Distributing WebLogic Server

This section includes the following topics, which describe the contents and terms of an ISV redistribution license, and how to install the license:

About the ISV Redistribution License

The WebLogic Server package available from BEA normally includes a license that prohibits the buyer from redistributing the software. However, for partners—Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) in the business of redistributing WebLogic Server—BEA provides a mechanism for creating a redistribution license. Although the purpose of all ISV redistribution licenses is the same (to give an ISV's customers the right to run the WebLogic Server software that has been redistributed by the ISV), each ISV redistribution license is unique, linked specifically to a particular partner.

If you intend to redistribute WebLogic Server, you need to sign a BEA standard Channel License Agreement (CLA), available from your BEA partner account representative. The terms of the CLA define how and when the ISV redistribution license will be distributed. After you sign the CLA, BEA sends you an isv.jar file, which enables you to create two things:

To run the ISV's value-added solution with the redistributed WebLogic Server software, ISV customers must have both the ISV redistribution license and the weblogic.jar file properly installed on their systems.

ISV Redistribution License Technical Enforcement

The ISV redistribution licenses that you create and distribute enable your customers to use WebLogic Server functionality as follows:

The specific set of BEA components to which your customers can have access—for example, WebLogic Server—is specified in your license distribution agreement with BEA and is enforced by the ISV redistribution license. This mechanism ensures that run-time support is restricted to the BEA components specified in that agreement.
If your license distribution agreement is for WebLogic Server only, the ISV redistribution license prevents the run-time use of BEA products that are not included with WebLogic Server, such as WebLogic Portal.
There is no enforced limit on the number of IP or database connections that can be made by an installation of the WebLogic Server software distributed by the ISV.
There is no expiration date on the use of the BEA software distributed by the ISV.
The ISV redistribution license is not tied to any specific IP address. Therefore, the BEA software that you distribute with an ISV redistribution license can be used on any machine.

Note that while you are constrained to use your WebLogic Server software on only the specific set of machines for which you are licensed, the ISV redistribution license does not similarly constrain your customers to use the WebLogic Server software on specific machines. In this sense, the ISV redistribution license may be somewhat less restrictive for your customers when compared to a license that is tied to one or more IP addresses.

The ISV redistribution license is intended to restrict the usage of WebLogic Server to the usage required by the ISV's software, in accordance with the terms of the ISV's redistribution agreement with BEA. An ISV redistribution license is not intended to grant the ISV's customer unlimited rights to use WebLogic Server software independently of the ISV's application.

Creating an ISV Redistribution License and Linking It to the WebLogic Server Files

To create an ISV redistribution license and link it to the WebLogic Server files, complete the following two-step procedure:

Step 1: Prepare to Create an ISV Redistribution License

Before you create an ISV redistribution license file, complete the following steps:

If you have not already done so, install your WebLogic Server software as described in BEA Products Installation Guide.
Note the location of the BEA Home directory on your system. This directory contains the file license.bea, which is updated during subsequent steps in this procedure. For more information about the BEA Home directory and the license.bea file, see "Selecting Directories for Your Installation" in Preparing for Your Installation in BEA Products Installation Guide.
Make a backup copy of the following file:

BEA_HOME/weblogic92/server/lib/weblogic.jar

Copy the isv.jar file you received from BEA into the BEA Home directory associated with this installation.
Open a command shell and go to the server/bin directory for WebLogic Server. For example:

prompt> cd BEA_HOME/weblogic92/server/bin

Here, BEA_HOME is the environment variable representing the BEA Home directory on your system.

Run the appropriate script:

Windows: setWLSEnv.cmd
UNIX: setWLSEnv.sh

Add isv.jar to your system CLASSPATH by entering the appropriate command:

Windows: set CLASSPATH=.\isv.jar;%CLASSPATH%
UNIX: export CLASSPATH=./isv.jar:$CLASSPATH

Step 2: Extract the License Data and Link the WebLogic Server Files

To extract the ISV redistribution license data and associate it with your WebLogic Server files, complete the following steps:

Go to the BEA Home directory on your system:

prompt> cd BEA_HOME

Enter the appropriate command:

Windows:

java -Xmx150m -Dbea.home=%BEA_HOME% -Dbea.jar=%BEA_HOME%\weblogic92\server\lib\weblogic.jar install

UNIX:

java -Xmx150m -Dbea.home=$BEA_HOME -Dbea.jar=$BEA_HOME/weblogic92/server/lib/weblogic.jar install

Generates a file named license_isv.bea in the BEA Home directory. The license_isv.bea file contains the ISV redistribution license data.
Modifies the weblogic.jar file in your WebLogic Server installation to create a link between that file and the ISV redistribution license data in the license_isv.bea file.

Only the weblogic.jar file in the BEA Home directory tree for which you ran this command can use the ISV redistribution license data extracted to the license_isv.bea file. The linkage and association between those two files is unique.

Important Note if You Encounter JVM Errors

On some operating systems and JDKs, you might encounter an "Out of Memory Error" message. To address this error,

Retrieve a copy of the weblogic.jar file that you backed up, as described in Step 1: Prepare to Create an ISV Redistribution License in step 3. Place this file in the BEA_HOME/weblogic92/server/lib directory, overwriting the existing version of that file.
Increase the value for the -Xmx argument, and run the command again that is described in Step 2: Extract the License Data and Link the WebLogic Server Files. The -Xmx argument sets the maximum heap size in megabytes. For example, if you specify -Xmx180m in the command line, the maximum heap size is increased to 180 MB.

Validating the ISV Redistribution License File

Open Windows Explorer or a command shell and navigate to the BEA Home directory from which you generated the ISV redistribution license, typically c:\bea.
Make a backup copy of your license.bea file. For example, at the command prompt, enter the following command:

c:\bea> RENAME license.bea license.bea.backup

Rename the ISV redistribution license file, license_isv.bea, as license.bea. For example, at the command prompt, enter the following command:

c:\bea> RENAME license_isv.bea license.bea

Test your value-added solution in this BEA Home directory to ensure that no error conditions associated with license usage are generated.

Distributing Files

After you have validated that your value-added solution operates properly with the WebLogic Server software that you plan to redistribute, you need to create a process for ensuring that your customers install the following items in the proper locations on their systems:

You have a variety of choices for ensuring that the preceding two files are installed properly by your customers. For example, you can create a custom installer, or a silent-installation script that can be used by the installation program. However, note that there may be circumstances in which your customers might need to replace a pre-existing BEA license file with the ISV redistribution license. In these cases, make certain that your customers use the proper installation method, or follow instructions that you provide, to ensure that all necessary files are installed properly.

If your installation process does not result in both files being installed correctly, your customer will not be able to start your embedded WebLogic Server software.

Distributing Maintenance Patches

Publicly available, as well as private patches can optionally be included with your value-added solution and applied to your customer's target installation after installation is complete. Your customers can then install these patches by running Smart Update, or you can provide a script with your value-added solution that applies those patches automatically. By applying patches via a script, you can ensure that the patch maintenance process is seamless and transparent to your customer, while ensuring that the embedded WebLogic Server software operates at the appropriate maintenance level for your customers.

The process for distributing WebLogic Server software and required patches includes the following steps:

From Smart Update, log in to BEA Customer Support Web site, and download the patches required for the version of the WebLogic Server software embedded in your value-added solution.
Create the ISV redistribution license and link it to the WebLogic Server files that you are distributing, as described in Using an ISV Redistribution License.
Establish a location on your distribution media where the patch files are to be located.
Choose a mechanism for applying patches on the customer's system. The available mechanisms include:

The customer runs Smart Update and applies the patches individually, either via that tool's graphical or command-line interface. If you choose this mechanism, you need to prepare detailed instructions that explain how to run Smart Update, how to set the patch download directory, if necessary, and how to apply the patches.
Create a script that invokes the Smart Update command-line interface and applies the patches that the download directory you have designated. This mechanism is typically the most reliable means to ensure that patches are applied correctly. This script can be standalone, which you instruct your customers to run after installation. Or you can create a shell script that first invokes the installation program—for example, a silent-mode installation script—then next invokes Smart Update.

When creating the procedure for installing the WebLogic Server files and ISV redistribution license on the end-user's system, make sure that the entire set of files located in the following directories are included in the installation as well:

BEA_HOME/utils/bsu
BEA_HOME/patch_weblogic920
Directory designated as the patch download directory, if not a subdirectory of either of the two preceding directories

For more information about the patch management capabilities of Smart Update, see Installing Maintenance Updates and Service Packs.

Service Packs and License Files

The license.bea file that you generate and distribute, as described in Using an ISV Redistribution License, will continue to be valid for any customers who later use the Upgrade Installer to upgrade their installations with service packs for WebLogic Server. As a result, customers who install your distribution of the initial release of WebLogic Server 9.1 can later use the Upgrade Installer to install a service pack without obtaining a new license.

If, however, you provide an upgrade to your existing customers by supplying a whole new version of WebLogic Server that includes a service pack, then you must generate a new license.bea file and include it in your distribution.

ISV Partners' Guide