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Installation Guide |
Preparing to Install WebLogic Server
BEA WebLogic ServerTM implements J2EE 1.3 technologies, Web services, and other leading Internet standards to provide a reliable framework for highly available, scalable, and secure applications. WebLogic Server includes BEA WebLogic WorkshopTM, which is a graphical development environment in which you can easily build Web services that automatically leverage the power, reliability, and scalability of WebLogic Server.
With the release of WebLogic Server 7.0 Service Pack 2, the BEA WebLogic JRockitTM SDK is bundled with WebLogic Server for Windows and Linux platforms. The WebLogic JRockit SDK was developed and optimized for server-side applications and supports Intel architectures.
WebLogic Server and WebLogic Workshop are also available as part of the BEA WebLogic PlatformTM. For more information about Weblogic Platform, see the Weblogic Platform online documentation.
The following sections provide information that you need to know before installing WebLogic Server:
This document is written for system administrators or application developers who are installing the latest version of WebLogic Server software. It is assumed that readers know Web technologies and have a general understanding of Windows and UNIX systems.
WebLogic Server is available as a separate product (including WebLogic Workshop) and as a component in WebLogic Platform. Use this document if you are installing WebLogic Server as a separate product or if you are installing only the Weblogic Server component (including WebLogic Server with WebLogic Workshop and related samples) of Weblogic Platform. This document does not discuss installation of the entire WebLogic Platform. If you are installing WebLogic Server with additional WebLogic Platform components, refer to the WebLogic Platform Installation Guide.
If you are upgrading to WebLogic Server 7.0 from WebLogic Server 6.1 or earlier, see the WebLogic Server 7.0 Upgrade Guide.
The BEA WebLogic Server Installation Program
BEA WebLogic Server 7.0 is distributed and installed using the BEA Installation and Distribution System, which provides a complete framework for the following:
You can also use the WebLogic Server installation program to install the BEA WebLogic ExpressTM solution, which is the entry-level Web application server offered by BEA. For additional information about WebLogic Express, see Introduction to BEA WebLogic Server.
The BEA installation program supports the following methods for installing the BEA WebLogic Server software:
Graphical-mode installation is an interactive, GUI-based method for installing WebLogic Server. It can be run on both Windows and UNIX systems. See Installing WebLogic Server Using Graphical-Mode Installation.
Note: To run graphical-mode installation, the console attached to the machine on which you are installing the software must support a Java-based GUI. All consoles for Windows systems support Java-based GUIs, but not all consoles for UNIX systems do. If you attempt to start the installation program in graphical mode on a system that cannot support a graphical display, the installation program automatically starts console-mode installation.
Console-mode installation is an interactive, text-based method for installing WebLogic Server from the command line on both Windows and UNIX systems. See Installing WebLogic Server Using Console-Mode Installation.
Silent-mode installation is a non-interactive method of installing WebLogic Server that uses an XML properties file for selecting installation options. You can run silent-mode installation as part of a script or from the command line. See Installing WebLogic Server Using Silent-Mode Installation.
WebLogic Server Distribution Methods
WebLogic Server is distributed on both the BEA Web site and on CD-ROM.
Web Distribution of WebLogic Server
You can download the WebLogic Server 7.0 software from the BEA Web site at http://commerce.beasys.com/downloads/weblogic_server.jsp.
Two methods are available for download:
Before the download begins, the net installer program prompts you to provide the following information:
The net installer supports standard resume-processing in the case of interrupted downloads. If the download is interrupted for any reason, either manually or an unplanned network interruption, you can resume the download from the point at which it was interrupted. When the download is complete, the installation program performs an integrity check on the archive files that were downloaded to your system to verify that the files downloaded correctly.
CD-ROM Distribution of WebLogic Server
If you purchased WebLogic Server from your local sales representative, you will find the following items in the WebLogic Server product box:
Web Distribution of Service Packs and Rolling Patches
Service Packs and rolling patches, if any, are included in the latest distributions of WebLogic Server 7.0, which are available as described in WebLogic Server Distribution Methods. If you have not already installed WebLogic Server 7.0, you should install the latest distribution.
If you already have WebLogic Server 7.0.0.0 installed and if you have a BEA eSupport account, to upgrade your software, you can download a package upgrade installer from the BEA Customer Support Web site at http://support.bea.com.
If you already have WebLogic Server 7.0.0.1 (the version available as part of WebLogic Platform) or later installed and if you have a BEA eSupport account, you can upgrade your software in one of the following ways:
Note: Smart Update upgrades your Windows installation to use the Sun Java 2 SDK and your Linux installation to use the WebLogic JRockit SDK. If you want to use a different SDK, you should use a WebLogic Platform upgrade installer that is bundled with the appropriate SDK or change the SDK, as described in "Switching JVMs in WebLogic Platform" in the WebLogic Platform Release Notes, at the following URL:
Details about installing WebLogic Server service packs and rolling patches are provided in Installing WebLogic Server Service Packs and Rolling Patches.
If you do not have a BEA eSupport account, you can register for one at on the BEA Customer Support Web site at http://support.bea.com.
About BEA WebLogic JRockit 7.0
BEA WebLogic JRockitTM was developed and optimized for server-side applications and supports Intel architectures. In BEA WebLogic Server 7.0 SP2 and later, the WebLogic JRockit 7.0 SDK is packaged with the WebLogic Server software.
Note: WebLogic JRockit 7.0 is certified by Sun Microsystems, Inc. to be compatible with Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE), version 1.3.1.
The WebLogic Server/JRockit software packages are available for download at http://commerce.bea.com/downloads/weblogic_server.jsp and on CD-ROM in the BEA WebLogic Server product box.
To install the WebLogic Server/JRockit packages, use the installation procedures described in the following chapters:
Note: You cannot download WebLogic Server/JRockit packages using the net download installer.
When you install a WebLogic Server 7.0/JRockit package, two JVMs are installed on your system: the WebLogic JRockit JVM, optimized for server-side applications, and the Sun Hotspot Client JVM, provided for optional use by client-side applications. In WebLogic Server 7.0 SP2 and later, a convenient script, commEnv, is installed that allows you to define environment variables that determine whether a client or server JVM should be run. For additional information, see "Specifying JVM Options in WebLogic Platform 7.0 SP2 and Later" in the BEAWebLogic Platform Release Notes.
If you install WebLogic Server 7.0 with the Sun Java 2 SDK and you want to change your installation to use the WebLogic JRockit 7.0 SDK, see "Switching JVMs in WebLogic Platform" in the BEA WebLogic Platform Release Notes for instructions.
For more information about WebLogic JRockit, see the JRockit documentation.
Note: The installation instructions provided in BEA WebLogic JRockitTM 7.0 for Windows and Linux Installation and Migration Guide describe how to install JRockit as a standalone SDK and do not apply to the WebLogic Server/JRockit bundles.
Review these requirements before installing WebLogic Server:
Table 1-1 lists the system requirements for WebLogic Server.
A certified WebLogic Server platform. See the Supported Configurations page. This page includes the recommended Java run-time environment versions and, when appropriate, other prerequisites or recommendations, such as operating system patches, kernel configuration values, and performance packs. For more information about performance packs, see "Using WebLogic Server Performance Packs" in the Performance and Tuning Guide. |
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For a WebLogic Server 7.0 installation on a Windows system—about 236 MB* free storage space for the installed product and For a WebLogic Server 7.0 installation on a UNIX system— |
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For a Windows or UNIX system, 256 MB of RAM minimum; 512 MB or more is recommended. |
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For graphical-mode installation, 8-bit color depth (256 colors). For console-mode and silent-mode installation, there is no color bit depth requirement. |
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The WebLogic Server installation program requires a Java run-time environment (JRE) to run. A Java 2 Software Development Kit (SDK), which includes a JRE, is bundled in the Windows installation program and in some UNIX installation programs (those with filenames ending in .bin). For other UNIX platforms, the WebLogic Server installation program does not include the Java 2 SDK in the installation program. Filenames for these installation programs end in .jar. To run the .jar installation programs, you must have the appropriate version of the Java 2 SDK installed on your system, and include the bin directory of the SDK at the front of the PATH variable. It is important that you use an SDK because the installation process sets the JAVA_HOME and related variables to point to this directory. For procedures, see one of the following: |
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* Includes 35 MB for the Java 2 SDK and 36 MB for examples and samples. |
Temporary Storage Space Requirements
The BEA installation program uses a temporary directory in which it extracts the files necessary to install WebLogic Server on the target system. During the installation process, your temporary directory must contain sufficient space to accommodate the compressed Java run-time environment (JRE) bundled with the installation program and an uncompressed copy of the JRE that is expanded into the temporary directory. The extracted files are deleted from the temporary directory at the end of the installation process. As a general rule, installation programs require approximately 2.5 times the amount of temporary space the installed files require.
By default, the installation program uses the following temporary directories:
Note: If there is not enough temporary space to run the installation program, you are prompted to specify an alternate directory or exit the installation program.
To ensure there is adequate temporary space, you may want to allocate an alternate directory for use as a temporary directory for the installation. To do so, follow the instructions provided in Table 1-2.
If you choose to run the Configuration Wizard (launched as part of a custom installation) to create user domains, you can install the server as a Windows service. When a server is installed as a Windows service, it starts automatically each time you boot your Windows system.You must have Administrator privileges to install the server as a Windows service.
For additional information, see "Setting Up WebLogic Server as a Windows Service" in the BEA WebLogic Server Administration Guide.
The WebLogic Server software cannot be used without a valid license. When you install WebLogic Server, the installation program creates an evaluation license with access for up to 20 client connections. After the evaluation period, you can purchase a development or production license. For information about the licenses available for WebLogic Server and for other WebLogic Platform components, see the Licensing page on the E-docs web site
Licenses for pre-7.0 versions of WebLogic Server will not work with WebLogic Server 7.0. You must upgrade your license to a 7.0 license.bea format. Procedures for upgrading a license file and installing permanent licenses are provided in Installing and Updating a WebLogic Server License.
Secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption software is available with two levels of encryption: 56-bit and 128-bit. Licenses for the 128-bit client version of SSL are available in the United States and Canada. With proper authorization, customers outside the United States and Canada may also acquire licenses with 128-bit encryption enabled.
A WebLogic Server license comes with 56-bit encryption enabled by default. Enabling 128-bit encryption for SSL requires that a 128-bit encryption license be present in the license.bea file of the target BEA Home directory before you install the WebLogic Server software.
For instructions about how to install the 128-bit encryption license, see Enabling 128-Bit Encryption.
Choosing the Type of Installation
The WebLogic Server installation program provides two types of installation: Typical and Custom.
Results of a typical installation depend on the software distribution method:
If you downloaded the net installer version of the WebLogic Server installation program, a typical installation installs all components and samples included in WebLogic Platform, which includes WebLogic Server with WebLogic Workshop, BEA WebLogic IntegrationTM, and BEA WebLogic PortalTM (about 295 MB). To install WebLogic Server without WebLogic Integration and WebLogic Portal when using a net installer, you must select the Custom installation option. See Custom Installation.
Note: The Configuration Wizard is not invoked in a typical installation, regardless of the download option you select. If you select the typical installation option, you can manually launch the Configuration Wizard from the Start menu (Windows only) or with a command line script. See Configuring Domains, Servers, and Clusters with the Configuration Wizard.
A custom installation allows you to choose exactly which components you want to install on your system. Component options depend on how you acquired the software:
If you acquired the WebLogic Server installation program on a CD-ROM or by downloading the package installation program, you can select the following options during a custom installation:
If you downloaded the net installer version of the WebLogic Server installation program (and you choose the custom installation option), you can select the Server, WebLogic Workshop, and Server Examples options, as well as options for additional WebLogic Platform components. Details about those additional options are beyond the scope of this document. For information about installing WebLogic Platform and all of its components, see the WebLogic Platform Installation Guide.
Note: By default, all WebLogic Platform components are selected. You must clear the check box for all components that you do not want to install.
In a custom installation, regardless of the distribution method, the BEA WebLogic Platform Configuration Wizard is optionally invoked after the selected components are installed on your system. You use the Configuration Wizard to configure WebLogic domains using preconfigured domain templates that facilitate domain creation for the target environment.
Selecting Directories for the WebLogic Server Installation
During installation of WebLogic Server, you need to specify locations for the following directories:
When you install WebLogic Server, you are prompted to specify a BEA Home directory. The BEA Home directory is a repository for common files that are used by multiple BEA products installed on the same machine. For this reason, the BEA Home directory can be considered a "central support directory" for the BEA products installed on your system.
The files in the BEA Home directory are essential to ensuring that BEA software operates correctly on your system. They perform the following types of functions:
The structure of a sample BEA Home directory created by the WebLogic Server installer program that includes a bundled SDK is shown in the following illustration.
This illustration depicts only the files and directories required in the BEA Home directory. If you choose the default product installation directory, you will see additional directories in the BEA Home directory, such as weblogic700 (the WebLogic Server installation directory) and user_projects (a folder for WebLogic domains that you create). Although the default location for the WebLogic Server installation directory is within the BEA Home directory, you can select a different location outside the BEA Home directory. See Understanding the WebLogic Server Directory Structure.
Note: For some UNIX platforms, the WebLogic Server installation program does not install the SDK.
During installation of WebLogic Server, you are prompted to choose an existing BEA Home directory or specify a path to create a new BEA Home directory. If you choose to create a new directory, the WebLogic Server installation program automatically creates the directory for you.
Note: For a BEA Home directory, you are allowed to install only one instance of each version of a BEA product that uses the BEA Home directory convention. For example, you can install only one instance of WebLogic Server 7.0 in a BEA Home directory, but that BEA Home directory may also contain an instance of WebLogic Server 6.1.
Understanding the Functions of the BEA Home Directory
The files and directories in the BEA Home directory are described in Table 1-3.
Contains the software for the Java 2 SDK installed with WebLogic Server. The SDK provides the Java run-time environment (JRE) and tools for compiling and debugging Java applications. Options include: Note: SDK options vary by hardware platform. For some UNIX platforms, the WebLogic Platform installation program does not include an SDK. |
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Contains a history file of installation and uninstallation for the BEA Home directory. |
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Contains utilities that support the installation of all BEA WebLogic Platform products. The utils.jar file contains code that supports the UpdateLicense utility. |
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An XML-format license file that contains the license keys for all BEA WebLogic Platform products installed on your system that use the BEA Home directory convention. The format of this license has changed in WebLogic Server 7.0. To convert a pre-7.0 license.bea file to a WebLogic Server 7.0 license.bea file, refer to the procedures in Upgrading Licenses from Previous WebLogic Server Releases. To add a non-expiring (permanent) license or to update a license file for additional functionality, you must update the license.bea file using the UpdateLicense utility. For details, see Updating Your license.bea File. Note: Do not edit this file manually. Doing so may cause operating problems for the currently installed BEA products, or result in installation problems when installing future BEA products or maintenance upgrades. |
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A registry file that contains a persistent record of all BEA products installed on the target system. This registry contains product-related information, such as version number, Service Pack number, and installation directory. Note: Do not edit this file manually. Doing so may cause operating problems for the currently installed BEA products, or result in installation problems when installing future BEA products or maintenance upgrades. |
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A command file (Windows) or a shell script (UNIX) that updates the current license.bea file with new license sections. The result is a merged license that contains both the existing and new license sections. For details about using the UpdateLicense utility, see Updating Your license.bea File. |
Creating Multiple BEA Home Directories
Although it is possible to create more than one BEA Home directory, BEA recommends that you avoid doing so. In almost all situations, a single BEA Home directory is sufficient. There may be circumstances, however, in which you prefer to maintain separate development and production environments, each containing a separate product stack. With two directories, you can update your development environment (in a BEA Home directory) without modifying the production environment until you are ready to do so.
Product Installation Directory
The product installation directory contains all the software components that you choose to install on your system, including program files and examples. During installation, you are prompted to choose a product installation directory. If you accept the default, the WebLogic Server software is installed in the following directory:
c:\bea\weblogic700
where c:\bea is the BEA Home directory and weblogic700 is the product installation directory. However, you can specify any name and location on your system for your product installation directory; there is no requirement that you name the directory weblogic700, or create it under the BEA Home directory.
The installer uses the product installation directory as the WL_HOME directory and installs the software components under this directory. See Files and Directories Installed for more information.
Generating a Verbose Installation Log
If you start the installation process from the command line or from a script, you can specify the -log option to generate a verbose installation log. The installation log lists messages about events during the installation process, including informational, warning, error, and fatal messages. This can be especially useful for silent installations.
Note: You may see some warning messages during in the installation log. However, unless there is a fatal error, the installation program will complete the installation successfully. The installation user interface will indicate the success or failure of the installation. For a silent installation, which has no user interface, if there is a fatal error in the installation log, the installation did not complete successfully. If there is no fatal error in the installation log, the installation completed successfully.
To create a verbose log file during installation, include the -log=/full_path_to_log_file option in the command line or script. For example:
serverXXX_win32.exe -log=D:\logs\wls_install.log
where XXX is the version of the software you are installing.
The path must be the full path to a file name. If the file does not exist, all folders in the path must exist before you execute the command or the installation program will not create the log file.
Where to Find Upgrade and Migration Information
Information about upgrading your WebLogic Server installation with the latest service pack is provided in Installing WebLogic Server Service Packs and Rolling Patches.
The following documents provide additional WebLogic Server upgrade and migration information:
The Smart Update feature enables you to quickly and easily upgrade your WebLogic Server software with service packs, software patches (sometimes referred to as rolling patches), and subsequent releases of the software.
Note: Smart Update upgrades your Windows installation to use the Sun Java 2 SDK and your Linux installation to use the WebLogic JRockit SDK. If you want to use a different SDK, you should use a WebLogic Platform upgrade installer that is bundled with the appropriate SDK or change the SDK, as described in "Switching JVMs in WebLogic Platform" in the WebLogic Platform Release Notes, at the following URL:
When you start Smart Update, either from the Windows Start menu or from the command line, it checks the version of products installed (associated with the current BEA Home directory), and then connects to the BEA Web site to check for available updates. If an update for an installed product is available, the Smart Update window opens with directions for installing available upgrades. If no upgrades are available, a message displays indicating that no maintenance is available.
Note: If you installed WebLogic Server 7.0 GA (version 7.0.0.0), you must upgrade to WebLogic Server 7.0.0.1 (the version available with WebLogic Platform 7.0) or a service pack before you can use Smart Update to install future service packs (WebLogic Server 7.0.1.0 and later). For details, see Important Note About Updating WebLogic Server 7.0 GA.
For details about using Smart Update, see Installing WebLogic Server Service Packs and Rolling Patches.