Oracle WebLogic: Expanded or Archive Format
By default, Oracle Utilities Operational Device Management is built into a set of WAR/EAR files and deployed in this format on Oracle WebLogic to operate. For Oracle WebLogic it is possible to use expanded mode rather than the WAR/EAR format. This mode allows the Oracle WebLogic instance directories access to the directories and files used by the JEE components of the product without the need for WAR/EAR files. This has several key advantages:
• Changes to the individual files in the product (such as JSP's or graphics) do not require a rebuild of the WAR/EAR file.
• Outage time to deploy and execute the WAR/EAR file is reduced as Oracle WebLogic reads the files directly. In the deployment process, Oracle WebLogic loads the WAR/EAR file and uncompressed it to a staging or temporary location for actual execution. This is greatly reduced under expanded mode as the files are already uncompressed.
• Application of patches and service packs is faster as the patch installer does not need to rebuild the WAR/EAR files after applying patches.
This expanded mode is suggested for non-production and demonstration environments and is not recommended for production (the default is Archive [non-expanded] mode) as the during the WAR/EAR process additional integrity checks are performed and security control of individual application files adds higher security requirements to production.
The figure below illustrates the expanded mode main directories:
Figure 33 – Expanded Format
• Under the root directory are the product specific subdirectories for each subsystem or part of the online component of Oracle Utilities Operational Device Management.
• Under the businessapp directory are the business object specific files for each subsystem or part of the online component of Oracle Utilities Operational Device Management.
• The ohelp and AppViewer directories contain an expanded mode version of the ohelp and appViewer generated files (after running genappvieweritems – generate AppViewer).
The rest directory holds the web service definitions.
The mobile, XAIApp and help directories are provided for backward compatibility purposes only as those capabilities have been deprecated.