Problem with sp11, wl 5.1, apache and server root requests

Question

We have the following server configuration:
Solaris 2.6
Java 1.3.1_02
Weblogic 5.1
Apache 1.3.20
We recently moved from sp9 to sp11, and noticed a change in the behavior of the Apache-WL
bridge (mod_wl_ssl.so).
We have apache running in front of our WL instance. We're planning to offload static
content to apache, but for now, we pass all requests through to weblogic. This means
we don't have any files in Apache's server root. They all are in the (separate) weblogic
root. This has worked fine until sp11. Now, when you make a request to the server
root, ie, http://server.com/ or http://server.com, weblogic's 404 page is returned.
After turning on the debug logs of an sp9 and an sp11 bridge, I think this is what's
happening:
The way we have the bridge pass everything on is with a " MatchExpression * " directive
in the <IfModule mod_weblogic.c> section of our httpd.conf. We've also tested alternatives
using Directory, Location and LocationMatch directives like this:
<LocationMatch "^/">
     SetHandler weblogic-handler
</LocationMatch>
and the behavior I'm writing about still remains.
In sp11, when making the root level request, the only request that apache passes
on to wl is a request for the error page set in the default apache config. (I'm looking
at the mod_wl debug logs).
In sp9, you see a request for "/", and wl returns a 302 redirection. The next request
is to "/index.jsp", which returns correctly (a 200 response).
What I think is happening is that mod_wl stopped intercepting the "/" URL request
in sp11. It would then default to apache's mod_dir to lookup an index file for /,
try to find that file in the apache root(internally to mod_dir), not find anything,
since we don't have an index file in the apache server root, then generate a request
for the apache error page, which is then intercepted and passed on to wl. Since wl
doesn't have this file, a 404 is returned. (whew).
Now, if I go to the apache server root, and create an empty index file (>touch index.jsp),
I see one request for "/index.jsp" passed to WL which then returns correctly. Still
no intial request for "/", which leads me to believe mod_dir is still handling the
"/" URL request rather than mod_wl.
Why did this behavior change between service packs, and can it switch back to the
original behavior? I don't like having empty files lying around. Also, I didn't see
this change in behavior documented in any of the release notes.
--peter

Answer 1

I had a similar problem on Redhat Linux 7.1, Java 1.3.1, Apache 1.3.20
doing PathPrepends for a Location directive.
I recently saw they have release SP12 for WL5.1 which addresses
PathPrepend issues. This could be a similar issue
http://www.weblogic.com/docs51/classdocs/SERVICEPACK_README.html
"peter morelli" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
We have the following server configuration:
Solaris 2.6
Java 1.3.1_02
Weblogic 5.1
Apache 1.3.20
We recently moved from sp9 to sp11, and noticed a change in the behavior of the Apache-WL
bridge (mod_wl_ssl.so).
We have apache running in front of our WL instance. We're planning to offload static
content to apache, but for now, we pass all requests through to weblogic. This means
we don't have any files in Apache's server root. They all are in the (separate) weblogic
root. This has worked fine until sp11. Now, when you make a request to the server
root, ie, http://server.com/ or http://server.com, weblogic's 404 page is returned.
After turning on the debug logs of an sp9 and an sp11 bridge, I think this is what's
happening:
The way we have the bridge pass everything on is with a " MatchExpression * " directive
in the <IfModule mod_weblogic.c> section of our httpd.conf. We've also tested alternatives
using Directory, Location and LocationMatch directives like this:
<LocationMatch "^/">
     SetHandler weblogic-handler
</LocationMatch>
and the behavior I'm writing about still remains.
In sp11, when making the root level request, the only request that apache passes
on to wl is a request for the error page set in the default apache config. (I'm looking
at the mod_wl debug logs).
In sp9, you see a request for "/", and wl returns a 302 redirection. The next request
is to "/index.jsp", which returns correctly (a 200 response).
What I think is happening is that mod_wl stopped intercepting the "/" URL request
in sp11. It would then default to apache's mod_dir to lookup an index file for /,
try to find that file in the apache root(internally to mod_dir), not find anything,
since we don't have an index file in the apache server root, then generate a request
for the apache error page, which is then intercepted and passed on to wl. Since wl
doesn't have this file, a 404 is returned. (whew).
Now, if I go to the apache server root, and create an empty index file (>touch index.jsp),
I see one request for "/index.jsp" passed to WL which then returns correctly. Still
no intial request for "/", which leads me to believe mod_dir is still handling the
"/" URL request rather than mod_wl.
Why did this behavior change between service packs, and can it switch back to the
original behavior? I don't like having empty files lying around. Also, I didn't see
this change in behavior documented in any of the release notes.
--peter