Oracle WebLogic: Feature Timeline from WLS9 to WLS 12c

WebLogic Feature Timeline

What is new in WLS9, 10, 10.3, 11,
and WebLogic 12c?

munz & more
Dr. Frank Munz
V1.8 March 2012

Disclaimer

The following is my personal, biased view of WebLogic features
and how they were added over time starting from WebLogic 9 to
WebLogic 12c.

The lid
Th slides are d i d f
derived from various W bL i coachings I
i WebLogic hi
delivered world-wide, targeting admins, architects and developers.
I don’t strive for a complete list of features and deliberately leave
out things I consider less important (for my audience).

To keep updated feel free to subscribe to my blog (for tech stuff), newsletter (talks and
trainings) or twitter (annoyances, announcements and musings). If you find that some links
are not working for you, try to download the PDF file instead of using the browser plugin.
Your feedback is welcome.

(c)-2007-2012 F. Munz http://www.munzandmore.com/blog Slide #2

New in WLS 9

• Running on Java 5
• Portal light framework used for admin console
• Workshop IDE is Eclipse based first time
• Change center -> new scripting: startEdit()
• Improved scripting tool (WLST)
• Workmanager concept replaces
fixed size execute queue

... also new in WLS 9

• Side-by-side deployment keeps user sessions
= production redeployment
• Application modules: config deployment
pp g p y
• Deployment plans
• MAN and WAN clustering
• config.xml is in DOMAIN_HOME/config
and references subdirectories


config.xml and Subdirectory

config.xml = core config file
deployments = staging directory
diagnostics, jdbc, jms,
diagnostics jdbc jms security =
system modules

lib = added to classpath

startup = startup plan for shell
scripts at server startup

config.xml is XSD based

Check XML namespace of system modules:
http://www.bea.com/ns/weblogic/weblogic-
diagnostics/1.1/weblogic-diagnostics.xsd

In JAR files in META-INF subdirectory under
WL_HOME/server/lib/schema


Workmanager

WLS has only one thread pool /
Default Workmanger
Pool size based on runtime metrics
(self
( lf tuning)
i )
You can create additional workmangers (system
or application scoped)
Assign applications to workmanager
("dispatch policy")

Workmanager

Workmanager components:
• Fair Share Request Class
• Response Time Request Class
• Min Threads Constraint
• Max Threads Constraint
• Capacity Constraint
• Context Request Class

New in WLS 10

• Admin: rather small step from WLS9.x
• biggest change: EJB3 support
• WLST recording from admin GUI
• Still running on Java 5


So what is new in WLS 10?
Almost the same admin console


What is new in WLS 10g R3?

• Java 6 based
• New JAX-WS web service stack
p y
• On demand deployment:

• C# JMS client support
• Change center is off again (default)
• New and faster admin server GUI

New console in WLS 10g R3


Change Center

• Preferences: Enable
change center
• Always ON in
production mode

Audit Configuration Changes

You can enable auditing for configuration
changes under:
Domain / General / Config / Advanced

This is useful in large teams with personalized
login for admin role

Web Service Stacks and
WebLogic Versions
• WLS 10 begins with basic JAX-WS support
(successor of JAX-RPC)
• JAX-B data binding will replace XMLBeans in
the l
h long term
• JAX-WS does not support all "advanced" JAX-
RPC features
• JAX-RPC still supported in WLS 10.3
• Derived from Sun Glassfish Metro

Web Service Standards
in WLS 10.3
JDK 6 WS-SecureConversation 1.3
JAX-WS2.1 SAML 2.0
JAXB 2.1
WS-Security 1 1
WS Security 1.1
WS-Addressing 1.0
WS-Policy 1.5
WS-SecurityPolicy 1.2
WS-ReliableMessaging 1.1
WS-Trust 1.3

WebLogic 11g
Starts with Naming Confusion…
• Technically WebLogic Server 10.3.3
• Foundation for Fusion Middleware 11g
• Default install to:

OracleMiddlewarewlserver_10.3


WebLogic 11g

Technically WLS 10.3.1, but
 new admin console look and feel
 new schema namespaces and locations:
www.bea.com -> xmlns.oracle.com

For all WLS schema definitions see:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/weblogic/wls_10.3.1.0.html


New Namespace Example

WLS specific web deployment descriptor:

<weblogic web app
<weblogic-web-app xmlns=
"http://xmlns.oracle.com/
weblogic/weblogic-web-app">


WebLogic 11g New Features

• Formal support for JSF 2.0
• Security Updates from My Oracle Support
• MW HOME takes over from BEA_HOME
MW_HOME BEA HOME
(currently still both co-exist)


WebLogic 11g New Features

• Integration with Coherence and Toplink
(= WebLogic Suite)
• Two new Authentication Provider:
 Oracle Internet Directory
 Oracle Virtual Directory


Oracle Enterprise Pack for Eclipse

• Eclipse version 3.4 SP1+ or version 3.5
• Sun or JRockit JDK 5/6
• Supports Oracle WebLogic Server 8 1 to 10 x
8.1 10.x


WebLogic 11g
… New Features
Better Spring support:
• Spring console only needs to be enabled
• New monitoring in Spring console
• MedRec demonstrates Spring usage

Still limited supported configurations
e.g. 64 bit Solaris etc.

WebLogic 11g
SSL
Certicom SSL is replaced with
Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE)
-> SSLMBean is modified as well

Differences:
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E21764_01/web.1111/e13707/ssl.htm#SECMG499

JSSE Supported ciphers:
http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/technotes/guides/security/SunProviders.html#SunJSSEP
rovider


New in WebLogic 10.3.2

WLS 10.3.2 comes with a technical preview for
Scalable Component Architecture (SCA)

No other documented new features


WebLogic 10.3.2

Link to Oracle what-is-new documentation:

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E15523_01/web.1111/e13852/toc.htm

-> This documents repeates all new features
from WebLogic 10.3.1 as „new“ again.



• PlatformMBeanServerUsed default true
• Persistent Store: Direct-Write-With-Cache
(data integrity same as Direct-Write
Direct Write,
increased runtime performance)

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E14571_01/web.1111/e13701/store.htm#CNFGD242



• AppDeploymentRuntimeMBean
JMX only start and stop operations.
• TraceMemoryAllocationAction
y
Amount of memory allocated during a method
similar to TraceElapsedTimeAction
• MethodMemoryAllocationStatisticsAction
• Monitoring Dashboard replaces WLDF view

Monitoring Dashboard
host:port/console/dashboard



Development only installer zip 400 MB:
• Samples
• Derby All this
• web server plugins
• JDK NOT
• Coherence
included
• OEPE

Derby Java DB

Derby 10.5.3 replaces Pointbase DB

Derby manuals:
http://db.apache.org/derby/manuals/index.html


… new 10.3.3 Features

• Freeze/Unfreeze the Statement Pool
• Server Logging Bridge:
log messages redirected to WebLogic logging
g g g gg g
weblogic.logging.log4j.ServerLoggingAppender
configured in log4j.properties placed
in application classpath
• mod_wl.so supports Oracle HTTP Server too


WebLogic 10.3.3

Link to Oracle what-is-new documentation:

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E145
71_01/web.1111/e13852/toc.htm


WLS 10.3.4
CAT: Classloader Analysis Tool
To access the tool in development mode use:
http://adminserver:port/wls-cat/

Displays which classes are loaded by which
classloader and potential conflicts.

Live demo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5Pt55l5TwQ

WLS 10.3.4

• GridLink for RAC
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E21764_01/web.1111/e13737/gridlink_datasources.htm

• WLS optimizations for Oracle Exalogic
(can b enabled f
( be bl d from WLS admin console)
d i l )
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E18476_01/doc.220/e18479/optimization.htm


WLS 10.3.4
New Standards Supported
• Java Persistence API now JPA 2.0

• REST-ful web services: JAX-RS 1.1
J

InfoQ overview article about
annotation based REST support in Java EE 6:
http://www.infoq.com/news/2010/02/javaee6-rest


WebLogic 12c New Features

• Online WLS 12c documentation:
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E24329_01/index.htm
•Currently still on J
y JDK6:
WLS 12c will support 7 in near future,
WLS10.3.6 does it now!
• ZIP Distribution with 164 Mbytes only
• Finally supports Java EE 6
(EJB3.1 in war, Servlet 3, CDI, BeanValidation)

WebLogic 12c New Features

• Supports non-XA JDBC store for TX logs
• New Maven plugin (install, start and stop servers,
create domains, execute WLST scripts, and compile and
deploy applications)


WebLogic 12c DEPRECATED Features

• UDDI v2 registry and explorer removed
(most OFM products need v3 anyway)
• -D weblogic.management.username
is deprecated now (still working in devel mode).


Risks, Glitches and Problems

• WLS12c does not include proxy plugin
for web server load balancing.

https://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.js
pa?threadID=2330613

http://www.munzandmore.com/2012/ora/wls-
12c-proxy-plugin-is-missing


Web Services Compatibility

• Version tag is recommended for Java EE 6
webservices:
<Jan 9, 2012 3:57:34 PM CET> <Warning> <Munger> <BEA-2156203>
<A version attribute was not found in element "webservices" in
the d l
h deployment ddescriptor
i
weblogic.utils.classloaders.ChangeAwareClassLoader@16fa677
finder: weblogic.utils.classloaders.CodeGenClassFinder@1846149
annotation: Monitor@Monitor.war/WEB-INF/webservices.xml. A
version attribute is required, but this version of the
WebLogic Server will assume that the latest version is used.
Future versions of WebLogic Server will reject descriptors
that do not specify the Java EE version. To eliminate this
warning, add an appropriate "version=" to element
"webservices" in the deployment descriptor.>


Maven Plugin

Comes as .jar + .pom file in
WL_SERVER/server/lib

Good introduction to the WebLogic Maven plugin by
Jeffrey West
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hagaMr6UL6U

Maven Download and Documentation:
http://maven.apache.org

Java EE 6 Web

• Servlets
– without XML files -> web.xml optional
– asyc processing
y p g
• Web Profile
 war file can contain EJBs
 Bean Validation (enforced in JSF and JPA!)
@Size(min=1, max=18)
private String city

Java EE 6: EJB 3.1

• EJB 3.1
– No interfaces -> 1 source file per EJB
– Singleton EJBs: 1 instance p J
g J per JVM
@Singleton
– Lightweight Async methods
return void or Future
– Improved EJB Timer Service
@Schedule(dayOfWeek=“Mon/Wed”)

Java EE 6

• Events across beans with @Observes
• Context and Dependency Injection (CDI)
– Replaces JNDI lookups


Java EE 6 with WLS Introductions

Good resources to get started with Java EE 6

Adam Bien
http://it-republik.de/jaxenter/news/Adam-Bien-60-
Minuten---mit-Java-EE-6-058320.html

WLS12c and Netbeans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkxgrVqZ7D0


More Information

Blog http://www.munzandmore.com/blog

Courses http://www.munzandmore.com/courses

WLS Books http://bit.ly/tdColu
http://bit ly/tdColu

CloudBook http://www.amazon.com/dp/0980798000
( free chapter for downloading at Oracle ArchBeat )

Twitter @frankmunz


Oracle WebLogic: Feature Timeline from WLS9 to WLS 12c

Oracle WebLogic: Feature Timeline from WLS9 to WLS 12c

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