Simplifying Installation and Configuration:
One of the main focuses of version 8.5 is to simplify the installation and configuration steps. There will be no standalone profile for BPM Standard or Advanced. They have collapsed 12 profile types into one, promoting concept of Deployment Environments so that changing from standard to advanced can be done without re-installation. Deployment environments are taking over from what used to be done via profiles. There are three types of patterns available for a particular deployment environment.
BPM Standard – All BPM Standard function (Process Server, Performance Data warehouse).
BPM Advanced – All BPM Standard function PLUS advanced function (includes SCA, BPC).
BPM Advanced (only Process Server) – ONLY BPM advanced function (includes SCA, BPC).
There are two choices of clusters available for each pattern.
Single Cluster – Simple pattern, defines one application deployment target cluster which includes messaging infrastructure and supporting applications.
Three Cluster (Application, Remote Messaging, Remote Support) – This cluster pattern is recommended to production (golden topology).
The other important change is that they have reduced the number of SIBs (Service Integration Bus) from 6 to 1 in BPM Advanced. Every deployment environment will have its own SIB.
Improved Dashboard Look and Feel:
Next generation out of box Dashboards are introduced that replaced scorecards from previous releases. These are created using coach views which will empower customization and extensibility. Following is what different stakeholders can do.
Process Owners can view current performance against expectations.
Team managers can visualize and manage the work of their team.
Participants can see their own task performance measurements.
Anyone can create their own dashboard as they are just another human service. Version 8.5 also provides a new Dashboard toolkit which can be used in process applications. Important to note that new IBM supplied and custom dashboards built with the dashboard toolkit are not supported on Internet Explorer 8. Same goes with the Table and Tab coach views supplied in the Coaches toolkit.
Enhancements in Coaches:
In version 8.0, you have to write java script code to dynamically change the control’s visibility. They have improved it in new version by providing a separate tab for visibility with which you can easily define conditions based on variable states and team roles. Write complex script evaluating visibility on change. This is a simple yet very useful enhancement.
Syntax highlighting and content assist is now provided for Inline Java script and Event handlers. Also, syntax highlighting and variable substitution is available in custom HTML now.
Local Document Store:
One of the most used and important feature of heritage coach was built in support for document attachments that stored document in local BPM database. When new generation coaches are introduced, this feature is badly missed…Good news! Version 8.5 is addressing that with a new local document store (which will be consistent with for both internal and external document stores) and new document list view.
Web Services Enhancements:
In version 8.5, web services configuration becomes part of server’s settings. This will help defining different web service configuration for different environment (DEV, UAT, PROD etc.).Policy set and SOAP headers support is also introduced for both inbound and outbound web services.
Blueworks Live Integration Enhancements:
Following are the enhancement to Blueworks live integration.
Improved subscription to BWL in process designer (remembers User ID, Picker improvements, ability to preview BWL process).
Open a subscribed BWL process in BWL from process designer.
Check for BWL process updates, although updates need to be done manually to BPDs.
References/Links from imported BPM artifacts (e.g. BPDs) to the corresponding BWL artifacts.
