1 Introduction to Upgrading Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure to 12c (12.2.1.3.0)

Upgrading to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c requires careful preparation and planning. Oracle provides tools and technology to automate much of the upgrade process.

Following the pre-upgrade information and preparation steps, the procedures in this guide are divided into two sections:

• Upgrade from 11g release is described in Upgrading Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure from 11g Release

• Upgrade from 12c release is described in Upgrading Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure from a Previous 12c Release

Note:

For general information about Fusion Middleware upgrade planning and other upgrade concepts and resources, see the following sections in Planning an Upgrade of Oracle Fusion Middleware:

• Planning an Upgrade to Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c (12.2.1.3.0)

• Understanding In-Place versus Out-of-Place Upgrades

• Understanding the Basic 12c Upgrade Tasks

The following topics describe the concepts related to upgrading Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure:

• About the Starting Points for an Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Upgrade
  The primary focus of the upgrade procedures in this guide is to upgrade an existing Application Server 11g domain or the existing 12c (12.1.2.0.0, 12.1.3.0.0, 12.2.1.0.0, 12.2.1.1.0, and 12.2.1.2.0) domains, and the Oracle Fusion Middleware component configurations in that domain to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c (12.2.1.3.0).
• Upgrading Security Store
  Before upgrading the OPSS security store, it is important to back up the security store so that it can be recovered in case the upgrade fails.
• About Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Standard Topology
  The steps to upgrade Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure to 12c (12.2.1.3.0) depend on the existing production topology (either 11g or a previous 12c release).
• About the New Features for Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c
  Several changes have been made to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure between 11g and 12c.
• About Upgrade Restrictions
  If you are using two or more Oracle Fusion Middleware products of the same or different versions in a single, supported, Oracle Fusion Middleware configuration, you must consider the interoperability and compatibility factors before planning the upgrade.
• Upgrading Custom Applications Using Oracle JDeveloper 12c
  If you have deployed custom applications to an Oracle Fusion Middleware Application Developer 11g domain, then the application deployments should function as they did in Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g after the upgrade procedure is complete. However, if you want to take advantage of new Oracle Application Development Framework (Oracle ADF) 12c features, download and install Oracle JDeveloper 12c.

About the Starting Points for an Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Upgrade

The primary focus of the upgrade procedures in this guide is to upgrade an existing Application Server 11g domain or the existing 12c (12.1.2.0.0, 12.1.3.0.0, 12.2.1.0.0, 12.2.1.1.0, and 12.2.1.2.0) domains, and the Oracle Fusion Middleware component configurations in that domain to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c (12.2.1.3.0).

You can upgrade to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c (12.2.1.3.0) from the supported 11g and 12c releases:

• Oracle Fusion Middleware Application Developer 11g (11.1.1.7, 11.1.1.8, and 11.1.1.9)

• Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c (12.1.2.0.0, 12.1.3.0.0, 12.2.1.0.0, 12.2.1.1.0, and 12.2.1.2.0)

Note:

If you are upgrading Oracle HTTP Server instances associated with an existing Application Developer 11g domain or instructions for upgrading a standalone Oracle HTTP Server, see Upgrading a Standalone Oracle HTTP Server from 11g to 12c in Upgrading Oracle HTTP Server.

• About Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c
  Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure distribution, which is available as part of the Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c (12.2.1.3.0) release, provides a set of technologies and components similar to those provided by the Oracle WebLogic Server and Application Developer installers in 11g. The Infrastructure distribution combines the WebLogic Server and the Java Required Files (JRF) that are required to install other Fusion Middleware products.
• Key Differences Between Application Developer 11g and Infrastructure 12c
  Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c is similar to the 11g Application Developer installation, except for few differences listed in this section.

About Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c

Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure distribution, which is available as part of the Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c (12.2.1.3.0) release, provides a set of technologies and components similar to those provided by the Oracle WebLogic Server and Application Developer installers in 11g. The Infrastructure distribution combines the WebLogic Server and the Java Required Files (JRF) that are required to install other Fusion Middleware products.

Key Differences Between Application Developer 11g and Infrastructure 12c

Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c is similar to the 11g Application Developer installation, except for few differences listed in this section.

• Infrastructure 12c Includes Oracle WebLogic Server
  The Application Developer 11g installation required two separate installations (Oracle WebLogic Server and then Application Developer to add the Oracle JRF libraries and components). In Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c, a fresh installation requires only the Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure distribution, which contains both Oracle WebLogic Server and the Java Required Files (JRF).
• Database Schema Requirement for Infrastructure 12c
  Unlike the Application Developer 11g installation, the Infrastructure 12c installation requires you to create a set of required schemas in a supported database. In particular, you must use the 12c Repository Creation Utility (RCU) to create the required database schemas before you can configure the Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12 c software.
• Using an OID-based Policy Store
  If you are using an Oracle Internet Directory (OID)-based policy store in 11g, use the 12c Repository Creation Utility (RCU) to create the new 12c OPSS schema. In the Upgrade Assistant, select the OPSS schema; the Upgrade Assistant upgrades the OID-based policy store. You do not need to reassociate an OID-based policy store to upgrade it to 12c.
• Infrastructure 12c Domains Can Include Oracle HTTP Server
  In Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g, Oracle HTTP Server instances are typically configured in a separate Oracle instance directory outside the 11g Middleware home. However, in Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c, Oracle HTTP Server instances can be configured a part of an Oracle WebLogic Server domain, using the Oracle Fusion Middleware Configuration Wizard.

Infrastructure 12c Includes Oracle WebLogic Server

The Application Developer 11g installation required two separate installations (Oracle WebLogic Server and then Application Developer to add the Oracle JRF libraries and components). In Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c, a fresh installation requires only the Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure distribution, which contains both Oracle WebLogic Server and the Java Required Files (JRF).

Note that the upgrade procedure does not require the configuration of a new Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c domain. Instead, you use the Reconfiguration Wizard to upgrade the domain. See Understanding Upgrade and Configuration Tools in Planning an Upgrade of Oracle Fusion Middleware.

Database Schema Requirement for Infrastructure 12c

Unlike the Application Developer 11g installation, the Infrastructure 12c installation requires you to create a set of required schemas in a supported database. In particular, you must use the 12c Repository Creation Utility (RCU) to create the required database schemas before you can configure the Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12 c software.

Depending upon your requirements, you must install one or more of the following database schemas before you can upgrade to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c:

• The Service Table (STB) schema is a new schema required for all Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c installations. This schema enables a new 12c feature called Cross-Component Wiring. See Wiring Components to Work Together in Administering Oracle Fusion Middleware. If you are upgrading from a 11g release, then you must create the 12c STB schemas with the Repository Creation Utility (RCU) . However, if you are upgrading from a previous 12c release, you need not create the STB schemas; you can upgrade them with the Upgrade Assistant.

• The OPSS schema, which provides a database-based policy store for Oracle Platform Security Services.

  Table 1-1 provides an overview of the policy stores used in 11g and how to upgrade them.

  Table 1-1 Overview of Upgrading the Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g Policy Store

  If you are using...	Then perform the following action:
  Oracle Internet Directory (OID)-based policy store in 11g	Before the upgrade, use the 12c Repository Creation Utility (RCU) to create the new 12c OPSS schema. In the Upgrade Assistant, select the OPSS schema; the Upgrade Assistant upgrades the OID-based policy store.
  File-based policy store and the OPSS schema in 11g	Use the RCU to create the 12c OPSS schema.
  Database-based policy store and the OPSS schema	Use the Upgrade Assistant to upgrade the existing 11g OPSS schema.

• The IAU schema, which is used for the OPSS auditing capabilities.

  You might be required to create the IAU 12cschema, depending on whether or not you are using an Audit Data Store in 11g and the type of Audit Data Store you are using.

  Table 1-2 Overview of Upgrading the Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g Audit Store

  If you are using...	Then perform the following action:
  File-based audit store in 11g	Before the upgrade, create a new 12c IAU schema.
  Database-based audit store and the IAU 11g schema	Use the Upgrade Assistant to upgrade the existing 11g IAU schema, and then reference the upgraded 11g schema during the domain reconfiguration.

Using an OID-based Policy Store

If you are using an Oracle Internet Directory (OID)-based policy store in 11g, use the 12c Repository Creation Utility (RCU) to create the new 12c OPSS schema. In the Upgrade Assistant, select the OPSS schema; the Upgrade Assistant upgrades the OID-based policy store. You do not need to reassociate an OID-based policy store to upgrade it to 12c.

Note:

The 12c OPSS database schema is required only so you can reference the 12c schema during the reconfiguration of the domain. Your domain will continue to use the OID-based policy store after the upgrade.

Infrastructure 12c Domains Can Include Oracle HTTP Server

In Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g, Oracle HTTP Server instances are typically configured in a separate Oracle instance directory outside the 11g Middleware home. However, in Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c, Oracle HTTP Server instances can be configured a part of an Oracle WebLogic Server domain, using the Oracle Fusion Middleware Configuration Wizard.

Oracle HTTP Server 11g instances are managed using the Oracle Process Manager and Notification Server (OPMN) management software. Optionally, the Oracle HTTP Server 11g instances can be "associated with" the WebLogic domain.

When configured as part of an Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure domain, Oracle HTTP Server instances can be managed using Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control and the Oracle WebLogic Scripting Tool (WLST). In Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c, the Node Manager agent is responsible for delegating and executing management requests to OHS instances.

For more information about the changes to the ways system components, such as Oracle HTTP Server, are configured and managed in Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c, as well as other key changes for Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c, see About the New Features for Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c.

To upgrade the Oracle HTTP Server, see Introduction to Upgrading Oracle HTTP Server to 12c (12.2.1.3.0) in Upgrading Oracle HTTP Server.

Upgrading Security Store

Before upgrading the OPSS security store, it is important to back up the security store so that it can be recovered in case the upgrade fails.

For details about backing up the security store, see Backing Up and Recovering the OPSS Security Store.

The upgrade procedure varies depending on the type of security store you start from. The security store to be upgraded can be file-based, OID-based, or DB-based. Note that the procedures vary depending upon the type of source audit data store (file-based or DB-based).

For more information about upgrading security stores, see Upgrading Security to 12.2.1.3.0.

About Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Standard Topology

The steps to upgrade Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure to 12c (12.2.1.3.0) depend on the existing production topology (either 11g or a previous 12c release).

Using the Oracle Fusion Middleware Application Developer 11g software, you can create a variety of production topologies to suit the needs of your applications, your organization, and your application users.

It is difficult to provide exact upgrade instructions for every possible Application Developer 11g installation. To solve this problem, this upgrade documentation provides detailed instructions for upgrading a typical Application Developer configuration. This typical topology is referred to as the standard upgrade topology.

Specifically, for the purposes of this guide, it is assumed that you have used Oracle WebLogic Server and the Application Developer 11g software to configure a domain that contains a cluster of two managed servers, both of which are configured to support Oracle JRF and the deployment of Oracle ADF applications.

Your actual topology may vary, but the topology described here provide an example that can be used as a guide to upgrade other similar Application Developer topologies.

Note:

For additional information about the upgrade process and planning resources to ensure your upgrade is successful, see Preparing to Upgrade in Planning an Upgrade of Oracle Fusion Middleware.

If you are upgrading from a previous 12c release, the standard topology remains unchanged. If you are upgrading from 11g, refer to the following section to upgrade Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure standard topology:

• Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Standard Upgrade Topology
  When upgrading from 11g to 12c (12.2.1.3.0), the Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure topology is updated, as illustrated by the standard upgrade topology described here. If you are upgrading from a previous 12c release, the standard topology remains unchanged.

Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Standard Upgrade Topology

When upgrading from 11g to 12c (12.2.1.3.0), the Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure topology is updated, as illustrated by the standard upgrade topology described here. If you are upgrading from a previous 12c release, the standard topology remains unchanged.

Figure 1-1 shows the Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g Application Developer standard upgrade topology and the resulting Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c Infrastructure topology as it appears after you complete the upgrade procedures in this guide.

Figure 1-1 Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Standard Upgrade Topology

Description of "Figure 1-1 Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Standard Upgrade Topology"

All elements in this topology illustration are described in Table 1-3.

Table 1-3 Description of the Elements in the Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Standard Upgrade Topology

Element	Description and Links to Additional Documentation
11g Application Developer Topology	This is the label for the left side of Figure 1-1. It shows a typical single-host topology created using the Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g Application Developer installer. It consists of a single domain that contains a cluster of two managed servers and the Administration Server. It also has an optional file-based store or database with schemas. This document describes, step-by-step, how to upgrade this topology to an equivalent topology created using the Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c Infrastructure distribution.
12c Infrastructure Standard Installation Topology	This is the label for the right side of the figure. It shows a typical single-host topology created using the Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c Infrastructure distribution. Like the Application Developer 11g topology, it also consists of a single domain that contains a cluster of two managed servers and the Administration Server.
APPHOST	Standard term used in Oracle documentation referring to the machine that is hosting the application tier.
DBHOST	Standard term used in Oracle documentation referring to the machine that is hosting the database. Note that for Application Developer 11g, a database is optional; for Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c, a database is required. See Database Schema Requirement for Infrastructure 12c.
File-Based Store	An XML, file-based security store. In 11g, you could use a file-base security store or a database-based security store. However, in 12c, the file-based store is deprecated, and you must use the Oracle Platform Security Services (OPSS) schema in a supported database. The Reconfiguration Wizard automates the process of reassociating file-based stores to DB-based stores.
Database with Schemas	Represents a supported database, where the Oracle Fusion Middleware schemas have been created using the Repository Creation Utility (RCU).
WebLogic Domain	A logically related group of Java components (in this case, the administration Server, Managed Servers, and other related software components). See What is an Oracle WebLogic Server Domain in Understanding Oracle Fusion Middleware.
Administration Server	The central control entity of a domain which maintains the domain's configuration objects and distributes configuration changes to Managed Servers. See What is the Administration Server in Understanding Oracle Fusion Middleware.
Enterprise Manager	Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control. This is the main tool that can be used to manage your domain. See Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control in Understanding Oracle Fusion Middleware.
Cluster	A collection of multiple WebLogic Server instances running simultaneously and working together. See Understanding Managed Servers and Managed Server Clusters in Understanding Oracle Fusion Middleware.
Machine	Logical representation of the computer that hosts one or more WebLogic Server instances (servers). Machines are also the logical glue between WebLogic Managed Servers and the Node Manager; in order to start or stop a Managed Server with Node Manager, the Managed Server must be associated with a machine.
Managed Server	Host for your applications, application components, Web services, and their associated resources. See Understanding Managed Servers and Managed Server Clusters in Understanding Oracle Fusion Middleware.
Oracle JRF	Oracle JRF (Java Required Files) consists of those components not included in the Oracle WebLogic Server installation and that provide common functionality for Oracle business applications and application frameworks. JRF consists of several independently developed libraries and applications that are deployed into a common location. The components that are considered part of Java Required Files include Oracle Application Development Framework shared libraries and ODL logging handlers.
Infrastructure	Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c term (similar to Oracle JRF) that refers to the collection of services that include the following: Metadata repository (MDS) This contains metadata for Oracle Fusion Middleware components, such as the Oracle Application Developer Framework. See What is the Metadata Repository in Understanding Oracle Fusion Middleware. Oracle Application Developer Framework (ADF) Oracle Web Services Manager (OWSM)

The Application Developer 11g topology is similar to the Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c topology, except for the differences described in Key Differences Between Application Developer 11g and Infrastructure 12c.

About the New Features for Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c

Several changes have been made to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure between 11g and 12c.

In particular, refer to the following sections in Understanding Oracle Fusion Middleware:

• New and Changed Features for 12c

• New and Deprecated Terminology for 12c

• What is the WebLogic Management Framework?

About Upgrade Restrictions

If you are using two or more Oracle Fusion Middleware products of the same or different versions in a single, supported, Oracle Fusion Middleware configuration, you must consider the interoperability and compatibility factors before planning the upgrade.

Interoperability

In the context of Oracle Fusion Middleware products, interoperability is defined as the ability of two Oracle Fusion Middleware products or components of the same version (or release) to work together (interoperate) in a supported Oracle Fusion Middleware configuration. Specifically, interoperability applies when the first 4 digits of the release or version number are the same. For example, Oracle Fusion Middleware 12c (12.2.1.0) components are generally interoperable with other 12c (12.2.1.3.0) components.

Compatibility

In the context of Oracle Fusion Middleware products, compatibility is defined as the ability of two Oracle Fusion Middleware components of different versions (or releases) to interoperate.

For a list of products and features available in Oracle Fusion Middleware Release 12.2.1.3.0, see Products and Features Available in Oracle Fusion Middleware in Understanding Interoperability and Compatibility.

When performing the upgrade of your hardware or software, verify that your Oracle Fusion Middleware software is certified to support the new operating system or computer hardware. For more information, refer to the following resources:

• Oracle Fusion Middleware Supported System Configurations

• Oracle® Fusion Middleware System Requirements and Specifications

Upgrading Custom Applications Using Oracle JDeveloper 12c

If you have deployed custom applications to an Oracle Fusion Middleware Application Developer 11g domain, then the application deployments should function as they did in Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g after the upgrade procedure is complete. However, if you want to take advantage of new Oracle Application Development Framework (Oracle ADF) 12c features, download and install Oracle JDeveloper 12c.

See Installing the Oracle JDeveloper Software in Installing Oracle JDeveloper.

To test your 11g applications in preparation for an upgrade to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c, open your existing Oracle JDeveloper 11g projects in Oracle JDeveloper 12c. Oracle JDeveloper migrates the projects to 12c . You can then test your applications with the embedded application server that is available from within Oracle JDeveloper. After you have reviewed and optionally modified your applications in Oracle JDeveloper 12c, upgrade the Application Developer 11g domain to Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure 12c and redeploy the applications.

For more information about migrating your applications, see Migrating Oracle JDeveloper From a Previous Version in Installing Oracle JDeveloper.