This preface introduces the new features of WebCenter Sites 12c (12.2.1) and provides pointers to additional information. This preface also lists deprecated features.
Oracle WebCenter Sites 12c (12.2.1) includes the following new features:
| Feature | Description | See These Sections |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor Services |
Visitor Services allows WebCenter Sites pages to benefit from visitor data captured across multiple external platforms, such as Google, Facebook, major CRM systems, and custom data sources. Captured visitor activity data can be aggregated from multiple repositories into unified visitor profiles (via template-based aggregation combined with a unique visitor ID) that WebCenter Sites marketers can use to improve their visitor segmenting and per-segment content targeting. Progressive profiling continually enhances previously captured visitor data with new data, increasing targeting accuracy as visitors spend more time on the site. Built-in REST APIs allow the sharing of captured and enriched visitor data with external applications for integration with email marketing systems, CRM systems, and many others. |
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| A/B Testing |
A/B testing enables marketers to field-trial individual pieces of content against one another to determine which commands the highest visitor preference. Accessible directly from the Contributor interface, A/B testing bestows complete control of the test on the marketer and provides the choice to use content, presentation, or a mix of both as either test variant. Marketers can choose the criteria for starting the test, qualifying the success of the test, and ending the test. Once a test is under way, interactive, in-context reporting allows marketers to track the performance of each test in real time directly in the target page, stop or promote a specific test variant, and to continue to the test reporting interface to view more comprehensive performance metrics. A/B testing is fully integrated into WebCenter Sites, eliminating the need to license and train for a separate third-party testing tool, providing a single, integrated author-build-test-deliver solution. |
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| New Development Constructs: MVC Framework, Data Access APIs, REST Services |
WebCenter Sites now includes a modern development framework, data access APIs, and REST services that enable unprecedented flexibility in developing applications consumed in both desktop and mobile environments. The new Model-View-Controller (MVC) framework coupled with new data access APIs enable robust development of server-based applications that clearly separate business logic (implemented as Groovy controllers), and presentation (implemented as WebCenter Sites templates). This level of separation provides your applications with the very best mix of dynamic deployment and high-performance caching. The new aggregate-style REST services consume minimal bandwidth and provide robust content access mechanisms for client-based Single-Page Application (SPA), mobile Web, and mobile application development, including the ability to create custom REST services. Agnosticism towards perimeter security and single sign-on solutions further enhances development flexibility. The MVC framework, data access APIs, and REST services are fully integrated into WebCenter Sites lifecycle and developer tools (CSDT) and can be freely mixed and matched. A drastically reduced learning curve and full backwards compatibility with existing applications based on WebCenter Sites allow for seamless adoption. |
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| XMLPost CLI Support |
The XMLPost utility now accepts user credentials as arguments in the command line instead of reading them from its |
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| WebCenter Sites Developer Tools Plug-In for Eclipse and CLI |
WebCenter Sites now ships with an installable plugin that provides access to the WebCenter Sites Developer Tools from within the Eclipse IDE. WebCenter Sites Developer Tools functionality can now also be accessed from the command line, enabling script-based automation. |
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| Enterprise Manager |
WebCenter Sites and Visitor Services can now be administered and monitored using Oracle Enterprise Manager. Starting/stopping instances, viewing the component home pages, managing logs, and reviewing performance metrics are supported. |
Administering WebCenter Sites and Its Components in Enterprise Manager |
| Security Enhancements |
For increased security, WebCenter Sites now supports the Oracle Platform Security Services (OPSS) credential store. Communication with the credential store is encrypted (HTTPS) and each individual WebCenter Sites instance is uniquely authenticated. |
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| ODL Replaces log4j |
The legacy log4j logging mechanism has been replaced with the more robust Oracle Diagnostic Logging solution. |
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| Proxy Asset Enhancements |
Proxy assets in WebCenter Sites now support YouTube API v3. |
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| Test-to-Production Support | WebCenter Sites now supports the standard Oracle Fusion Middleware test-to-production switchover process. | |
| Configuration Import/Export Utility | WebCenter Sites now ships with the Configuration Import/Export Utility, which allows you to bulk-export and bulk-import property values in WebCenter Sites and Satellite Server wcs_properties.json files. |
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| Mobility Framework Enhancements |
The WebCenter Sites Mobility framework now supports image optimization for mobile sites, including built-in and external optimization algorithms. Creating templates in both the Sites view and the Device Groups view is now also supported. |
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| Shared File System Can Be Stored in a Database |
WebCenter Sites now supports storing its shared file system in a database instead of a local or network disk volume. The provided conversion tool moves the default disk-based shared file system to either the WebCenter Sites repository database, or to a separate database or schema. The tool also supports reverting back to a disk-based shared file system. |
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| New Deployment Process |
WebCenter Sites and its component applications are now part of the Oracle Universal Installer. Previously manual deployment tasks have been automated and post-installation configuration is now done via Web-based Configurators. Certain deployment tasks still need to be completed manually based on the specifics of the target environment. |
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| IPv6 Support |
WebCenter Sites and its component applications now support the IPv6 protocol, including hybrid IPv6/IPv4 operation. |
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| New Property Management Tool / Properties Migrated to JSON Format |
Properties that govern the behavior of WebCenter Sites and its component applications are now stored in JSON format and are managed using the new Property Management Tool in the Admin interface. |
The following features have been deprecated in this release:
WebCenter Sites Gadgets and Gadget Server
WebCenter Sites Native authentication in Community/Gadgets
WebCenter Sites Analytics 2.5
WebCenter Sites Content Integration Platform - EMC Documentum
WebCenter Sites Content Integration Platform Filesystem
WebCenter Sites Content Integration Platform Sharepoint
WebCenter Sites Janrain Integration
WebCenter Sites Netomat Mobility Server
SOAP-based web services
Page Debugger
Note:
Use IDE integration for JSP debug capabilities. DebugServlet is not deployed.Sites Desktop
Sites DocLink