redundant XRef data generated for NaturalONE private-mode libraries. XRef data is now only generated for shared mode libraries.

#### Enhanced PARSE XML Statement

The `PARSE XML` statement has been enhanced by a `GIVING` error code clause.

You can now receive the 4-digit Natural error number when a runtime error occurs. If that error contains different reason codes, a subcode is provided alongside the error number.

For more information, see PARSE XML in the Statements documentation.

#### Add Edit Mask to WRITE WORK FILE Statement

You can now define an edit mask for `operand1` of a `WRITE WORK FILE` statement.

For more information, see `WRITE WORK FILE` in the Statements documentation.

#### Label and Line Number for END-XXX Statement

You can now specify labels or line numbers in structured mode when ending the following statements:

`CALL FILE`
`CALL LOOP`
`FIND`
`FOR`
`HISTOGRAM`
`PARSE JSON`
`PARSE XML`
`READ/BROWSE`
`READLOB`
`READ RESULT SET` (SQL)
`READ WORK FILE`
`REPEAT`
`SELECT` (SQL)
`SORT`
`UPLOAD PC FILE`

For more information about ending these statements, see the Statements documentation.

#### New END-SUBROUTINE Label for DEFINE SUBROUTINE Statement

The `END-SUBROUTINE` clause of the `DEFINE SUBROUTINE` statement has been enhanced by an optional `END-SUBROUTINE` label.

You can use this label to improve the readability of a program by placing it after the `END-SUBROUTINE` clause of a subroutine. For more information, see DEFINE SUBROUTINE Syntax Description in the Statements documentation.

#### TO Option for READ BY ISN Statement

The `READ BY ISN` statement has been adapted for use with the `TO` option.

With the `TO` option, you can now specify an end ISN value in the `READ BY ISN` statement. Natural will receive records until it reaches the specified end ISN value. For more information, see `READ BY ISN` in the Statements documentation.

#### New System Variable *UUID

A new system variable `*UUID` has been introduced that provides a unique user ID. For more information, see *UUID in the System Variables documentation.

### Natural Availability Server

- z/OS Connectivity Support
- Copy Rectangle Functionality
- Keyboard Mapping
- Tab Ahead when Field is Full

#### z/OS Connectivity Support

The High Availability Server now also supports z/OS connectivity. It can be used to start Natural sessions on z/OS. However, those sessions do not support High Availability functionality at session level. The web application will function as a regular web emulator. High Availability at application level is only supported for z/OS with an application load-balancer with sticky sessions in front of Natural Availability Server.

#### Copy Rectangle Functionality

A new Copy rectangle button has been added to the top menu. This feature enables you to copy part of the screen to the clipboard. For more information, see Natural Availability Server > User Interface Manual.

#### Keyboard Mapping

A set of functions was added to the web application that can be configured for keyboard mapping. For more information, see Natural Availability Server > Advance Configuration Keyboard Mapping.

#### Tab Ahead when Field is Full

With the "tab ahead" functionality, the web application will automatically jump to the next input field once the current input field is filled out, eliminating the need to press the Tab button. For more information, see the `com.softwareag.natural.client.config.tab-on-field-full` property in Natural Availability Server > Configuring the User Interface.

### Authentication in Natural Development Server

Natural Development Server now optionally supports authentication via PAM (Pluggable Authentication Module), enabling integration with OpenID Connect for token-based authentication through NaturalONE. After a successful PAM authentication, system user impersonation is possible if the server is started as root or with the appropriate Linux capabilities. For enhanced security, it is strongly recommended to use PAM authentication only in combination with SSL. When used with Natural Security, PAM authentication provides single sign-on (SSO). See the Natural Development Server documentation for information on how to enable PAM authentication.

### Licensing Changes / Community Edition

The following licensing changes have been made:

- Natural can run without a license in Community Edition mode.

- Natural can be installed without specifying a license.

- No license is required for the Natural Development (NDV) Server.

- Natural Runtime (RUN) is no longer supported and is embedded in the Natural (NAT) package, installable as Extended Environment.

For more information, see What Can be Installed With Natural? and Installing Natural in the Installation documentation.

### On this page

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