Creating a Windows Service for Oracle WebLogic Server

In case you are using the Oracle WebLogic Server under Windows, you may want to run your WebLogic Server as a Windows Service instead of all time running the provided cmd files to startup your WebLogic Server.
For this Oracle provides us a small script to create a Windows Service for our WebLogic Server, the script is located in %WL_HOME%\server\bin with the name installsvc.cmd. The best way to use this script is to build up a small wrapper script with all the necessary variable declarations and a call on the installsvc.cmd:

echo off

SETLOCAL
set DOMAIN_NAME=DemoDomain
set USERDOMAIN_HOME=D:\oracle\fmw-11.1.1\user_projects\domains\DemoDomain
set SERVER_NAME=DemoAdminServer
set PRODUCTION_MODE=true
set JAVA_VENDOR=BEA
set JAVA_HOME=D:\oracle\fmw-11.1.1\jrmc-4.0.1-1.6.0
set MEM_ARGS=-Xms256m -Xmx512m
call "D:\oracle\fmw-11.1.1\wlserver-10.3.3\server\bin\installSvc.cmd"
ENDLOCAL

Just adjust the above example to your settings and run the wrapper script, this will create you a Windows Service "beas %DOMAIN_NAME%_%SERVER_NAME%", if you dont like the naming convention for the Windows Service to be created, just edit the installsvc.cmd script. Nearly at the end you will find following line:

"%WL_HOME%\server\bin\beasvc" -install -svcname:"beasvc %DOMAIN_NAME%_%SERVER_NAME%" -javahome:"%JAVA_HOME%" -execdir:"%USERDOMAIN_HOME%" -maxconnectretries:"%MAX_CONNECT_RETRIES%" -host:"%HOST%" -port:"%PORT%" -extrapath:"%EXTRAPATH%" -password:"%WLS_PW%" -cmdline:%CMDLINE%

Just adjust the option -svcname to your prefered settings.

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Oracle Universal Content Management 11g in another way

Today I discover the "Adventures of ECM 11g" from Billy Cripe (Fishbowl Solutions). That's really another cool way how to learn about Oracle Enterprise and Universal Content Management :-)

Enjoy it ...

That,s just part 1, right now you'll find 4 parts under Youtube

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The Oracle Universal Content Management Handbook - available

Under my post http://dirknachbar.blogspot.com/2010/05/review-of-oracle-universal-content.html in May 2010 I recommended the book "Oracle Universal Content Management Handbook" from Dmitri Khanine. Now the book is published and ready to buy or order.

Once again, if you are working with the Oracle Universal Content Management, this book might help you :-)

Details for Dmitri's book can be found under https://www.packtpub.com/oracle-universal-content-management-ucm-handbook/book

@Dmitri: Really good work :-)

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New Book: Oracle JRockit - The Definitive Guide

A couple of weeks ago I receive a request from Packt Publishing, if I am interested in reviewing and writing a short summing up of the new book "Oracle JRockit - The definitive Guide" and here we go :-)

The book are written by Marcus Hirt and Marcus Lagergren, two developers of the original JRockit therefore they really know about what they are writing :-) and the blurb of the book dont't distend that "this book helps you gain in-depth knowledge of Java from the JVM's point of view". What they promise, you will really get :-)

The book is well structured, starting with a classical "Getting Started" chapter, steping over to Code Genereation and Memory Management and Threads & Synchronization. After that my personal favorit chapters following.
The chapter about "Benchmarking and Tuning" is pretty good, starting with different types of Benchmarking, why we need them and how to decide which Benchmarking could be the right one for you. Logically in the same chapter you will find after your benchmarks a section about tuning.
The chapter about "JRockit Mission Control" is in my opinion the best one of the book (but that's just my personal opinion) and in combination with the chapter about "The Flight Recorder" it's unbeatable :-) Here the authors show how to use this powerful tool really in a practical way, so that you gain in-depth knowledge and you learn how to use it in your day-to-day tasks.
The chapter about "The Memory Leak Detector" is also really usefull if you run in such problems.
Moreover there is an interesting chapter about the brandnew "JRockit Virtual Edition", which will be in my opinion the future of how to use and implement a JVM.

My personal conclusion about this book: It's really a must for everybody who is working with the Oracle JRockit, no matter if you are a developer or a WebLogic Server Administrator. So checkit out either in your bookstore or just go the Packt Publishing Website.

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Enterprise 2.0 - How Iron Man would work - Presentation by Emiliano Pecis

Today I discover a really good presentation by Emiliano Pecis from Oracle (http://blogs.oracle.com/woa/) about Enterprise 2.0

Enterprise 2.0. How Iron Man would work...

View more presentations from Emiliano Pecis.

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Oracle Web Tier Utility Configuration Error INST-07281: JRF is not set up in the specific domain

You may receiving following the error message "INST-07281: JRF is not set up in the specific domain" during the configuration of the Oracle Web Tier in order to connect your Web Tier with an existing Oracle WebLogic Server.

The problem is really simple, the necessary JRF Libaries are not by installed configured in a WebLogic Server Domain if you had used the standard template for the domain configuration.

Therefor you have to extend your WebLogic Server Domain, just startup under the WL_HOME/common/bin the script config.sh and chose the option "Extend an existing WebLogic Server Domain". Then chose in the tree your WebLogic Server Domain, after that you will reach below provided screenshot and chose under "Extend my domain automatically to suppoprt the following added products" the option "Oracle JRF - 11.1.1.0".

After the extension of your WebLogic Server Domain is finished, you have to restart your WebLogic Server Domain AdminServer in order to load the newly added Libaries.

After the restart of the AdminServer you can try again your configuration of the Oracle Web Tier and you will see, that now the configuration process will proceed.

The most practical way is, if you install your Oracle Web Tier at first with the option "Install only", after that you run the WL_HOME/common/bin/config.sh script to add the necessary Oracle JRF components to your WebLogic Admin Server, perform a restart of your Admin Server and as last you run the config.sh script for the Oracle Web Tier in the directory WebTier_ORACLE_HOME/bin and go through the configuration steps.

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Oracle Application Express (APEX) 4.0 available

I just saw, that Oracle Application Express (APEX) 4.0 is now available for downloads in the Oracle TechNet:
http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/application_express/download.html

The most interesting new features in my opinion are the Websheet and the Oracle Application Express Listener. The full list of the new features can be found under: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17556_01/doc/user.40/e15517/what_new.htm#HTMDB01050

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Oracle Code Ninja Chronicles Episode 127.0.0.1

Sometimes Oracle knows how to produce cool promotions :-)

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Call for Papers DOAG Conference 2010

The DOAG Conference 2010 (the biggest Oracle User Conference in Europe) is still looking for presentation for MySQL Stuff (for DBA's & Developers) as MySQL is now part of the great Oracle Community :-)

The DOAG Conference 2010 will take place in Nuernberg/Germany from 16th November until 18th November 2010.

Under following link you can register your presentation https://mydoag.doag.org/termine/cfp.php The Call for Papers will be closed on 30th June, so hurry up ...

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Recommended Reading - Rework by Jason Fried and David Hansson

This post is nothing about Oracle Stuff or Technology, it's just a recommendation for a book, which might help you in your daily work :-)

It's the book "Rework by Jason Fried and David Hansson".

An excerpt of the book can be found under following link: http://s3.amazonaws.com/37assets/svn/Rework-by-Jason-Fried-and-David-Heinemeier-Hansson-Excerpts.pdf

Enjoy the reading :-)

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Did you forget your WebLogic Admin User password?

Several month ago you install your Oracle Fusion Middleware Environment, you didn't connect to the WebLogic console and now you realize, that you forget the password of the WebLogic Server Admin User "weblogic".
Here is a small How To in order to reset the Admin User "weblogic" password.

1st Step: Stop your Weblogic Server, if it's running

oracle@server>cd $MW_HOME/user_projects/domains/<your_domain>/bin
oracle@server>./stopWebLogic.sh <your_server>

2nd Step: Source the necessary environment variables for your WebLogic Server

oracle@server>cd $MW_HOME/user_projects/domains/<your_domain>/bin
oracle@server>./setDomainEnv.sh

3rd Step: Creation of a new WebLogic Server Admin User

oracle@server>cd $MW_HOME/user_projects/domains/<your_domain>/security

# the first value after the command "java weblogic.security.utils.AdminAccount"
# is the new username
# the second value is the password for the new Admin User
# IMPORTANT !!! After the password value you must place a "." (dot) !!!!
# This command will update the DefaultAuthenticatorInit.ldift
# configuration file

oracle@server>java weblogic.security.utils.AdminAccount myadmin oracle11g .

4th Step: Delete the file DefaultAuthenticatormyrealmInit.initialized

oracle@server>cd $MW_HOME/user_projects/domains/<your_domain>/servers/AdminServer/data/ldap
oracle@server>rm DefaultAuthenticatormyrealmInit.initialized

5th Step: Startup the WebLogic Server

# Depending if you are using a boot.properties file
# you must choose between the two following options
# a) Without boot.properties configuration file

oracle@server>cd $MW_HOME/user_projects/domains/<your_domain>/bin
oracle@server> ./startWebLogic.sh <your_domain>

# Here you will be prompted for your WebLogic Server Admin User and his Password
# Use now your newly created Admin User

# b) With a configured boot.properties configuration file
# Remove your boot.properties configuration file

oracle@server>cd $MW_HOME/user_projects/domains/<your_domain>/servers/AdminServer/security
oracle@server>rm boot.properties

# Startup your WebLogic Server

oracle@server>cd $MW_HOME/user_projects/domains/<your_domain>/bin
oracle@server> ./startWebLogic.sh

# Here you will be prompted for your WebLogic Server Admin User and his Password
# Use now your newly created Admin User

For the above mentioned two options see my Blog Post http://dirknachbar.blogspot.com/2009/08/security-hole-in-fusion-middleware-11g.html

6th Step: Login to your WebLogic Server Console with your newly created Admin User and change the password of the original WebLogic Server Admin User "weblogic"
# Navigate to "Security Realms"
# There you'll see two Admin Users: weblogic and your newly created Admin User
# Change the password of the user weblogic

7th Step (optionally): If you was using a boot.properties configuration file before, you must recreate it with the new values for the Admin User and the reseted password

Additional Note (26.01.2011): Please be aware that the above described procedure is NOT working with a database security store !!! (Thanks for the input from Nazir, see comments below)

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Last post "Review of The Oracle Universal Content Management Handbook written by Dmitri Khanine" removed

To anybody who is looking for my last post "Review of The Oracle Universal Content Management Handbook written by Dmitri Khanine", I had to remove it temporarily due to an request by the publisher of Dmitri Khanine upcoming book "The Oracle Universal Content Management Handbook".

As soon as the book is published, I will change my book review post to be active again.


Personally I don't understand why the publisher don't want postive feedback about the upcoming book before it's published, in my opinion such reviews are a free advertisment :-)

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Review of The Oracle Universal Content Management Handbook written by Dmitri Khanine

Some days ago, I receive a message through LinkedIn from Dmitri Khanine (http://www.stellentexperts.com), if he could mention my blog in his upcoming Book "The Oracle Universal Content Management Handbook".

My answer was short: "Of course yes :-)" and I offer Dmitri as soon as his book is out, I will buy a copy and take a look at it and write a review.
Dmitri's reply was also quite short: "He just provided my a draft (nearly final version) of his book :-)"
In the last days I got the chance to read his book and my summing up is: BUY IT !!

Dmitri's book is mainly for beginners with the Oracle Universal Content Management (http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/content-management/ucm/index.html). He guides from the basic concepts up to the installation, configuration, usage, integration and security with Oracle UCM.
What I personally like, when I am reading a book title like "Handbook" I am excepting, that inside the book, I will be guided through all necessary installation, configuration or development steps. Dmitri's book is in my opinion really a "Handbook" :-) For every important step you will find a screenshot with explaination and the steps between screenshots are in detail explained. So the reader is nowhere lost and can follow anytime. This book will really help you for a successfull implementation of Oracle UCM.

Even administrators or developers which are working already with Oracle UCM will find in Dmitri's book usefull information.

According to Dmitri and Packt Publishing (the publisher) the book "The Oracle Universal Content Management Handbook" will be published in July 2010. More details about the book you can find under https://www.packtpub.com/oracle-universal-content-management-ucm-handbook/book.
If you are a starter or already a administrator or developer of Oracle UCM, take a look at this book or better buy it :-)

@Dmitri: When you read this, really good work and thanks for providing me the pre-release of your book. I will buy the final release of your book !!

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New Layout of my blog

After blogging 2 years with the same layout it was time to change the old layout (really old fashioned) to something new :-)

So, if you are a regular reader of my blog, dont be shocked, you are still at the right blog :-)

Hope you will like the new layout? If not, feel free to complain :-)

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Oracle Grid Control 11g (11.1.0.1.0) for Solaris available

After the Linux Releases (x86 & x86-64) now Oracle Grid Control (Enterprise Manager) 11g (11.1.0.1.0) for Solaris (SPARC) is available under following link http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/oem/htdocs/solsoft.html

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Oracle WebLogic Server Virtual Edition

Nearly silent Oracle announce this time a really cool new stuff: Oracle WebLogic Server Virtual Edition

The concept is really simple but cool: Install a JRockit Virtual Edition directly (native) on Oracle VM (without any Operating System) and run your WebLogic without any overhead of a Operating System directly on the JRockit Virtual Edition.

The download can be found under: http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/ias/htdocs/wlsve.html

A datasheet of the Oracle WebLogic Server Virtual Edition can be found under http://www.oracle.com/us/products/middleware/application-server/wls-virtualization-ds-067888.pdf
Within the next days I will test this cool new stuff :-)

Update January 2011: Oracle has moved the download page of the Oracle WebLogic Server Virtual Edition to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/middleware/ias/downloads/wlsve-083102.html

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Oracle Grid Control 11g Release 1 (11.1.0.1.0) - First Screenshots

In my last post "Oracle Grid Control 11g (11.1.0.1.0) for Linux available" you could see that almost one week before the official launch of Oracle the new Release of Oracle Grid Control / Enterprise Manager 11g Release 1 (11.1.0.1.0) is available for download.

Today I will show you some screenshots of the new Grid Control / Enterprise Manager. If you are expecting a complete new layout and look'n feel, you will be dissappointed. The layout remains the same.
The startpage in Grid Control looks the same like the previous release:

Under the link "About Oracle Enterprise Manager" you will see, thats really a 11.1.0.1.0 release :-)

The database section looks the same like before.

Only if you click the tab "Performance" you can see that the webpage has been changed to ADF.

Under section Middleware you will find your Oracle WebLogic Server, as the Oracle WebLogic Server is a prerequirement to install the new Oracle Enterprise Manager 11g Release 1.

If you access the Oracle WebLogic Server included in your section Middleware, you will find the classical WebLogic Server Administration Console

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Oracle Grid Control 11g (11.1.0.1.0) for Linux available

I just discover that the new Oracle Grid Control / Enterprise Manager 11g Release 1 (11.1.0.1.0) is available for download for Linux x86 and Linux x86-64.

The download is only available at the moment under http://edelivery.oracle.com/ :-)

Addendum 15.04.2010 19:00 CET:

One of my colleague mentioned to me, that he also try to download the Grid Control 11g Release 1 (11.1.0.1.0) from http://edelivery.oracle.com, but he only receives "500 Internal Server Error". I am right now check it by myself and I receive the same error message and I saw that the download buttons are now disabled with a grey background.

It seems, that Oracle placed the Grid Control 11g Release 1 downloads by mistake on edelivery :-) Anybody who downloaded the installation software already: BE HAPPY :-) I am happy, I got the software :-)

Addendum 15.04.2010 22:45 CET:

Now the download of Grid Control 11g Release is working again even if the download buttons are in grey background colour, so happy downloading :-)

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How To Series: Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g Part 2

Within this post I will continue the "How To Series Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g" with the installation of the Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.2 on a Oracle Linux Enterprise Server 5 x86-64.

The Oracle WebLogic Server is the base for every installation of Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g components, e.g. Oracle Forms & Reports 11g, WebCenter Suite and so on.

In order to install a Oracle WebLogic Server on a 64 bit Operating System we will need at first a JDK, therefore we can choose between the SUN JDK or the Oracle JRockit. In the shown example here I'll use the Oracle JRockit 3.1.2 for Java 1.6.
The necessary software can be found under following links:

• Oracle JRockit 3.1.2: http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/jrockit/index.html
• Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.2: http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/ias/htdocs/wls_main.html

I will show here only the important screenshots, the full screenshots you will find under the slides shown at the end of this post.

Download the 2 necessary files (JRockit & "Oracle WebLogic Server - Generic") and transfer them to your server to any directory which is accessable for your oracle installation user.

At first we must install the JRockit 3.1.2 for Java 1.6. My personal directory structure is as follows:

• ORACLE_BASE=/u00/app/oracle
• FMW_HOME=$ORACLE_BASE/product/fmw-11.1.1

The JRockit software target directory will be under the $FMW_HOME/jrrt-3.1.2-1.6.0, but you are free to adapt the directory settings to your personal preferences :-)

Just start the JRockit installation with the command ./jrrt-3.1.2-1.6.0-linux-x64.bin, aknowlegde the Welcome Screen and after choose your installation directory.

On the screen Optional Components we don't have to choose anything. Wait some time until the software is copied to your target directory and we are finish with the installation of the JRockit 3.1.2 for Java 1.6

As next we can install the Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.2
For this we change to the directory where we transfer the installation software and set 2 environment variables:

• export JAVA_HOME=/u00/app/oracle/product/fmw-11.1.1/jrrt-3.1.2-1.6.0
• export PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH

After that we can start the Oracle WebLogic Server installation with:

• java -jar wls1032_generic.jar

Aknowledge the well known Welcome Screen and choose your Fusion Middleware Home (FMW_HOME)

If you are choosing my prefered directory structure, the installer will prompt you, that your choosen Fusion Middleware Home is not empty, just aknowledge this popup.
As next choose, if you want to receive security updates through Oracle Support (Metalink). After choose the Installation Type, here you can choose "Typical"

The JDK selection will have automaticly detected the before JDK JRockit 3.1.2

Then we must define the Oracle WebLogic Server target directory, normally this will be under the Fusion Middleware Home directory

Aknowledge the Installation Summary and wait some minutes, if the installation is finish, deselect the option "Run Quickstart" as the necessary WebLogic Domain will be created within the installation of the specific Fusion Middleware components. And we are ready with the installation of the Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.2

In the next part, I'll show how to install the Oracle Identity Management 11g.

Under slideshare.net you will find the full presentation with all screens to install the Oracle JRockit and the Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.2

Fusion Middleware 11g How To Part 2

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How To Series: Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g Part 1

Today I will start my How To Series for installing and configure the Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g (11.1.1.2.0).
The first part will be about how to install the Metadata Repository for the Fusion Middleware 11g.

Why we need a Metadata Repository? Most components of the Fusion Middleware 11g have to store informations in a repository, therefore we will need a database for creating the necessary schemas.

The Metadata Repository must be created for following components:

• Identity Management
• Enterprise Content Management
• WebLogic Communication Services
• SOA and BPM Infrastructure
• WebCenter Suite
• Portal and Business Intelligence

For Oracle Forms & Reports we will not need the Metadata Repository.

As preparation for the Metadata Repository, we will need an Oracle Database, my personal recommendation is use a Oracle 11.1.0.7.0 (but its also possible to use an Oracle 11.2.x). The database should be configured with following options:

• Oracle Text
• Oracle Ultra Search
• Spatial

The SGA sizing should be at least 1.5 GB and the init.ora parameters processes and sessions should be at least 500.

Download the Repository Creation Utility (RCU) from http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/middleware/htdocs/fmw_11_download.html for your platform (available for Windows or Linux). As the RCU can configure a remote database your target database can even reside on e.g. a Solaris server.
Just extract the RCU to any directory, no additional software is required as the RCU contains a full Oracle Client. Change to the directory rcuHome/bin and run for Linux "./rcu" or Windows rcu.bat.

In the following I will just show the important screens (a link to a slideshow with all the screens is given at the end).

At first the famous Welcome Screen comes up. After this you can choose between either to "Create" or to "Drop" a Metadata Repository, just choose "Create".
As next we must define the database connection to our target database:

The connection to the target database must be done with SYSDBA privileges.

Directly at the database connect the RCU will execute some prerequirement checks. After sucessfully passing these checks we can choose the components we want to install and configure in the Metadata Repository. In my example I will just install everything. Normally you should only install the components you really need.

Within the selection of the components, we also have to define the general schema prefix for the created schemas. Normally you should choose a naming convention like "DEV" for development environments, "PRD" for production environments and so on. After the selection of the components/schemas to be installed another prerequirement check is running, just aknowledge them.
As next we must define the passwords for the new schemas, here we can define one password for all schemas or we can define own passwords per schema.
After this we have to manage the new tablespaces which will be created. Aknowledge the next 2 Popup's, the first one warns you, that the tablespaces will be created if they are not already existing and the second popup is a validation for the tablespace creation. Then we are nearly at the end, just review the summary page and lets start with the creation of the choosen components/schemas.
Time for a small coffee :-) Anybody who knows the previous version of the Oracle Application Server knows that the creation of the Metadata Repository tooks quite a long time, but with the Fusion Middleware 11g it's really fast now. The reason is simply, it's just a "basic creation" of the schemas, the huge data load and so on will come when we are installing the Fusion Middleware Components himself later. So at the end: no time saving :-(

At the end of the creation process you should see a screen like this:

And ready is our Fusion Middleware Metadata Repository.

Thats all for today, the next part will contain, how to install the Oracle WebLogic Server 11g Release 1 (10.3.2), as this will be the base for all following installation.

Under slideshare.net you will find the full presentation with all the screens to install the Metadata Repository.

Fusion Middleware 11g How To Part 1

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