Connectors

[Attributes and Console Screen Reference for Connectors]

 

Overview

BEA WebLogic Server continues to build upon the implementation of the Sun Microsystems J2EE Platform Specification, Version 1.3. The J2EE Connector Architecture adds simplified Enterprise Information System (EIS) integration to the J2EE platform. The goal is to leverage the strengths of the J2EE platform - including component models, and transaction and security infrastructures - to address the challenges of EIS integration.

The J2EE Connector Architecture provides a Java solution to the problem of connectivity between the multitude of application servers and EISes. Using the J2EE Connector Architecture, EIS vendors no longer must customize their product for each application server nor does an application server (such as BEA WebLogic Server) that conforms to the J2EE Connector Architecture require custom code in order to support connectivity to a new EIS.

The J2EE Connector Architecture enables an EIS vendor to provide a standard resource adapter (also referred to as a connector) for its EIS; the resource adapter plugs into an application server such as WebLogic Server and provides the underlying infrastructure for the integration between an EIS and the application server.

An application server vendor (BEA WebLogic Server) extends its system only once to support the J2EE Connector Architecture and is then assured of connectivity to multiple EISes. Likewise, an EIS vendor provides one standard resource adapter that can plug in to any application server that supports the J2EE Connector Architecture.

 

Tasks

For more information on application deployment, refer to Deploying Applications and Modules.

 

Deploying New Connector (Resource Adapter) Modules

To deploy a new Connector (Resource Adapter) module using the WebLogic Server Administration Console:

  1. Start the WebLogic Server Administration Console, and select the Domain in which you will be working.
  2. In the left pane of the Console, open the Deployments folder.
  3. In the left pane of the Console, right-click Connector Modules, and select Deploy a New ConnectorComponent. This initiates the Connector Module Deployment Assistant in the right panel.
  4. Use links in the Location field to select the .rar file or exploded .rar directory you you want to deploy. If the files do not reside on the Administration Server, use the upload link to upload them to the Administration Server machine.
  5. When you have selected the archive file or directory to deploy, click Target Module.
  6. If your domain contains multiple WebLogic Server instances, the Deployment Assistant displays a list of server to which you can deploy the Enterprise Application.

    Select the individual servers to which you will deploy the new application. If you want to deploy to all server instances in a cluster, select the name of the cluster and ensure that the All servers in the cluster option is chosen. Click Continue when you have selected all servers and clusters.

  7. Review the selected deployment targets for the Connector Module. If you need to change a target server, use your browser's Back button.
  8. Choose one of the available options from the Source accessibility header:

    • Copy this application onto every target for me - This option is selected by default if you targeted the module to a cluster or to multiple server instances. This corresponds to "Stage" mode where the Administration Server copies the module files to each targeted server; and the target servers then deploy the module using their copy of the files.
    • I will make the application accessible from the following location - This option is selected by default if you targeted the module to a single server instance. This corresponds to the "Nostage" mode where the server deploys a module from a single directory; all targeted servers must be able to access the directory to deploy the module.
  9. Enter a unique name for the Connector module in the Name field.
  10. Click Deploy. The Console displays the Deploy panel, which lists deployment status and deployment activities for the Enterprise Application.
  11. Click Deploy. The Console will display the Deploy panel, which lists deployment status and deployment activities for the Connector module.
  12. Using the available tabs, enter the following information as necessary:

    • Configuration - Define the general configuration of this Connector module.
    • Targets - Select the independent servers, clusters, or virtual hosts on which you would like to deploy the Connector module at server startup time.
    • Deploy - View the deployment status of this Connector module, and stop, deploy, or redeploy the Connector module.
    • Monitoring - Use this page to monitor the Connector that are currently active.
    • Testing - Test your deployment to see if it was successful.
    • Notes - Include any additional information that describes the configuration of this Connector module.

 

Viewing Deployed Connectors

To view a deployed Connector in the Administration Console:

  1. In the left pane of the Console, expand Deployments and click on the Connector Modules folder name.
  2. View a list of deployed Connectors in the table displayed in the right side of the Console.

 

Stopping a Deployed Connectors

To stop a deployed Connector module from the WebLogic Server Administration Console:

  1. In the left pane of the Console, expand Deployments and click on the Connector Modules folder name.
  2. Click the Connectors option.
  3. In the displayed table, click the name of the Connector you want to stop.
  4. Select the Deploy tab.
  5. Click Stop or Stop All.

 

Adding or Editing Connector Deployment Notes

To add or edit Connector deployment notes:

  1. In the left pane of the Console, expand the Deployments folder and click on the Connector Modules folder name.
  2. In the table showing deployed Connectors, click on the .rar file for which you will add notes.
  3. Select the Notes tab.
  4. Add or edit the optional information in the Notes scroll box.
  5. Click Apply.

 

Deleting a Connector

To delete a Connector from the domain:

  1. In the left pane of the Console, expand Deployments and click the Connector Modules folder name.
  2. A table is displayed in the right pane of the Console showing all the deployed Connectors. Select the Configuration tab if it is not displayed.
  3. Click the Garbage Can icon to the right of the file you want to delete.
  4. Click Yes to confirm your decision.
  5. Click Continue to return to the previous screen.

 

Monitoring Connectors

To monitor active Connectors in the Console:

  1. In the left pane of the Console, expand the Deployments folder and right-click on Connector Modules.
  2. Select Monitor All Connector Modules to display the Monitoring tab.
  3. In the right pane, select the Monitoring tab.
  4. View statistics about all of the Connector modules that are deployed on specific server targets. You can customize the presented information by clicking the Customize this view... link.

 

Viewing and Editing Run-Time Deployment Descriptors

This release of WebLogic Server deprecates the Administration Console Deployment Descriptor Editor and replaces it with a Descriptor tab. Using the Descriptor tab, you can view, modify, and persist certain deployment descriptor elements to the descriptor file within the resource adapter in the same manner that they were persisted using the Deployment Descriptor Editor.

These descriptor elements are initiated dynamically at runtime without requiring the resource adapter to be redeployed. The descriptor elements contained in the Descriptor tab are limited to only those descriptor elements that may be dynamically changed at runtime. These include the following weblogic-ra.xml elements:

  • initial-capacity
  • max-capacity
  • capacity-increment
  • shrinking-enabled
  • shrink-frequency-seconds
  • highest-num-unavailable
  • highest-num-waiters
  • check-on-create-enabled
  • check-on-reserve-enabled
  • check-on-release-enabled
  • inactive-connection-timeout-seconds
  • connection-reserve-timeout-seconds
  • test-frequency-seconds
  • connection-creation-retry-frequency-seconds

The Administration Console allows you to modify these deployment descriptor elements for Connectors that are deployed as exploded archive files (you cannot edit these for applications packaged as .RAR archives). If you alter the value of any of these elements and select Apply, then the Connector deployment descriptor file is updated and deployed to all of the appropriate server machines.

To view and edit descriptor information in the Administration Console:

  1. In the left pane of the Console, expand Deployments and click Connector Modules.
  2. Click the name of the Connector Module whose descriptor information you want to modify.
  3. In the right pane, select Configuration followed by Descriptor.
  4. Define the configuration of the application deployment descriptor file that is associated with this Connector module by clicking on the link to the file and changing the provided attribute values as needed.
  5. Click Apply to save your changes.

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