Chapter 1 Overview of the WebLogic 8 Plug-In

This chapter explains general information about using N1 Grid Service Provisioning System to provision BEA WebLogic 8 applications. This chapter includes the following information:

• Purpose of the WebLogic 8 Plug-In

• What the WebLogic 8 Plug-In Includes

• Requirements for Using the WebLogic 8 Plug-In

Purpose of the WebLogic 8 Plug-In

The N1 Grid Service Provisioning System software provides enhanced capabilities in support for BEA WebLogic 8 applications. You can provision the WebLogic 8 infrastructure by installing domains, managed servers, and clusters with the provisioning software. Once installed, you can manage your WebLogic environment by starting and stopping managed servers and domains. You can also browse existing applications to capture previously installed applications and deploy those applications throughout your enterprise.

What the WebLogic 8 Plug-In Includes

The WebLogic 8 Plug-In includes several WebLogic-specific component types, along with pre-defined components and resource files that enable you to easily capture, configure and deploy WebLogic Enterprise, Enterprise JavaBeans™ (EJB™) technology, and Web Applications. These component types can be grouped into three families:

• A component to install the WebLogic software

• Components to support the WebLogic services:

  • WebLogic Administration Server

  • WebLogic Managed Server

  • WebLogic Cluster

• Plans for installing enterprise applications, web applications, and Java archive files.

• Special components to deploy and capture applications for deployment on the WebLogic 8 application servers

• Special component types to configure the WebLogic 8 services.

  • License – Enables you to deploy your WebLogic license.

  • Thread Pool – Enables you to edit and deploy thread-pool configurations.

  • Data Source – Enables you to capture, edit, and deploy data sources.

  • Transaction Data Source – Enables you to capture, edit, and deploy data sources.

  • JMS Server – Enables you to capture, edit, and deploy JMS servers.

  • Connection Pool – Enables you to capture, edit, and deploy connection pools.

  • Multi Pool – Enables you to capture, edit, and deploy multi pools.

  • Transaction Service – Enables you to edit the transaction service.

  • WLScript – Enables you to run WebLogic commands through the provisioning system's interface.

The WebLogic 8 Plug-In also includes several plans that install and remove the WebLogic Administration Servers, Managed Servers, and Clusters.

Requirements for Using the WebLogic 8 Plug-In

The WebLogic 8 plug-in supports the WebLogic Server Version 8.1 on the following platforms.

• Solaris 8 for SPARC

• Solaris 9 for SPARC

• Solaris 9 for x86

• RedHat Linux AS 2.1

• RedHat Linux AS 3.0

• AIX 5.1 and 5.2

Any host on which you intend to deploy the WebLogic 8 plug-in must meet the following requirements. These requirements represent minimum prerequisites for installation.

Disk space

On UNIX systems, approximately 375 Mbytes free storage space for the installed product.

Approximately 1 Gbyte of temporary storage space is required by the installer in the /var/tmp directory. If no space exists in the /var/tmp folder, use the altTempDir component variable to create an alternate temporary directory. See How to Install the WebLogic Software for more information.

RAM

512 Mbytes (minimum); 1 Gbyte (recommended)

Java run-time environment (JRE)

The WebLogic Server installation program requires a JRE to run. The following requirements are summarized from the BEA's list of supported configurations. You can find the complete list on BEA's WebLogic 8.1 product documentation website.

Your configurations might require additional resources depending on the applications that are installed. For BEA's WebLogic requirements, see the WebLogic Platform 8.1 Supported Configurations web page.