Weblogic Application Deployment

Deployment Process

The term application deployment refers to the process of making an application or module available for processing client requests in a WebLogic Server domain. Application deployment generally involves the following tasks:

� "Preparing Applications and Modules for Deployment"

� "Configuring Applications for Production Deployment"

� "Exporting an Application for Deployment to New Environments"

� "Deploying Applications and Modules with weblogic.Deployer"

� "Redeploying Applications in a Production Environment"

� "Managing Deployed Applications"

Supported Deployment Units

● Enterprise Applications

● Web Applications

● Enterprise JavaBean

● Resource Adapter

● J2EE Library

● JDBC,JMS,WLDF Modules

● Client Application Archive

Deloyment Tools

● Administrative Console

● Weblogic.Deployer

● WLST

● Deployment Tool for Developers

Preparing Applications and Modules for Deployment

� "Packaging Files for Deployment"

� "Understanding Default Deployment Names"

� "Understanding Application Naming Requirements"

� "Understanding Deployment Version Strings"

� "Creating an Application Installation Directory"

� "Using FastSwap Deployment to Minimize Redeployment"

� "Best Practices for Preparing Deployment Files"

Packaging Files for Deployment

� "Using Archived Files"

� "Using Exploded Archive Directories"

� "Creating an Exploded Archive Directory from an Archive File"

Understanding Default Deployment Names

● Default Deplyment Name

● Identification

Understanding Application Naming Requirements

� Application names must only contain the following characters:

– a-z

– A-Z

– 0-9

– _ (underscore)

– - (hyphen)

– . (period)

No additional characters are allowed in application names.

� Application names that contain the "." character must contain at least one additional different character; "." and ".." are not valid application names.

� Application names must be less than 215 characters in length.

Understanding Deployment Version Strings

In addition to a deployment name, an application or module can also have an associated version string. The version string distinguishes the initial deployment of the application from subsequent redeployed versions. For example, you may want to later update the application to fix problems or add new features. In production systems, it is critical to maintain a version string for both the initial and subsequent deployments of an application. Doing so allows you to update and redeploy an application version without interrupting service to existing clients.

The version string is specified in the manifest file for the application, and should be provided by your development team along with the other deployment files. "Assigning

Application Versions" in Developing Applications for Oracle WebLogic Serverdescribes the conventions for specifying the version string.

Creating an Application Installation Directory

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Using FastSwap Deployment to Minimize Redeployment

● With FastSwap, Java classes are redefined in-place without reloading the classloader, thereby having the decided advantage of fast turnaround times. This means that you do not have to wait for an application to redeploy and then navigate back to wherever you were in the Web page flow. Instead, you can make your changes, auto compile, and then see the effects immediately.

● FastSwap is only supported when WebLogic Server is running in development mode. It is automatically disabled in production mode.

● Only changes to class files in exploded directories are supported. Modifications to class files in archived applications, as well as archived JAR files appearing in the application's classpath are not supported.

● weblogic-application.xml

<fast-swap><enabled>true</enabled></fast-swap>

Best Practices for Preparing Deployment Files

● Regardless of whether you deploy an archive file or exploded archive directory, store the deployment files in an installation directory for the application

● Manage the entire application installation directory in a source control system, so you can easily revert to previous application versions if necessary.

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