IBM® DataPower® Gateway 10.6.0.0, released on June 13th, 2024, brings a range of enhancements and new features to improve security, usability, and performance for enterprise-grade API gateway operations. This overview will detail the key updates in DataPower 10.6.0.0, including new features, value and behavioral changes, deprecated features, and security enhancements.

The new release supports OpenID Connect (OIDC) authentication to RBM, enhancing security by securely connecting to an OIDC identity endpoint to retrieve public keys for validation.

DataPower 10.6.0.0 introduces improved GitOps integration, allowing users to define and manage GitOps variables, test templates, and view statuses. Additionally, the new gitops-remove-template command enables template removal, simplifying management tasks.

Administrators can now configure TLS profiles to completely disable TLS renegotiation. This feature bolsters security by eliminating potential renegotiation vulnerabilities.

The API gateway now supports the configuration of LDAP connection pools, including cache flushing capabilities. This enhancement improves LDAP server interactions and overall performance.

Additional JSONata functions from the Date/Time function library are now supported for use in assembly actions, expanding the data manipulation capabilities within DataPower.

The API subscriber status now includes information about the action and party that last modified an application or client key, providing better tracking and auditing capabilities.

The updated cryptographic library now supports TLS, enhancing security and usability while introducing added complexity that may impact performance. This upgrade is essential for maintaining the latest security posture, including CVE updates.

The maximum character length for plaintext and encrypted passwords has been increased from 127 to 512 characters, allowing for stronger password policies.

The default TLS server profile now only supports TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3, with preferred cipher suites ensuring secure connections. IBM recommends using custom TLS profiles for client connections.

The DataPower WebGUI is now deprecated. Upon login, users will default to the new UI and cannot switch back to the WebGUI. For any issues, contacting IBM Support is advised.

Certain features have been marked for deprecation and will be removed in future releases. Users should migrate to alternative configurations as soon as possible.

DataPower 10.6.0.0 has known limitations and restrictions, detailed in the release notes. We encourage you to review these notes to understand the potential impacts on your environments—view release notes.

Verify compatibility with API Connect and other IBM products using the Software Product Compatibility Reports (SPCR) website. Generate a requirements report to ensure your environment meets the necessary criteria.

Detailed instructions for installing and upgrading DataPower Gateway 10.6.0.0 are available in the IBM documentation. Review these guidelines to ensure a smooth upgrade process. Installation and upgrade instructions.

IBM DataPower Gateway 10.6.0.0 is a significant release with numerous new features and enhancements designed to improve security, usability, and performance. From OIDC authentication to enhanced GitOps integration and improved LDAP support, this update offers robust tools to optimize your API gateway operations. For more information on the specifics, the official IBM documentation provides comprehensive details.

Avada Software is here to assist you with the management and monitoring of your DataPower environment. Click here to learn more about how we can help you leverage these updates to their fullest potential.