Creating WebLogic Configurations Using the Configuration Wizard

Overview of the WebLogic Configuration Wizard and Configuration Template Builder

This section provides an overview of WebLogic Platform configuration using the Configuration Wizard and Configuration Template Builder.

Topics include:

Overview

BEA WebLogic Platform consists of WebLogic Server, WebLogic JRockit, and several other component products: WebLogic Workshop, WebLogic Portal, and WebLogic Integration. These components, as well as the WebLogic Platform applications that use them, are implemented as applications that run on WebLogic Server. To run applications on WebLogic Server you must define and create a domain. A domain is the basic administration unit for WebLogic Server. To run WebLogic Platform applications, you must create a domain that includes the appropriate WebLogic Platform components. Domains are described in more detail in Brief Introduction to Domains.

To simplify the configuration process, WebLogic Platform provides a suite of two tools, the Configuration Wizard and the Configuration Template Builder:

The Configuration Wizard guides you through the process of creating or extending a domain for your target environment. This process is accomplished using predefined configuration and extension templates containing the main attributes and files required for building or extending a particular domain.
The Configuration Template Builder guides you through the process of creating custom configuration and extension templates from existing templates or domains. These templates can be used later for creating and updating domains using the Configuration Wizard.

Used together, these tools allow you to define and propagate a standard domain across a development project, or to distribute a domain with an application that has been developed to run on it. You use the Configuration Wizard and Configuration Template Builder in off-line mode only (that is, when there is no server running).

What Are Configuration and Extension Templates?

When using the Configuration Wizard, the term template refers to a Java Archive (JAR) file that contains the files and scripts required to create or update a domain. The types of templates that can be created by the Configuration Template Builder and used by the Configuration Wizard to create or update domains include:

Configuration template—defines the full set of resources within a domain, including infrastructure components, applications, services, security options, and general environment and operating system options. This type of template is used to create a domain.
Extension template—defines applications and services, such as JDBC or JMS components, and startup/shutdown classes, that can be used to extend an existing domain. This type of template is used to update a domain. The applications and services stored in the extension templates selected by the user are imported into the domain.

BEA delivers a set of predefined configuration and extension templates, as described in the "Template Reference" at the following URL:

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13196_01/platform/docs81/confgwiz/tempref.html

Included are configuration templates that enable you to configure domains with various combinations of WebLogic Platform components, and extension templates that allow you to add WebLogic Platform components to your existing domains.

Creating and Extending Domains Using the Configuration Wizard

Before you can develop and run a WebLogic Platform application, you must first create a WebLogic Server domain. You can create a domain quickly and easily by using a configuration template that provides domain configuration information as input to the Configuration Wizard. The Configuration Wizard, shown in the following figure, is a stand-alone Java application that can be run independently of WebLogic Server to simplify the creation of domains.

Figure 1-1 Configuration Wizard

Configuration Wizard

To create a domain using the Configuration Wizard, select the configuration template that best meets your requirements and use it to build your domain.

The Configuration Wizard provides two options for creating domains:

Express configuration—This option allows you to create a domain quickly, using the default settings from the configuration template of your choice. Keep in mind that in this mode you cannot modify template settings (for example, server port numbers) while you are creating your domain.
Custom configuration—This option allows you to modify configuration information as appropriate for your particular requirements. Once you decide to customize your domain, you have the option of specifying the following components and parameters:

Infrastructure components, including Managed Servers, clusters, and physical host machines
Database and messaging services—Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) and Java Message Service (JMS)
Targets (servers and clusters)
Security parameters
General environment and operating system parameters

When to Choose Custom Configuration

You may want to choose the Custom configuration option in the following circumstances:

You want to create a multi-server or clustered application. (All the pre-defined configuration templates delivered with WebLogic Platform are single-server configurations.) For instructions on adding Managed Servers or clusters to your domain, see Configuring Managed Servers, Clusters, and Machines.
The configuration template on which you are basing your domain uses a database other than the one required for your configuration. In this case, you need to customize the JDBC settings to point to the appropriate database. For instructions, see Configuring a Database Service.
The configuration template on which you are basing your domain contains JMS configuration settings that differ from those required by your application. In this case, you need to customize the JMS settings to match your configuration. For instructions, see Configuring a Java Messaging Service.
You received a configuration template from a developer to use as a test environment and you need to modify it to match your machine configuration. For instructions, see Configuring Targets.

What the Configuration Wizard Creates

Using your input, the Configuration Wizard creates a domain configuration that always includes:

A new configuration file, config.xml, that describes the infrastructure and basic network parameters of all server instances
Configuration of basic security features that allow for the initial booting of the domain

The domain may also include the following:

Server startup scripts (for example, startWebLogic.cmd or startWebLogic.sh) that are populated with the values that you enter using the Configuration Wizard
A directory containing the applications provided by the configuration template
Other files and directories to help you get started (for example, setEnv.cmd/setEnv.sh or setDomainEnv.cmd/setDomainEnv.sh)

After creating a domain using the Configuration Wizard, you can start a WebLogic Server instance to run in the domain for application development, testing, or production use.

Extending Domains

In some cases, it may be desirable or necessary to add a predefined application, a WebLogic Platform component product, or a set of services, such as JDBC or JMS, to an existing domain. For example, if you have an existing WebLogic Server application running in a domain and you need to develop a WebLogic Workshop application to run in the same domain, you must extend the functionality of the WebLogic Server domain by adding WebLogic Workshop.

To extend a domain using the Configuration Wizard, select the directory of the domain that you want to extend and identify the extension template to use to include additional applications. You then have the option of configuring the database (JDBC) and messaging (JMS) services, and targeting servers or clusters to which you want the applications or services deployed. BEA delivers a set of predefined extension templates, as described in "Template Reference" at the following URL:

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13196_01/platform/docs81/confgwiz/tempref.html

The Configuration Wizard uses your input to update the config.xml file and all other generated components in the configuration directory, as required.

Creating Custom Templates Using the Configuration Template Builder

BEA provides a number of configuration and extension templates, as part of the WebLogic Platform product, aimed at developers seeking to create new applications. However, BEA also provides the capability to create your own templates. The Configuration Template Builder, shown in the following figure, is a stand-alone Java application that allows you to create custom configuration and extension templates that can be used later for creating and updating domains using the Configuration Wizard.

Note: The Configuration Template Builder can be run in graphical mode only. Therefore, the console attached to the machine on which you are using the Configuration Template Builder must support a Java-based GUI. All consoles for Windows systems support Java-based GUIs; only a subset of UNIX-based consoles support Java-based GUIs.

Figure 1-2 Configuration Template Builder

Configuration Template Builder

Using an existing domain or template, the Configuration Template Builder guides you through the process of creating custom configuration and extension templates that can be used as input to the Configuration Wizard.

Creating Custom Configuration Templates

To create a custom configuration template using the Configuration Template Builder, select the domain or configuration template from which you want to create a new configuration template. You have the option of updating the following:

Basic template information
Application and domain directory contents
Infrastructure components, including Managed Servers, clusters, and physical host machines
Database and messaging services—Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) and Java Message Service (JMS)
Targets (servers and clusters)
Security options
General environment and operating system options

The Configuration Template Builder creates a configuration template (JAR file). The configuration template can be used by the Configuration Wizard to create a new domain.

Creating Custom Extension Templates

To create a custom extension template using the Configuration Template Builder, you select a domain or extension template to use as the basis for your extension template. You have the option of updating the following:

Basic template information
Application directory contents
Database and messaging services—Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) and Java Message Service (JMS)
Security Options

The Configuration Template Builder creates an extension template (JAR file). The extension template can be used by the Configuration Wizard to update an existing domain.

Additional Tools for Extending and Managing Domains

WebLogic Server provides a rich set of system administration tools that enable you to install, configure, monitor, and manage one or more domains. As described previously, you can use the Configuration Wizard to create and extend domains. It is designed to simplify and automate the process of initial domain configuration, and the addition of well-defined applications and services to existing domain configurations. The Configuration Wizard configures and extends domains by making a complete set of configuration changes in bulk (at one time), and in off-line mode (that is, when the WebLogic Server domain is not running), to obtain a valid configuration. It is not designed for sequential modification of individual configuration parameters, for use in online mode, or for use as a monitoring tool.

You can also use the tools defined in the following table to extend and manage the domain. Run-time configuration can also be accomplished using the consoles of the WebLogic Platform component products.

Table 1-1 Additional Tools for Extending and Managing Domains

To perform the following task . . .	Use the following resources . . .
Add applications and services, or modify existing settings	WebLogic Server Administration Console. For more information, see the WebLogic Server Administration Console Online Help, accessible by selecting the help icon from the Administration Console interface or at the following URL: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/ConsoleHelp/index.html Other system administration tools, such as `weblogic.Admin`, JMX, and Ant. For more information, see Configuring and Managing WebLogic Server at the following URL: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/ConsoleHelp/index.html
Add configuration information to the domain (not configurable by the Configuration Wizard)	WebLogic Server Administration Console. For more information, see the WebLogic Server Administration Console Online Help, accessible by selecting the help icon from the Administration Console interface or at the following URL: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/ConsoleHelp/index.html
Manage and monitor the health and status of the domain

To perform the following task . . .

Use the following resources . . .

Add applications and services, or modify existing settings

WebLogic Server Administration Console. For more information, see the WebLogic Server Administration Console Online Help, accessible by selecting the help icon from the Administration Console interface or at the following URL: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/ConsoleHelp/index.html

Other system administration tools, such as weblogic.Admin, JMX, and Ant. For more information, see Configuring and Managing WebLogic Server at the following URL: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/ConsoleHelp/index.html

Add configuration information to the domain (not configurable by the Configuration Wizard)

WebLogic Server Administration Console. For more information, see the WebLogic Server Administration Console Online Help, accessible by selecting the help icon from the Administration Console interface or at the following URL: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/ConsoleHelp/index.html

Manage and monitor the health and status of the domain

Brief Introduction to Domains

Note: This section provides a brief introduction to domains. You can skip this section if you are already familiar with the primary features of a domain.

A domain is the basic administration unit for WebLogic Server. It consists of one or more WebLogic Server instances, and logically related resources and services that are managed, collectively, as one unit.

Figure 1-3 WebLogic Server Domain Structure

WebLogic Server Domain Structure

As shown in the previous figure, the basic domain infrastructure consists of one Administration Server and optional Managed Servers and clusters. These components are described in the following table.

Table 1-2 Domain Infrastructure Components

Feature	Description
Administration Server	A domain always includes one WebLogic Server instance that is configured as an Administration Server. The Administration Server provides a central point for managing the domain and providing access to the WebLogic Server administration tools. These tools include, but are not limited to, the following: WebLogic Server Administration Console—graphical user interface to the Administration Server WebLogic Server Node Manager—Java program enabling you to start, shut down, restart, and monitor remote WebLogic Server instances For more information about the WebLogic Server administration tools, see Configuring and Managing WebLogic Server at the following URL: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/adminguide/index.html
Managed Servers	All other WebLogic Server instances in a domain are called Managed Servers. Managed Servers host application components and resources, which are also deployed and managed as part of the domain. In a domain with only a single WebLogic Server instance, that one server functions as both the Administration Server and Managed Server.
Clusters	A domain may also include WebLogic Server clusters, which are groups of WebLogic Server instances that work together to provide scalability and high availability for applications. Clusters can improve performance and provide failover should a server instance become unavailable. The servers within a cluster can run on the same machine, or they can reside on different machines. To the client, a cluster appears as a single WebLogic Server instance.

Feature

Description

Administration Server

A domain always includes one WebLogic Server instance that is configured as an Administration Server. The Administration Server provides a central point for managing the domain and providing access to the WebLogic Server administration tools. These tools include, but are not limited to, the following:

WebLogic Server Administration Console—graphical user interface to the Administration Server

WebLogic Server Node Manager—Java program enabling you to start, shut down, restart, and monitor remote WebLogic Server instances

For more information about the WebLogic Server administration tools, see Configuring and Managing WebLogic Server at the following URL:

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/adminguide/index.html

Managed Servers

All other WebLogic Server instances in a domain are called Managed Servers. Managed Servers host application components and resources, which are also deployed and managed as part of the domain. In a domain with only a single WebLogic Server instance, that one server functions as both the Administration Server and Managed Server.

Clusters

A domain may also include WebLogic Server clusters, which are groups of WebLogic Server instances that work together to provide scalability and high availability for applications. Clusters can improve performance and provide failover should a server instance become unavailable. The servers within a cluster can run on the same machine, or they can reside on different machines. To the client, a cluster appears as a single WebLogic Server instance.

Note: All Managed Servers in a domain must run the same version of the WebLogic Server software. The Administration Server may run either the same version as the Managed Servers in the domain, or a later service pack.

In addition to infrastructure components, a domain defines the basic network configuration for the server instances it contains. Specifically, a domain defines application deployments, supported application services (such as database and messaging services), security options, and physical host machines.

Domain configuration information is stored in a configuration file, config.xml, which is stored on the Administration Server along with other files, such as logs.

You may find it useful to configure multiple domains based on specific criteria, such as system administrator responsibilities, the logical classification of applications, the geographical locations of servers, or size. The following table outlines the most common domain configurations.

Table 1-3 Common Domain Configurations

Configuration	Description
Domain with Managed Servers	In typical production environments, several Managed Servers are deployed to host Web applications, and an Administration Server is deployed to perform management operations.
Domain with Managed Servers and Clusters	In production environments that require increased performance, throughput, or availability for a Web application, several Managed Servers might be grouped in a cluster. In such a case, the domain consists of one or more clusters with the applications they host, additional Managed Servers, if necessary, and an Administration Server to perform management operations.
Stand-alone Server Domain	In development or test environments, a single application and server might be deployed independently from other Managed Servers. In such a case, you can deploy a domain consisting of a single Administration Server that also hosts the Web applications you want to test or develop. The WebLogic Server Examples Domain template is an example of a stand-alone server domain, as described in "Template Reference" at the following URL: http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13196_01/platform/docs81/confgwiz/tempref.html

Note: In production environments, BEA recommends that you deploy applications only on Managed Servers; the Administration Server should be reserved for management tasks.

For more detailed information about WebLogic Server domains, see "Overview of WebLogic Server Domains" in Configuring and Managing WebLogic Server at the following URL:

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E13222_01/wls/docs81/adminguide/overview_domain.html