New Features in IBM WebSphere Portal 8.5

Digital Data Connector

The IBM Digital Data Connector (DDC) for WebSphere Portal is a new feature to integrate data from external data sources on portal pages by using IBM Web Content Manager presentation components. Use the Digital Data Connector for WebSphere Portal to create list-rendering profiles that define the set of attributes available for your content authors to integrate external data sources.

Information mode and user assistance

Information mode displays more inline information, examples, and hover help in the user interface, such as the site toolbar. Information mode gives you more assistance when you need it. After you are comfortable and understand the user interface, you can turn off information mode. Information mode is a global setting. Information mode is not implemented for the entire user interface. For example, it is not available for the administration portlets. From the site toolbar, you can turn it on and off to suit your needs. The user assistance is now divided into two help sections. One section is specific to the administrator and one is specific to the content author.

Accessing administration options

You can now access Administration from the site toolbar. Click Administration menu icon and select a specific area of administration from the menu. You can access all the Administration options in the navigation section after you open an administration page from the menu.

Configuring outbound HTTP connections

IBM® WebSphere® Portal now provides an easier way to configure outbound HTTP connections. In WebSphere Portal Version 8.0 and earlier versions, outbound HTTP connections were accessible through the Ajax Proxy service. The Ajax Proxy service was configured by a configuration document named proxy-config.xml. You find this document in the /WEB-INF directory of the web module that uses the Ajax Proxy service. Starting with WebSphere Portal Version 8.5 and the new outbound connection service, the configuration of outbound HTTP connections is now part of the standard datastore-based portal configuration.

Theme optimization analyzer

The theme optimization analyzer creates a validation report that analyzes your theme and theme components for known issues and reports the number of errors, warnings, and informational messages. It also includes a detailed explanation about how to fix the errors that occur.

Simple modules

Simple modules for the resource aggregator framework are provided in the WebDAV folder. You can define modules quickly with a limited set of features with these simple modules.

Collaborating with Worklight

You can expand the capabilities available to your application when you create a hybrid application that adds native device functions to your portal with Worklight. When your hybrid application runs with your WebSphere Portal pages rendered in a native application, WebSphere Portal loads the appropriate native resources for the device. These resources are loaded automatically through modules that are provided in WebSphere Portal.

Dojo is no longer required for tagging and rating

The tag and rating widgets of earlier portal versions required Dojo to be interactive. The new inline tag and rating widgets do not require Dojo to be interactive.

Use the Configuration Wizard to deploy PAA files

You can now install and deploy Portal Application Archive (PAA) files with the Configuration Wizard. Start the wizard and then go to Add On New Capability > Install Add-ons.

Social Rendering List templates

WebSphere Portal page editors can use social rendering to feature social data that is hosted on a remote IBM Connections server in the context of portal pages.

Vanity URLs

Vanity URLs are a new feature within WebSphere Portal. You can use vanity URLs instead of URL mappings. 

TopNav removal

    The TopNav from earlier themes has been removed from desktop view. The TopNav itself still exists, but it is hidden on desktops. If you want to use the TopNav in the desktop view, you can update the dynamic content spot definition in your theme's plugin.xml.

Default theme profiles

The standard profiles are now Lightweight and Lightweight with Dojo, Deferred and Deferred with Dojo, Basic Content and Basic Content with Dojo. The Full profile has been removed. Profiles can now be hidden also.

Web Clipper

The Web Clipper portlet is no longer supported. Use the Virtual Web Application Manager portlet instead.

Non-modular portal themes

The following themes are no longer supported: Portal, PortalWeb2, and Tab Menu - Page Builder. These themes are migrated as is to WebSphere Portal Version 8.5. However, they no longer work and are no longer supported. You must manually update those themes. Merge their function into a clean copy of a Portal 8.5 theme on the target server.

Shared pages

Shared pages are deprecated.

Enabler Component

The Enabler component is deprecated.

Only Full  installation options

Before WebSphere Portal Version 8.5, a customer chose either a full deployment with all the same pages and artifacts or a base deployment to customize their portal. Starting with Version 8.5, the Configuration Wizard installs the full deployment. Customers can then remove pages to customize their portal. Then, they can package their customizations as a Portal Application Archive (PAA) file. Finally, customers can install their production server, run the empty-portal task, and install the customization PAA file.

LikeMinds and Feedback

The LikeMinds and Feedback database domains are deprecated.

Active Credentials

Active credentials are deprecated from the Credential Vault portlet. Passive credentials are still available.

Parallel Portlet rendering

The Parallel Portlet rendering feature is deprecated.

Mashups Enabler API

The Mashups Enabler API is deprecated.

LTPA version 1 token support

The LTPA version 1 token is deprecated. WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5.5. disables the LTPA version 1 token by default. If you are integrating with third-party applications that rely on LTPA version 1, update the application to support LTPA version 2. If you cannot update the application, you must manually re-enable LTPA version 1 support after you complete the migration. For information on updating your application to support LTPA version 2, see the documentation for the application.

URL mappings

URL mappings are deprecated. If you upgrade from Version 8.0 to Version 8.5, you can continue to use your existing URL mappings, but creating new URL mappings is no longer supported. Use vanity or friendly URLs.

IBM WebSphere Portal Integrator for SAP

The IBM WebSphere Portal Integrator for SAP portlet is now deprecated. For SAP integration of single iViews or iPages, use the web application bridge.

Deprecated theme

The WebSphere Portal Page Builder 7.x theme was deprecated.