One of the goals of the 6.x release was to adhere to XML standards more closely. Every effort has been made to make the 6.x release compatible with earlier releases. When the XML standards have made this impossible, the old behavior was often kept as an optional feature.

The iWay Functional Language (iFL) has also been improved by a new implementation with a more rigorous syntax. The language is still the same, but some expressions that were previously accepted are now rejected, or given a more appropriate meaning. New tools were developed to identify these expressions and help propose alternative formulations to keep the original intent.

The first step of migration involves the copying of the 5.x components into the 6.x installation. This can be done using the familiar deployment tools like the Package Manager and Archive Manager found under the Tools menu of the iWay Service Manager console. Once the 5.x components are physically within the 6.x installation, the migration tools can automate the modifications or otherwise help identify problems.