1 Introduction and Roadmap

This chapter describes the contents and organization of this guide - Securing a Production Environment for Oracle WebLogic Server.

This chapter includes the following sections:

1.1 Document Scope and Audience

This guide is intended for the following audiences:

  • Application Architects — Architects who, in addition to setting security goals and designing the overall security architecture for their organizations, evaluate WebLogic Server security features and determine how to best implement them. Application Architects have in-depth knowledge of Java programming, Java security, and network security, as well as knowledge of security systems and leading-edge, security technologies and tools.

  • Security Developers — Developers who focus on defining the system architecture and infrastructure for security products that integrate into WebLogic Server and on developing custom security providers for use with WebLogic Server. Security Developers have a solid understanding of security concepts, including authentication, authorization, auditing (AAA), in-depth knowledge of Java (including Java Management eXtensions (JMX), and working knowledge of WebLogic Server and security provider functionality.

  • Application Developers — Java programmers who develop and add security to Web applications and Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs), and work with other engineering, quality assurance (QA), and database teams to implement security features. Application Developers have in-depth/working knowledge of Java (including Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) Version 5 components such as servlets/JSPs and JSEE) and Java security.

  • Server Administrators — Administrators who work closely with Application Architects to design a security scheme for the server and the applications running on the server, to identify potential security risks, and to propose configurations that prevent security problems. Related responsibilities may include maintaining critical production systems, configuring and managing security realms, implementing authentication and authorization schemes for server and application resources, upgrading security features, and maintaining security provider databases. Server Administrators have in-depth knowledge of the Java security architecture, including Web services, Web application and EJB security, Public Key security, SSL, and Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML).

  • Application Administrators — Administrators who work with Server Administrators to implement and maintain security configurations and authentication and authorization schemes, and to set up and maintain access to deployed application resources in defined security realms. Application Administrators have general knowledge of security concepts and the Java Security architecture. They understand Java, XML, deployment descriptors, and can identify security events in server and audit logs.

1.2 Guide to This Document

This document is organized as follows:

1.3 Related Information

The following Oracle WebLogic Server documents contain information that is relevant to the WebLogic Security Service:

1.4 Security Samples and Tutorials

Oracle provides code samples for Java Authentication and Authorization Service and for Outbound and Two-way SSL for Security developers. The examples and tutorials illustrate WebLogic Server Security in action, and provide practical instructions on how to perform key Security development tasks.

Oracle recommends that you run some or all of the Security examples before developing your own Security configurations.

1.4.1 Avitek Medical Records Application (MedRec) and Tutorials

MedRec is an end-to-end sample Java EE application shipped with WebLogic Server that simulates an independent, centralized medical record management system. The MedRec application provides a framework for patients, doctors, and administrators to manage patient data using a variety of different clients.

MedRec demonstrates WebLogic Server and Java EE features, and highlights Oracle-recommended best practices. MedRec is optionally installed with the WebLogic Server installation. You can start MedRec from the ORACLE_HOME\user_projects\domains\medrec directory, where ORACLE_HOME is the directory you specified as the Oracle Home when you installed Oracle WebLogic Server. For more information, see Sample Applications and Code Examplesin Understanding Oracle WebLogic Server.

MedRec includes a service tier consisting primarily of Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs) that work together to process requests from Web applications, Web services, workflow applications, and future client applications. The application includes message-driven, stateless session, stateful session, and entity EJBs.

1.4.2 Security Examples in the WebLogic Server Distribution

WebLogic Server optionally installs API code examples in EXAMPLES_HOME\wl_server\examples\src\examples, where EXAMPLES_HOME represents the directory in which the WebLogic Server code examples are configured. For more information, see Sample Applications and Code Examples in Understanding Oracle WebLogic Server.

1.4.3 Additional Security Examples Available for Download

Additional API examples for download at http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/indexes/samplecode/index.html. These examples are distributed as ZIP files that you can unzip into an existing WebLogic Server samples directory structure.

You build and run the downloadable examples in the same manner as you would an installed WebLogic Server example. See the download pages of individual examples for more information at http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/indexes/samplecode/index.html.

1.5 New and Changed Features in This Release

For a comprehensive listing of the new WebLogic Server features introduced in this release, see What's New in Oracle WebLogic Server 12.2.1.2.0.