1 Installation and Configuration Overview

This chapter provides an overview of the Oracle Forms and Reports installation and configuration.

The following topics are covered:

1.1 Oracle Forms and Reports Components

The following components are available for installation and configuration:

  • Oracle Forms

    Oracle Forms is a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware used to develop and deploy Forms applications. The Forms applications provide a user interface to access Oracle Database in an efficient and tightly-coupled way. The applications can be integrated with Java and web services to take advantage of service oriented architectures (SOA).

    Oracle Forms consists of the following:

    • Oracle Forms Builder, used to develop and compile Forms applications.

    • Oracle Forms Server, a server component used to deploy the applications.

    During the installation, you will have the option to install only Oracle Forms Server or both Oracle Forms Server and Oracle Forms Builder (Oracle Forms Builder cannot be installed without Oracle Forms Server).

  • Oracle Reports

    Oracle Reports enables businesses to give immediate access to information to all levels within and outside of the organization in a scalable and secure environment. Using Oracle Reports, you can rapidly develop and deploy sophisticated Web and paper reports against any data source (including an Oracle database, JDBC, XML, and text files). Leveraging J2EE technologies such as JSP and XML, you can publish your reports in a variety of formats (including HTML, XML, PDF, spreadsheet, delimited text, PostScript, and RTF) to any destination (including e-mail, Web browser, Oracle Portal, and file system) in a scalable, efficient manner.

    Oracle Reports consists of the following:

    • Oracle Reports Builder, used to develop and compile your applications.

    • Oracle Reports Server, a server component used to deploy the applications.

    During the installation, you will have the option to install only Oracle Reports Server or both Oracle Reports Server and Oracle Reports Builder (Oracle Reports Builder cannot be installed without Oracle Reports Server).

In addition to Oracle Forms and Reports, Oracle Enterprise Manager and Oracle HTTP Server are also included and can be installed and configured if you choose. To do so, you must select the Configure For Deployment option on the Configuration Type screen. For more information, see Section 1.3, "Understanding Oracle Forms and Reports Configuration Types".

1.2 Understanding Oracle Forms and Reports Installation Types

Before you begin, you must decide which installation type you want to use to install and configure Oracle Forms and Reports. The Oracle Forms and Reports installer provides the following installation options:

  • Install and Configure

    This option installs the product binaries in an Oracle home directory and creates and configures a working instance in an Oracle instance directory. The common product binaries are also copied to the oracle_common directory.

    If you choose to install and configure Oracle Enterprise Manager during the installation and configuration process, you should be able to begin managing your products using the Administration Console or Enterprise Manager after the installation and configuration are completed.

  • Install Software - Do Not Configure

    This option only installs the software binaries in an Oracle home directory and the common product binaries in the oracle_common directory. You must then manually run the Configuration Tool from the bin directory inside your Oracle home to configure your components before you can use them. This option is commonly used to quickly create multiple instances of the software that share a common disk, or to install the software and immediately apply a patchset to the installation before the software is configured.

For more information about the screens you may see and information you may be asked to provide for each installation type, see Section A.1, "Flowchart of Oracle Forms and Reports Installation and Configuration Screens".

1.3 Understanding Oracle Forms and Reports Configuration Types

Before you begin, you must decide which configuration type you want to use to configure Oracle Forms and Reports. The Oracle Forms and Reports installer provides two configuration types:

  • Configure For Deployment

    This option allows you to install and configure all components as described in Section 1.1, "Oracle Forms and Reports Components" by creating a new WebLogic Server domain, extending a domain, or expanding a cluster.

    In addition, this option allows you to secure your Oracle Forms and Reports installation with Identity Management (see Section 1.4, "Securing Oracle Forms and Reports With Identity Management").

  • Configure For Development

    This option allows you to install and configure all components as described in Section 1.1, "Oracle Forms and Reports Components" except for Oracle HTTP Server and Oracle Enterprise Manager. In addition, you can only create a domain with this option; the options to extend a domain or expand a cluster are not available.

    This option should be used in a development environment only; not for production.

If you choose one configuration mode for your installed instance and then later decide you want the same instance to be in the other mode, you will need to configure a new instance and domain in the desired mode. Migrating an instance from one configuration environment to the other is not supported.

If you choose to install multiple configurations on a single machine (for example, you want to install both a development and deployment instance), each instance must be configured in its own separate domain.

Note:

In an environment where you will have multiple Oracle home directories, Oracle recommends that you use the staticports.ini file, so that you will have a record of all the ports that are in use on your system to help avoid conflicts.

To use the staticports.ini file, select Specify Ports using Configuration file on the Configure Ports screen during installation and configuration.

For more information about the screens you may see and information you may be asked to provide for each configuration type, see Section A.1, "Flowchart of Oracle Forms and Reports Installation and Configuration Screens".

1.4 Securing Oracle Forms and Reports With Identity Management

If you want to have your Oracle Forms and Reports installation protected by an Identity Management tier, you must choose one of the following:

Note:

Your Oracle Forms and Reports installation can only be secured with Identity Management if you are configuring your components in deployment mode (see Section 1.3, "Understanding Oracle Forms and Reports Configuration Types").

1.4.1 Securing Oracle Forms and Reports With Oracle Access Manager 11g

This release of Oracle Forms and Reports supports Oracle Internet Directory 11g (11.1.1) with Oracle Access Manager 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.5.0) and 11g Release 2 (11.1.2).

To install and configure Oracle Internet Directory with Oracle Access Manager, do the following:

  1. Install Oracle Identity and Access Management.

    If you want to install 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.5.0), see "Installing Oracle Identity and Access Management (11.1.1.5.0)" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Installation Guide for Oracle Identity Management.

    If you want to install 11g Release 2 (11.1.2), see "Installing and Configuring Oracle Identity and Access Management (11.1.2)" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Installation Guide for Oracle Identity and Access Management.

  2. Configure a WebLogic Server domain for Oracle Access Manager.

    For 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.5.0), see "Configuring Oracle Access Manager" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Installation Guide for Oracle Identity Management.

    For 11g Release 2 (11.1.2), see "Configuring Oracle Identity and Access Management (11.1.2) Products" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Installation Guide for Oracle Identity and Access Management.

  3. Integrate Oracle Access Manager with Oracle Internet Directory.

    For 11g Release 1 (11.1.1.5.0), see Appendix D, "Integrating Oracle Internet Directory with Oracle Access Manager".

    For 11g Release 2 (11.1.2), see "Integrating Oracle Internet Directory with Access Manager" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Integration Guide for Oracle Identity Management Suite.

If you have an existing Oracle Internet Directory with Oracle Single Sign-On, you can upgrade to Oracle Internet Directory with Oracle Access Manager as described in Oracle Fusion Middleware Upgrade Guide for Forms and Reports.

1.4.2 Securing Oracle Forms and Reports With Your Existing Oracle Single Sign-On 10g

Oracle Forms and Reports can be protected with an existing Oracle Internet Directory (OID) with Oracle Single Sign-On (SSO) 10g. If you already have a supported combination of Oracle Internet Directory 10g in place, you can leave your existing architecture as-is, or you can upgrade to the latest available 11g release. In either case, you will be able to configure Oracle HTTP Server with your Oracle Internet Directory and Single Sign-On configuration.

To see which combinations of Oracle Internet Directory and Oracle Single Sign-On are supported, refer to the 11g Release 2 (11.1.2) certification document on the Oracle Fusion Middleware Supported System Configurations page.

1.4.3 Integrating Oracle Forms and Reports With Identity Management

After your Oracle HTTP Server instance is configured, it is automatically integrated with your Oracle Internet Directory/Oracle Single Sign-On 10g or Oracle Internet Directory/Oracle Access Manager 11g. Oracle Forms and Reports, however, are not automatically configured as there are additional steps for Oracle Forms and Reports and the applications you deploy. For more information, see:

1.5 Installation and Configuration Roadmap for Oracle Forms and Reports

Figure 1-1 shows the flow of a typical Oracle Forms and Reports installation and configuration.

Figure 1-1 Oracle Forms and Reports Installation and Configuration Flowchart

Description of Figure 1-1 follows
Description of "Figure 1-1 Oracle Forms and Reports Installation and Configuration Flowchart"

Table 1-1 provides additional information and links to specific documentation for each task in the flowchart.

Table 1-1 Tasks in the Oracle Forms and Reports Installation and Configuration Flowchart

Task Description Optional More Information

Verify your system's environment.

Ensure that your system environment meets the general installation requirements for Oracle Fusion Middleware and Oracle Forms and Reports.

No

Make sure you read all of the information in Section 2.1, "Preparing to Install".

Select an installation type.

Decide if you want the installer to install and configure your software, or if you want to install first and then configure later.

No

For more information about the installation types, see Section 1.2, "Understanding Oracle Forms and Reports Installation Types".

Select a configuration type.

Decide if you want to configure Oracle Forms and Reports in a deployment or development environment.

No

For more information about the installation types, see Section 1.3, "Understanding Oracle Forms and Reports Configuration Types".

Use Identity Management?

If you want Oracle Forms and Reports to be protected by an Identity Management tier then you must have Oracle Internet Directory up and running and it should be tied to either Oracle Access Manager 11g or an existing Oracle Single Sign-On 10g.

Be sure to choose the Deployment configuration mode and then choose to install Oracle HTTP Server during the installation.

Yes

For more information about installing Oracle Internet Directory with Oracle Access Manager 11g, see Section 1.4.1, "Securing Oracle Forms and Reports With Oracle Access Manager 11g".

For more information about installing Oracle Internet Directory with Oracle Single Sign-On 10g, see Section 1.4.2, "Securing Oracle Forms and Reports With Your Existing Oracle Single Sign-On 10g".

Obtain the software.

Obtain all necessary software to install and configure Oracle Forms and Reports.

No

To see the software required to install Oracle Forms and Reports, see Section 2.1.5, "Obtaining the Oracle Fusion Middleware Software".

For information on which software you should download and where to obtain the software, refer to Oracle Fusion Middleware Download, Installation, and Configuration Readme Files.

Install Oracle WebLogic Server and create a Middleware home.

Oracle Forms and Reports requires a Middleware home directory for installation and a WebLogic Server domain during configuration. The Middleware home (and WebLogic home) is created during the Oracle WebLogic Server installation.

No

Only specific versions of Oracle WebLogic Server are supported. Review the Oracle Fusion Middleware certification document on the Oracle Fusion Middleware Supported System Configurations page.

For installation instructions, see Section 2.2, "Installing Oracle WebLogic Server".

For more information about the Middleware home and WebLogic home directories, see "Middleware Home and WebLogic Home Directories" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Installation Planning Guide.

Start the Oracle Forms and Reports installer.

Start the Oracle Forms and Reports installer to install the software.

No

First, read and understand the following sections:

When you are ready to begin, see Section 2.4.2, "Starting the Oracle Forms and Reports Installer".

Install and configure Oracle Forms and Reports.

During the installation, you will be given the option to have the installer configure your components. If you choose to install the software and not configure your components, you must run the configuration tool later to configure your components.

No

If you are installing and configuring Oracle Forms and Reports at the same time, follow the instructions in Section 2.4.5, "Following the Installation Screens and Instructions".

If you are not configuring Oracle Forms and Reports during the installation, you must run the configuration tool after the software is installed. Follow the instructions in Section 2.4.6, "Running the Configuration Tool for Oracle Forms and Reports".

Verify your environment.

Verify that your installation and configuration were successful.

No

For more information, see Chapter 3, "Verifying Oracle Forms and Reports Installation and Configuration".


1.6 Topology Summary for Oracle Forms and Reports

Figure 1-2 shows the directory structure of an Oracle Forms and Reports installation that is configured for deployment on a single host, using all of the default values.

Figure 1-2 Directory Structure of Oracle Forms and Reports Installation - Deployment Configuration Mode

Description of Figure 1-2 follows
Description of "Figure 1-2 Directory Structure of Oracle Forms and Reports Installation - Deployment Configuration Mode"

If you choose to install Oracle Forms and Reports configured for development instead of deployment, the topology would be slightly different. Oracle Enterprise Manager and Oracle HTTP Server are not installed, and no Managed Servers are created; your products are deployed directly into the Administration Server, as shown in Figure 1-3.

Figure 1-3 Directory Structure of Oracle Forms and Reports Installation - Development Configuration Mode

Description of Figure 1-3 follows
Description of "Figure 1-3 Directory Structure of Oracle Forms and Reports Installation - Development Configuration Mode"