jWebCenter: 2011

Monday, December 19, 2011

Why Web Server for WebCenter? Oracle HTTP Server (OHS) vs Apache HTTP Server? How to configure Apache HTTP Server as a Web server for WebCenter?

Why Web Server for WebCenter?

To configure any HTTP Server for WebCenter is important in following scenarios:-

a. For a good integration between WebCenter and UCM

b. To configure SS0

c. Access UCM few functionalists like Document Manager, document rendition support, advanced metadata edit, the IFRAME functionality, and so on.

Oracle HTTP Server (OHS) vs Apache HTTP Server

You can also use Oracle Web Tier that also has HTTP Server (OHS) instead of Apache HTTP Server. The advantage of using Apache HTTP Server is easy to download due to small size, easy to install and its light weight. The advantage of using OHS is that it’s also based on Apache HTTP Server, already configured for Weblogic Server.

Configure Apache HTTP Server as a Web server for WebCenter

Assuming that WebCenter and UCM is installed and configured. Start the Admin Server and other manage servers. You can access Weblogic Console with the URL http://localhost:7001/console, WebCenter Spaces with http://localhost:8888/webcenter and UCM with http://localhost:16200/cs.

1. Download the Apache HTTP Server at http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi#apache22 according to your OS

2. Install the Apache HTTP Server 2.2.x

3. Start the Apache HTTP Server and access the Apache HTTP Server using http://localhost. If you see message that “It Works!”, its mean its installed successfully

4. Copy the mod_wl_22.so from $WL_HOME\wlserver_10.3\server\plugin\win\32\mod_wl_22.so to APACHE_HOME\modules

5. Open the httpd.conf file at APACHE_HOME\conf

6. By default, Apache HTTP Server listen on port 80, you can change the port using Listen property like Listen 7777. We will use default port.

7. Add the following line in

httpd.conf LoadModule weblogic_module modules/mod_wl_22.so

8. Add the following request to proxy

SetHandler weblogic-handler

WebLogicHost localhost

WebLogicPort 7001

</Location>

#Spaces

WeblogicHost localhost

WebLogicPort 8888

SetHandler weblogic-handler

</Location>

WeblogicHost localhost

WebLogicPort 8888

SetHandler weblogic-handler

</Location>

# Discussions

WebLogicHost localhost

WebLogicPort 8890

SetHandler weblogic-handler

</Location>

#UCM

WeblogicHost localhost

WebLogicPort 16200

SetHandler weblogic-handler

</Location>

WeblogicHost localhost

WebLogicPort 16200

SetHandler weblogic-handler

</Location>

9. Start the Apache HTTP server

10. Open the browser and test the following URLs:

http://localhost/console

http://localhost/webcenter

http://localhost/cs

You will see that its working now without any Admin Server port.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Start WebLogic’s Managed Server without Username and Password manually

After you installed Fusion Middleware products like WebCenter, UCM, SOA etc you have plenty of Managed Servers (MS) and you have to enter username and password when you start each Managed Server (WC_Spaces, UCM_server1, IBR_server1, WC_Portlet, WC_Utilities, BAM_server1 etc) from the command line. To make it automatic so that you don’t need to enter username and password. Follow the following steps:-

Apply to all the managed servers (Unsecured and simple way)

If you want that all my Managed Servers (MS) will not prompt for username and password then this approach is for you. In this approach, you just need to change one file and all the MSs will not prompt you for username and password without doing any change in individual MS. Follow the following instructions:-

1. Go to bin of weblogic domain. In my case, following is the domain path:- <Middleware-Home>\user_projects\domains\<doman>\bin i.e. C:\Oracle\Middleware\user_projects\domains\wc_domain\bin

2. Open the startManagedWebLogic.cmd in any text editor

3. Set the following two variables with your weblogic admin user and its password

Set WLS_USER=<Admin-User-Name>
Set WLS_PW=<Admin-User-Password>

4. Save the file and now start your MS from the command line.

startManagedWeblogic <MS-Name> <Admin-Server-IP:Port>

i.e. startManagedWeblogic WC_Spaces http://127.0.0.1:7001

If everything is ok then it should not prompt you for username and password.

Pls note that username and password will remain unencrypted.

Apply to individual MS changes (Secured and recommended way)

If you want to go with secured way and want to configure few servers that will run without asking for username and password then you need to go with this approach.

1. (First time only). If you not started your MS before, you need to start it once from the command line so that it create required directories inside <Middleware-Home>\user_projects\domains\<domain> \servers\<MS-Name> i.e. C:\Oracle\Middleware\user_projects\domains\wc_domain\servers\UCM_server1

2. Once started successfully, shutdown it.

3. Create a security folder in <MS-Name> folder

4. Copy the boot.properties file from <MiddlewareHome>\user_projects\domains\wc_domain\servers\AdminServer and past it into newly created security folder.

Pls note that you can also create a boot.properties, just open any text editor like notepad and enter the following content:-
username=weblogic
password=welcome1
Don’t worry about plain text username and password. Once you start your MS, username and password will be encrypted with AES and will remain encrypted.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

How to apply patchset 11gR1PS4 to Oracle WebCenter 11gR1PS3 for Windows?

Patching Scope

This guide will cover the patching information of following products:-

- Oracle Weblogic Server 11gR1PS3 (PS#12395560)

- Oracle WebCenter 11gR1PS3 (PS#12395099)

- Oracle Universal Content Management 11gR1PS3 (PS#12395130)

For patching other FMW products, see http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E21764_01/doc.1111/e16793/toc.htm

Patching Pre-requisits

1. Must have a Oracle Support account that have downloading permission

2. Your existing Oracle WebCenter is up and running properly.

3. Download the Oracle WebLogic Server 11gR1PS4

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E23104_01/download_readme_ps4/download_readme_ps4.htm#BABEABCF

4. Download the Oracle Fusion Middleware (WC & ECM) 11gR1PS4 from

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E23104_01/download_readme_ps4/download_readme_ps4.htm#BABFICJA

Patching Instructions

1. Stop all the servers.

2. Take the backup of Oracle Homes, oracle_common and domain directories

Following diagram will explain the high level steps for this patching process:-

2. Run the wls1035_upgrade_win32.exe file. Here you need to specify the Middleware home of your weblogic.

3. Run the Patch Set Assistant in order to patch the MDS Schemas using following command:-

ORACLE_HOME\bin\psa.bat -dbType Oracle -dbConnectString //localhost:1521/xe -dbaUserName sys -schemaUserName DEV_MDS

Note:- For WebCenter PS3, you only need to update MDS schema.

4. Merge downloaded directories (disk1 and disk2) of ECM patchset into one single directory and run the Oracle ECM installer (setup.exe) to patch your Oracle ECM software. Here you need to specify the updated middleware home directory.

5. Run the Oracle WebCenter installer (setup.exe) to patch your Oracle WebCenter software. Here you need to specify the updated middleware home directory.

6. Start all the servers.

Post Installation Task

There is no post intallation task from 11GR1PS3 to 11GR1PS4 for our

Monday, September 12, 2011

How to configure embedded (default) LDAP for WebCenter Collaboration Server (i.e. Discussion and Announcement Services)?

Applies to Oracle WebCenter 11G PS3 & PS4

Steps:

If you want to revert back from external or custom LDAP to embedded LDAP, you will not get clearly written steps in WebCenter Administration and Security Guides. Following are the simple steps in order to use embedded LDAP again:-

Step 1. Enable Embedded LDAP Access

When WebLogic Server is installed, the LDAP access credential is set as a randomized value and encrypted in the config.xml file To reset the access credential for the embedded LDAP:

1. Log in to the WebLogic Server Administration Console.

2. In the Domain Structure pane, click wc_domain.

3. In the Settings pane for wc_domain, click the Security tab, and then click the Embedded LDAP tab.

The Settings Pane for wc_domain displays the embedded LDAP settings

4. Enter a new password in the Credential field, and reenter it in the Confirm Credential field.

5. Click Save to save your settings.

6. Restart the WebLogic server.

After this, you are ready to access the embedded LDAP server with the following values:

· the DN value for admin access is "cn=Admin"

· the password is the value you entered in the Credential field

· the port is the same as the admin port, which by default is 7001

Step 2. Enabling Discussions Setup

1. Stop WC_Collaboration managed server (MS)

2. Change <setup>true</setup> entry to false on

<WebCenter-Domain-Home>\ config\fmwconfig\servers\WC_Collaboration\owc_discussions\jive_startup.xml.

...

<jive>

<setup>false</setup>

3. Start WC_Collaboration MS

Step 3. Running Discussions Setup Screen

1. Log in to the Discussions Server Administration Console at:

http://localhost:8890/owc_discussions/admin

2. On the Installation Checklist page, click Continue.
3. On the Database Settings page, choose JNDI Datasource, and click Continue.

4. Enter jdbc/OWC_DiscussionsDS in the JNDI Datasource Name field and click Continue.

5. For User, Group and Authentication Systems, select LDAP and click Contrinue.

6. Enter the following values for the embedded LDAP system and click Continue.

LDAP Host : localhost

LDAP Port: 7001

Base DN: ou=people,ou=myrealm,dc=wc_domain

Admin DN: cn=Admin

Admin Password: <Password of embedded LDAP>

7. For Admin Account Setup, enter the user name (i.e. weblogic)of the user for the Discussions (Jive) administrator.

You can now log in to Oracle Discussions with any user available in the embedded LDAP server.
You can log in to the Oracle Discussions Admin Console at: http://localhost:8890/owc_discussions/admin (use weblogic/<password>)

Friday, July 8, 2011

How to add a Worklist component to a page at runtime using WebCenter Space?

If you want to add Worklist service component to a page at runtime (i.e. from WebCenter Space), you have to perform following two tasks:-

1. Creation of BPEL Connection:
i. Login to your Enterprise Manager
ii. Click WebCenter -> Settings -> Service Configuration -> Worklist
iii. Add a new Connection, select Active Connection, enter your BPEL SOAP URL (like http://<SOA_SERVER_HOSTt>:<SOA_SERVER_PORT>/)
iv. Restart Webcenter managed server.

2. Adding a Worklist component to a page
Once connection has been established successfully, 2nd step is how to add Worklist components from the Resource Catalog to a page. For this follow the following steps:-
i. Login to WebCenter Spaces
ii. Navigate to the relevant page where you want to add Worklist service (OR) create a new page.
iii. Open a page in Edit mode. You can also open page in edit mode by pressing Ctrl+Shift+E
iv. Click the Add Content button on the target region to open the Resource Catalog
v. Navigate to the Alerts and Updates --> Worklist component and click Add link next to it.
vi. Click Save and then Close to exit page edit mode.

NOTE: Pls note that Worklist tasks will be displayed inside authenticated pages only. 2ndly, WebCenter Space and BPEL should configured with same LDAP server (Recommended way). You can add worklist task flows in personal pages only.

For Administration of Worklist Connection, pls see http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E15523_01/webcenter.1111/e12405/wcadm_worklist.htm#CHDFCDGA

How to add Component on a page, pls see http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17904_01/webcenter.1111/e10149/pages_build.htm#CHDHJEEB

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Step by Step learning of Oracle ADF 11G using 10 Video Training Sessions

Saturday, May 21, 2011

How Configure WebCenter Space Development ZIP file?

All the WebCenter Space resources like skin, page templates, page style, navigation, mashup styles etc are deployed as a WebCenter Space shared library.When you are going to configure WebCenter Space Development ZIP on windows environment, you will face few issues. In this post i will explain those missing steps as well.

Pre-requsits:

a. WebCenter Spaces is installed, configured, and working as expected.

b. JDeveloper 11G is installed

a. WebCenter Framework and Services Design Time Extensions are installed

Steps:-

1. Download the WebCenter Spaces development ZIP file (DesignWebCenterSpaces.zip) from Oracle Technology Network:

http://download.oracle.com/otndocs/tech/webcenter/files/DesignWebCenterSpaces.zip

2. Unzip the content.

3. Copy the content of copy_to_common directory into jdeveloper/Oracle_Home directory

4. Copy the content of copy_to_jdev_ext directory into jdeveloper\jdev\extensions directory

5. Restart JDeveloper.

6. Open the project DesignWebCenterSpaces.jws in jdeveloper

7. Change the config.properties according to your WebCenter Space environment. If working for Windows, use \\ . For example jdeveloper.install.home.directory=D:\\Oracle\\Middleware

8. Change the WebCenterSpacesExtensionLibrary \built.properties file according to your WebCenter Space environment. This step is missing in WebCenter’s Developer Guide (E10148-12) and you will face class patch and XML parsing issues.

9. Add ant-contrib.jar into jdeveloper\modules\net.sf.antcontrib_1.0.0.0_1-0b2\lib directory. You can download it from http://ant-contrib.sourceforge.net/. This step is also missing in WebCenter Developer Guide (E10148-12).

10. Right-click build.xml, located under WebCenterSpacesExtensionLibrary and choose Run Ant Target > clean-stage

11. Now, your project is configured and ready to deploy on WebCenter Spaces environment via shared library, choose Run Ant Target > deploy-shared-lib.

Monday, April 18, 2011

How to Install and Configure Oracle ECM 11G R1?

This post covers the quick installation overview of the Oracle Universal Content Management (Oracle UCM) and Oracle Inbound Refinery (Oracle IBR) product of Oracle Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Suite 11G R1(11.1.1.4.0). This guide does not contain steps of other ECM products like Oracle IRM, Oracle I/PM and Oracle URM.

Oracle UCM is a content server that store and manage several different types of contents (Web pages, PDF, Images, Videos etc).

Oracle IBR is a conversion server that manages file conversions for electronic assets such as documents, digital images, and motion videos. It also provides thumbnail functionality for documents and images and storyboarding for videos. You can use Oracle IBR to convert content items stored in Oracle Content Server.

Pre-requisites

Oracle Database 10g (10.2.0.4 or later) OR 11G (11.1.0.7.0 or later) (Required before RCU Schema Creation)
Oracle Weblogic 11G R1 (Required before ECM Installation)

Installation Roadmap

Oracle UCM and IBR runs on Oracle Weblogic Server 11G. It is advisable that Oracle UCM and IBR must be installed in the same domain (i.e. WebCenter domain) so that domain related configurations can be utilized.

Installation of UCM and IBR consists of following steps:-

1.     Creation of UCM Schema

2.     Installation of Oracle ECM

3.     Creation of UCM and IBR Domain

4.     Configuration of UCM

5.     Configuration of IBR

Creation of UCM Schema

Run RCU to create the necessary install specific tables / schemas . This will create the schema with which UCM will be connected to DB. Follow the following steps as mentioned in the form of screens.

In above screen, you can select existing prefix, if you have created schema for WebCenter or SOA or enter a new prefix.

Enter a password for UCM_OCS Schema.

Installation of Oracle ECM

Install ECM 11G release 1 binaries in the respective Weblogic Middleware Home Directory. This will copy all the binaries to the location specified from where the installer picks up to deploy. Follow the following steps:-

Enter the patch of Weblogic Middleware home directory path you Weblogic created at the time of installation.

During installation, it require path of disk2. Give path disk2/stage folder.

Creation of UCM & IBR Domain

This step will create a new domain where UCM and IBR applications and required files/libraries will be deployed. Follow the following steps:-

Click the schema and enter Service, Host name, port, Schema owner (UCM_OCS) and schema password. Enter schema password that you entered at the time of UCM schema step of RCU.

Make sure you see message “Test Successful”.

Configuration wizard will create following items:-

New domain (ucm_domain)
AdminServer running on port 7001
UCM_Server running on port 16200
IBR_Server running on port 16250

Configuration of Oracle UCM

Start Admin server to have the new deployments initialized.
Start the UCM Managed Server (UCM_Server) using command prompt. Might be you will face JRF and other libraries and classes loading issues. Its better to use command prompt first time using DOMAIN_HOME\bin\startManagedServer.cmd UCM_server.
To test a newly set up Oracle UCM instance, by accessing Oracle Content Server:

http://HostName:16200/cs

Perform the following steps for onetime Configuration of Content Server.

Change the Server Instance Name(OracleUCMServer) & Server Instance Label (Oracle UCM Server).

Once you completed post-install configuration, a new Menu with name “Oracle Content Server” will be created as shown in following screen:-

Restart the UCM_Server managed Server. Now, you have successfully installed and configured UCM.

Configuration of Oracle IBR

Start the IBR Managed Server (i.e. IBR_server) using command prompt. Might be you will face JRF and other libraries and classes loading issues. Its better to use command prompt first time using DOMAIN_HOME\bin\startManagedServer.cmd IBR_server.
To test a newly set up Oracle IBR instance:-

http://HostName:16250/ibr

Login with admin user and password that you given at the time of Domain creation

Perform the following steps for onetime Configuration of IBR Server.

Change the Server Instance Name(IBRServer16250) & Server Instance Label (Oracle IBR Server).

Once you completed post-install configuration, a new Menu with name “Oracle Inbound Refinery” will be created as shown in following screen:-

Restart the IBR_server manage server instance. Restart the UCM_server manage server instance.

Now, IBR can convert files to TIFF web-viewable files and JPEG image thumbnails. Other supported conversion types like PDF conversions, HTM conversion, Image/video asset conversions etc are installed but they are disabled, you can enable these types as well. For detail, how to enable other types, see http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17904_01/doc.1111/e14495/configibr.htm#CIAFADFJ

To send jobs for conversion to Oracle IBR from Content Server, perform following steps:-

Creation of Outgoing Provider: Follow steps as mentioned in http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17904_01/doc.1111/e14495/configibr.htm#CIAGFDHJ
Enabling IBR components on Oracle Content Server instance that use IBR for document conversion. (By default it is enabled) . Enable it using following steps mentioned in installation guide:- http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17904_01/doc.1111/e14495/configibr.htm#CIAFGGFG
Selecting File Formats to be converted by IBR: Use steps mentioned in http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E17904_01/doc.1111/e14495/configibr.htm#CIAEFBAE

In next post, I will explain how to integrate and configure UCM and IBR for Oracle WebCenter 11G.