10.

3 Web Cache and Forms Integration

Oracle Web Cache can be used as a load balancer with Oracle Forms
applications.

The following setup instructions assume the following:

1. Oracle Application Server Web Cache instance running on Host A

2. Oracle HTTP Server instance and OC4J instance on Host B running
Oracle Forms application D
3. Oracle HTTP Server instance and OC4J instance on Host C running
Oracle Forms application D

Note that there could be more Oracle HTTP Server/OC4J instances, but only
two instance pairs will be described here for purposes of simplification. The
Oracle HTTP Server/OC4J instances are not clustered because Oracle Forms
applications cannot take advantage of Oracle Application Server clustering.

Also note that a Web Cache 9.0.2.x cluster cannot be used. An Oracle
Application Server Web Cache cluster can be used to load balance Oracle
Forms starting with Oracle Application Server.

Since Forms applications are stateful, Web Cache must be configured for
stateful load balancing using its session binding feature.

Configure Web Cache on Host A with the appropriate Site information for the
Forms application, as well as Origin Server and Site-to-Server Mapping
information for the Oracle HTTP Server instances running on Hosts B and C.
When configuring Origin Server information for Hosts B and C, be sure to
configure a ping URL that will detect whether Forms application D is running,
for example, /forms/frmservlet?ifcmd=status.

To Configure Session Binding in Web Cache:

1. Add the following code to the orion-web.xml file located in

$ORACLE_HOME\j2ee\OC4J_BI_Forms\application-
deployments\formsapp\formsweb\orion-web.xml:
2. <session-tracking
3. cookies="enabled">
4. </session-tracking>
5.
6. Issue this command:

dcmctl updateconfig -ct oc4j

7. Restart OC4J_BI_Forms with:

opmnctl restartproc gid="OC4J_BI_Forms"

8. Log on to the Web Cache Manager.

9. In the navigator pane, select Origin Servers, Sites, and Load
Balancing |Session Binding.
10. In the Session Binding screen, select Default Session Binding, then
select Edit Selected.
11. The Edit Session Binding dialog box appears.
12. From the Please select a session: pull-down list, select Monitoring |
Health Monitor.
13. Configure an Inactivity Timeout that is appropriate for Oracle Forms
application D.
14. Click Submit.
15. Apply changes and restart Oracle Application Server Web Cache.

To test the setup:

1. Using a browser, point it to the Web Cache host and access Oracle
Forms application D. Ensure that the application works as expected.
Keep the browser window open.
2. Identify the Oracle HTTP Server/OC4J that handled the requests. For
example, assume this is Host B and shut down the Oracle HTTP
Server/OC4J on that host. Now only the Oracle HTTP Server/OC4J
running on Host C will be accessible.
3. Using the same browser that is running the Oracle Forms client,
access Oracle Forms application D again. The request will fail, and the
Forms client will lose its session. Remember that Oracle Forms
session state is not replicated among OC4J instances.
4. Next, use the browser to start a new Forms session. Web Cache will
direct the requests to the remaining Oracle HTTP Server/OC4J running
on Host C. Ensure that the application works as expected.
5. Restart the Oracle HTTP Server/OC4J on Host B. Using a browser, log
on to the Web Cache Manager. In the navigator pane, select
Administration | Monitoring | Health Monitor.
6. On the Health Monitor screen, make sure that Host B is marked UP.

For additional information about Web Cache, see Oracle Application Server
Web Cache Administration and Deployment Guide.