1 Overview of Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In
This chapter describes the plug-ins provided by Oracle for use with WebLogic Server:
What are Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-Ins?
Web server plug-ins allow requests to be proxied from Oracle HTTP Server, Apache HTTP Server, or Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) to Oracle WebLogic Server. In this way, plug-ins enable the HTTP server to communicate with applications deployed on the WebLogic Server.
The plug-in enhances an HTTP server installation by allowing Oracle WebLogic Server to handle requests that require dynamic functionality. In other words, you typically use a plug-in where the HTTP server serves static pages such as HTML pages, while Oracle WebLogic Server serves dynamic pages such as HTTP Servlets and Java Server Pages (JSPs).
Oracle WebLogic Server may be operating in a different process, possibly on a different host. To the end user—the browser—the HTTP requests delegated to Oracle WebLogic Server still appear to be coming from the HTTP server.
In addition, the HTTP-tunneling facility of the WebLogic client/server protocol also operates through the plug-in, providing access to all Oracle WebLogic Server services.
Connection Pooling and Keep-Alive
The plug-ins improve performance using a pool of connections from the plug-in to Oracle WebLogic Server. The plug-in implements HTTP 1.1 keep-alive connections between the plug-in and Oracle WebLogic Server by reusing the same connection for subsequent requests from the same plug-ins. If the connection is inactive for more than 20 seconds, (or a user-defined amount of time), the connection is closed. See KeepAliveEnabled.
Note:
The web server manages client connections.
Proxying Requests
The plug-in proxies requests to Oracle WebLogic Server based on a configuration that you specify.
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You can proxy requests based on the URL of the request or a portion of the URL. This is called proxying by path.
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You can also proxy a request based on the MIME type of the requested file, which is called proxying by file extension.
You can also enable both methods. If you enable both methods and a request matches both criteria, the request is proxied by path.
You can also specify additional parameters for each of these types of requests that define additional behavior of the plug-in.
Availability of Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In
Oracle WebLogic Server proxy plug-ins are available for the following web servers:
Table 1-1 Availability of Version 12c (12.2.1.4.0) Plug-Ins
| Web Server | Plug-In Availability | More Information |
|---|---|---|
|
Oracle HTTP Server 12c |
The plug-in is included in the Oracle HTTP Server installation. |
For information about configuring this plug-in, see Configuring the Plug-In for Oracle HTTP Server. |
|
Apache HTTP Server 2.4.x Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) 8.5 and 10 |
The plug-ins are available for download on the My Oracle Support ( For example, the following directories are included in the
|
For information about installing and configuring the plug-ins for Apache HTTP Server, and Microsoft IIS Web Servers, see the following: |
Upgrading from 1.0 Plug-Ins
The version 1.0 plug-ins have been deprecated, and were only supported with old Apache HTTP Server versions that are no longer supported by Apache. Therefore, the version 1.0 plug-ins are not supported with Oracle WebLogic Server 12.2.1.4.0. The version 12.2.1.4.0 plug-ins are the recommended replacement.
This section contains the following information:
Upgrade Instructions
For upgrading from 11g plug-ins to the Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-Ins 12c (12.2.1.4.0), use installation instructions included in the specific chapter for your web server, as listed in Table 1-2.
Table 1-2 Upgrade Instructions by Plug-In
| To upgrade to the 12c (12.2.1.4.0) plug-ins for: | See: |
|---|---|
|
Oracle HTTP Server |
|
|
Apache HTTP Server |
|
|
Microsoft IIS Web Server |
Considerations for Upgrading From Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-Ins Version 1.0 to 12.2.1.4.0
The version 12c (12.2.1.4.0) plug-ins are a superset of the version 1.0 plug-ins and support the existing features. However, when you upgrade, keep the following considerations in mind:
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The list of supported platforms has changed. See Oracle Fusion Middleware Supported System Configurations at:
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/middleware/ias/downloads/fusion-certification-100350.html -
Because the version 1.0 plug-ins supported both 40 and 128-bit encryption standards, the plug-in file names needed to identify which standard was supported. For example,
mod_wl_22.soindicated 40-bit encryption andmod_wl128_22.soindicated 128-bit encryption. However, the version 12.2.1.4.0 plug-ins support only 128-bit encryption, and the plug-in names are now simplified. To use the 12.2.1.4.0 plug-in,mod_wl_24.sois the only filename required.Note:
If you upgrade from the 1.0 plug-ins and had been using 128-bit encryption, you must change your configuration file to reflect the new naming convention. For example, you must change
mod_wl128_22.sotomod_wl_24.so.
Features of the Version 12.2.1.4.0 Plug-Ins
This section describes the additional features of the version 12c (12.2.1.4.0) plug-ins.
Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Monitoring
The current release adds support for monitoring the performance of the Oracle HTTP Server. The performance metrics are specific to the Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In where a request is proxied to the backend WebLogic server. See Understanding Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In Performance Metrics.
Support for Multitenancy and Partitions
Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-Ins can be made partition-aware. This plays a role in support of Oracle WebLogic Server MT (multitenancy). See Working with Partitions.
Note:
WebLogic Server Multitenant domain partitions, resource groups, resource group templates, virtual targets, and Resource Consumption Management are deprecated in WebLogic Server 12.2.1.4.0 and will be removed in the next release.Documentation for Using the Plug-In with Microsoft Internet Information Server
Instructions have been added to use Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-Ins with Microsoft Internet Information Server on Windows client OS and Windows server OS. See Installing and Configuring the Plug-In for Microsoft Internet Information Server.
Deprecated Support for Certificates Signed Using the MD5 Algorithm
Support for certificates signed with MD5 is deprecated. See Replacing Certificates Signed Using the MD5 Algorithm.
Support and Patching
When you encounter issues with a plug-in, always report the version of the plug-in you are using. You can find this information in the Apache log or the plug-in debug log (if configured). The version information looks like the following snippet:
WebLogic Server Plug-in version 12.2.1.4.0 <WLSPLUGINS_XXXX_XXXX_XXXXX.XXXX>
Note:
On the Apache Web Server for Linux, you can also obtain the plug-in version by issuing the following command:
$ strings ${PLUGIN_HOME}/lib/mod_wl_24.so | grep -i wlspluginsA patch for a plug-in typically will contain one or more shared objects to be replaced. Ensure to backup your original files as you replace them with those in the patch. Validate that the patch has been correctly updated by checking the version string in the logs.