17.5 Managing Remote Servers

Store REST Data Source server information as a Remote Server object.

• About Remote Servers
  Create a Remote Server object to store REST Data Source server information.
• Creating a Remote Server
  Create a Remote Server from Shared Components.
• Editing or Deleting a Remote Server
  Edit or delete a Remote Server from Shared Components.
• Viewing Remote Server Utilization
  View the Remote Server Utilization report.
• Viewing Remote Server History
  View the Remote Server History report.

17.5.1 About Remote Servers

Create a Remote Server object to store REST Data Source server information.

Oracle Application Express stores REST Data Source server information (for example, REST APIs) as a Remote Server object. Remote Servers can be shared among multiple REST Data Sources. Changing Remote Server properties affects all REST Sources referencing that object. For example, you can change a Remote Server's Base URL to move all associated REST Sources from a test to a production system. Since Remote Servers are stored at the workspace-level, Remote Servers are visible in all applications in a workspace.

Type of Remote Servers

When you create a Remote Server you select one of the following types:

• REST Data Source - Remote Server for consuming a remote REST API.

• Authentication - Remote Server for authentication.

• Print Server - Remote Server for an external print server.

How Application Express Stores REST Data Source Information

Oracle Application Express splits the endpoint URL of a REST Data Source into two parts. The first part is server-specific part and is stored as a separate entity called the Remote Server. You can reuse a Remote Server with multiple REST Data Sources if each one uses the same server, port, and URL Path Prefix (context root). Remote Servers are stored at the workspace-level and therefore visible in all applications.

The second part of the endpoint URL and is specific to the REST Data Source. Multiple REST Data Sources can share one Remote Server, thus sharing information such as the Base URL and Authentication. If you change Remote Server attributes, the change impacts all REST Data Sources using the Remote Server. Remote Servers make it easy to move a collection of REST Data Source. For example, you can move from a test system to a production system by changing the URL within the Remote Server object.

Exporting and Importing Remote Server Information

When you export an application, referenced Remote Servers are added to the export file. When you import the application into another workspace, Application Express checks whether the target workspace already contains Remote Servers with the same static ID. If a Remote Server already exists, the application uses it. Otherwise the Remote Servers from the import file are created in the target workspace.

See Also:

"Managing REST Data Sources"

17.5.2 Creating a Remote Server

Create a Remote Server from Shared Components.

To create a Remote Server object:

1. Navigate to the Remove Server page:
   • From Workspace Utilities:

     1. On the Workspace home page, click App Builder.

     2. Click Workspace Utilities.

     3. Click Remote Server.

   • From Shared Components:

     1. On the Workspace home page, click App Builder.

     2. Select an application.

     3. On the Application home page, click Shared Components in the center of the page.

     4. Under Workspace Objects, select Remote Servers.

2. On the Remote Servers page, click Create.
3. Name - Enter a name for the Remote Server object. Remote Server names must be unique within the application.
4. Static ID - Enter a static ID for the Remote Server.
5. Server Type - Select one of the following:
   • REST Data Source - Select this option if the server consumes a remote REST API.
   • Authentication - Select this option if you are using the server for authentication.
   • Print Server - Select this option if you are using the server for an external print server.
6. Base URL - Enter the base URL of the Remote Server.
7. Prompt on Install - Select On to have Oracle Application Express prompt for the Base URL after the application installs into another workspace.
8. Comments - Enter any comments or notes here. These comments never display when running the application.
9. Click Create.

17.5.3 Editing or Deleting a Remote Server

Edit or delete a Remote Server from Shared Components.

To edit a Remote Server:

1. Navigate to the Credentials page:
   • From Workspace Utilities:

     1. On the Workspace home page, click App Builder.

     2. Click Workspace Utilities.

     3. Click Remote Server.

   • From Shared Components:

     1. On the Workspace home page, click App Builder.

     2. Select an application.

     3. On the Application home page, click Shared Components in the center of the page.

     4. Under Security, select Remote Server.

2. On the Remote Server page, click the name of the Remote Server.
   The Edit Remote Server dialog appears.
3. To delete the current Remote Server, click Delete. Otherwise, edit the appropriate attributes.

   Tip:

   Remote Servers which are referenced within an application cannot be deleted.

4. To edit the General attributes:
   1. Name - Enter a descriptive name.
   2. Static ID - Enter a name for the remote server object here. Remote Server names must be unique within the application.
   3. Server Type - Select either:

      • REST Data Source

      • Authentication

   4. Base URL - Enter the base URL of the remote server. 
   5. Prompt on Install - If On, Application Express prompts for the Base URL after the application has been installed into another workspace.
   6. HTTPS Host Name - The host name to be matched against the common name (CN) of the remote server's certificate for an HTTPS request. It can also be a domain name like *.example.com. If NULL, the host name in the given URL is used.
      HTTPS Host Name only displays if you are using Oracle Database 12.2 or higher.
   7. Comments - Enter any comments or notes. These comments only display within App Builder and never display when running the application.
   8. To save your changes, click Apply Changes.

17.5.4 Viewing Remote Server Utilization

View the Remote Server Utilization report.

To view Remote Server utilization:

1. Navigate to the Remove Server page:
   • From Workspace Utilities:

     1. On the Workspace home page, click App Builder.

     2. Click Workspace Utilities.

     3. Click Remote Server.

   • From Shared Components:

     1. On the Workspace home page, click App Builder.

     2. Select an application.

     3. On the Application home page, click Shared Components in the center of the page.

     4. Under Workspace Objects, select Remote Servers.

2. On the Remote Servers page, click Utilization.
   The Utilization page displays where Remote Servers page used within the current workspace.

17.5.5 Viewing Remote Server History

View the Remote Server History report.

To view recent modifications to Remote Servers:

1. Navigate to the Remove Server page:
   • From Workspace Utilities:

     1. On the Workspace home page, click App Builder.

     2. Click Workspace Utilities.

     3. Click Remote Server.

   • From Shared Components:

     1. On the Workspace home page, click App Builder.

     2. Select an application.

     3. On the Application home page, click Shared Components in the center of the page.

     4. Under Workspace Objects, select Remote Servers.

2. On the Remote Servers page, click History.
   The History page displays recent modifications made to Remote Servers in the current workspace.