WebLogic Server provides several ways to start and stop server instances. The method that you choose depends on whether you prefer using a graphical or command-line interface, and on whether you are using the Node Manager to manage a server's life cycle.

You can start a server instance on any computer on which WebLogic Server has been installed. The server's configuration information always resides in the domain's config.xml file, which is located on the computer that hosts the Administration Server. The first server instance you start in a domain assumes the role of Administration Server. Additional server instances assume the role of Managed Server.

No matter how you start a server, the end result passes a set of configuration options to initialize a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The server instance runs within the JVM, and the JVM can host only one server instance.

The main steps for starting and stopping servers are: