FAQ contents

Installation and Configuration

Managing the Application Server Instance

Monitoring the Application Server

Application Server Configuration Management

Backup and Recovery

Installation and Configuration

What are the minimum system requirements?

Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One is restricted to a 2CPU Windows or Linux platform.The minimum requirement for Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One is:

• 300 MHz or higher Intel Pentium processor recommended
• 2 GB of primary memory (the application server will run on 1 GB memory for test purposes)
• 3.4 GB of secondary memory
• TEMP directory: 55 MB to run the installer, 256 MB for the installation
• Hostname - Ensure that your hostnames are not longer than 255 characters
• You can install Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One on a computer that uses static IP or DHCP-based IP
• Monitor: 256 colors

On what platforms is Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One certified?

Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One is certified on the following operating systems:

Although the installer allows you to install Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One on Windows XP, it is not supported. The installer displays a warning, but allows you to continue with the installation.

For the most current list of supported platforms, check the OracleMetaLink site (http://metalink.oracle.com).

Which browsers are certified with Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One?

Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One is certified with the following browsers:

• Internet Explorer 6.0
• Netscape 7.2
• Mozilla 1.7.5
• Firefox 1.0.4

For the most current list of supported browsers, check the OracleMetaLink site (http://metalink.oracle.com).

Can I deploy Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One on a clustered environment?

No. Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One is licensed to be deployed only on a single box with one or two CPUs.

Can I deploy Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One on the same box as my Oracle Application Server 10g Standard/Enterprise Edition?

For performance reasons, we generally recommend installing Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One on a machine that has no other Oracle Application Server instances installed. Note that Oracle Instant Portal will be included with Oracle Application Server 10g Standard and Enterprise Edition, and thus will install with those releases.

Can I install Oracle Application Server 10g Standard Edition One on a non-networked computer?

Yes you can, for example on a laptop. However, if you plan to connect the computer to a network after installation you will need to install a loopback adapter on your computer.

Can I install Oracle Application Server10g Standard Edition One on a DHCP Computer?

Yes, but before installing you will need to install a loopback adapter on the DHCP computer. To obtain the loopback adapter go to www.Microsoft.com

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Managing the Application Server Instance

What are the features of Application Server Control?

• Administer OracleAS Web Cache with the Application Server Control console
  • Configure multiple sites and origin servers
  • Enable/disable caching rules
  • Configure cache clusters
  • Configure stateful load balancing
  • Manage port values
  • Manage event and/or access logs
• View topology of application server environment
  • Visualize the application server environment graphically
  • Perform common administration tasks from topology viewer, such as
    • View status of the OracleAS Farm, OracleAS Cluster, and member components
    • Control application server processes
    • Monitor real-time performance
    • Search topology for components
• Enhancements to command line support for application server cloning
  • Clone additional middle tier install types such as J2EE & Web Cache associated with database-based OracleAS Farm Repository, Portal & Wireless, Business Intelligence, and All Services
  • Specify new instance name and ias_admin password for cloned instance prior to cloning
• Perform backup and recovery operations
  • Configure backup and recovery settings such as the location on disk for backed up files
  • Perform online or cold, full or incremental backups of middle tier instances and infrastructure components
  • Support for point in time recovery
• Examine all performance metrics being monitored across the platform
  • Monitor changes in performance metric data over time
  • Obtain detailed information on metrics being monitored, such as how the metric is defined and how to avoid potential performance problems
• Other Enhancements
  • Configure and/or change the Metadata Repository used by Identity Management via intuitive wizard
  • Configure the File-based OracleAS Farm Repository used by middle tiers via intuitive wizard
  • Query from database-based diagnostic log repository
  • Automate configuration steps (i.e. OracleAS Web Cache configuration, restarting components, and OracleAS Single Sign-On configuration) associated with modifying Oracle HTTP Server listen port via command line utility
  • Change values for Application Server Control ports

How are various ports assigned for the components?

Most port numbers are assigned during installation. Every component and service has an allotted port range, which is the set of port numbers the Oracle Application Server installer attempts to use when assigning a port. The installer starts with the lowest number in the range (default port) and checks to make sure the port is not already in use, if it is it moves to the next highest port in the allotted port range until it finds a free port.

How do I resolve the port conflicts?

Port conflicts can appear if the application that uses one of the default ports (e.g. port 80) is down during the installation. This can be resolved by changing the port for the particular component in the Application Server Control console.

Where do I find the log files for the Application Server?

Log files contain messages that record all types of events, including messages, access information on HTTP requests etc. You can find the main log files from the Application Server Control. In the Application Server Control console click on Logs at the top of the screen.

For a full list of log files see the Oracle Application Server Administrator's Guide.

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Monitoring the Oracle Application Server

What is the overhead of application server monitoring?

Unlike other monitoring systems that require initiating another process to generate performance data, Enterprise Manager obtains most of its monitoring data from existing DMS metrics generated by the application server.  Therefore, there is no additional load placed on the application server for most of the monitoring performed by Application Server Control.

Does Application Server Control collect historical performance data?

The Application Server Control does not provide historical data collection; all of its monitoring is real time. However, Grid Control does collect and store historical data in the Management Repository. Historical performance charts are provided throughout the Grid Control interface.

However, administrators can drilldown into any performance metric being monitored by Application Server Control and view a details page concerning that metric. From this metric details page, administrators will be able to have the page automatically refresh in order to see real-time changes in the metric data over a brief period of time. In addition, from this page, administrators can access detailed online help concerning the metric's definition and how to avoid potential performance problems with the metric.

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Application Server Configuration Management

How does Application Server Control perform application server configuration operations?

Application Server Control provides a central point for performing application server configuration changes and management operations. To perform these tasks, the management system is integrated with two Oracle Application Server internal services:

• Distributed Configuration Management (DCM) : DCM maintains the state of the application server configuration by updating configuration files and tracking its own bill-of-material listing of configuration files and settings, and and is also responsible for propagating configuration changes across Oracle Application Server Clusters.
• Oracle Process Manager and Notification (OPMN) : OPMN is responsible for monitoring application server processes and starting or stopping application server services. OPMN also distributes the status information to components that are interested in it.

These two internal services provide Application Server Control with the mechanisms required for synchronizing configuration changes and performing management operations such as starting and stopping services and deploying applications.

How do I know that the application server configuration and performance data that I am viewing in Application Server Control is current?

When a given page is visited for the first time the configuration and metric data is retrieved from the application server configuration and is cached by Application Server Control. As subsequent pages are visited, existing cached configuration data is used whenever possible and new configuration data is retrieved as required. Status and performance metrics are always updated when the user navigates between pages. In order to ensure that all of the information on a given page is current, use the "refresh" button on the page. This is highly recommended before performing any configuration changes.

Can I configure J2EE services and deploy applications?

Yes, many common J2EE services can be configured through Application Server Control for an OC4J container. JDBC datasources can be configured for application database access. Application security resources can be configured, including JAAS provider services and custom user managers. Application Server Control automates the process of deploying J2EE applications (EAR and WAR) to the OC4J container using a wizard interface. The wizard walks the administrator through several potential tasks involved with deploying applications, including: mapping URL paths for a Web application, mapping application datasources and selecting a user manager for application security.

Is there a way of performing application server administration operations by command-line and through scripts?

Yes. Application Server Control uses the application server's Distributed Configuration Management (DCM) services to perform configuration changes. DCM provides a command-line utility that can be used to perform operations such as starting and stopping services. See the Oracle Application Server documentation for more information on the DCM command-line utility.

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Backup and Recovery

What is the difference between a cold backup and an online backup?

A cold backup shuts down the application server before you perform the backup. As a result the server is down and unavailable while the backup is being performed.

An online backup is performed while the application server remains online and functioning. Users and clients can continue to access the application server during the backup.

What is the difference between a full backup and an incremental backup?

A full backup includes all the configuration files in an application server Oracle home, and—if the instance is a colocated OracleAS Infrastructure—all the datafiles, control files, and archived redo logs associated with the Metadata Repository database.

An incremental backup backs up all files that have changed since the last full or incremental configuration file backup.

What do I need to do to enalbe online backups ?

Before performing an online backup you must enable ARCHIVELOG mode. This enables the archiving of online redo logs. Refer to the Oracle Application Server Administrator's Guide for information about enabling ARCHIVELOG mode.

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