Question about the Apache plug-in and WL server

Question

We have a bunch of Weblogic app-servers, and I want to set up Apache servers to
front-end them. Here is what I'd like to do:
(1) Load balancer forwards requests to one of Apache servers
(2) Apache serves the static content (html,gif,css etc.)
(3) Apache servers forward the request to one of the alive Weblogic servers, with
requests for the same Weblogic session should preferably stay with the same Weblogic
server.
The catch is that we are not using Weblogic clustering - we have our own application-specific
light-weight clustering (virtually no replication of dynamic state). All I want
is that the Apache plug-ins keep forwarding the packets to the same Weblogic server
for a session (unless the server dies), and that thsi property hold even if multiple
client requests (for the same session) are rotated across multiple Apache servers.
The first is really important, the second just nice-to-have (I can setup load-balancer
with sticky sessions if needed).
The Apache plug-in documentation seems to suggest that we must use Weblogic clustering
for us to be able to specify multiple Weblogic servers in the plug-in config file,
but is that really required?
Second, does the session cookie uniquely identify the Weblogic server or does
the Apache plug-in keep the mapping between the cookie and the server? Also, does
this answer depend on whether we use Weblogic clustering or not?
The answer depends on the protocol between the Apache plug-in and the Weblogic
server. Is it documented? Available under NDA?
Your help will be really appreciated!!
thanks
-amit

Answer 1

is that the Apache plug-ins keep forwarding the packets to the same Weblogic
server
for a session (unless the server dies), If the session id is found in the cookie, request or postdata (in that order),
the plugin will preserve the sticky session.
and that thsi property hold even
if multiple
client requests (for the same session) are rotated across multiple Apache
servers.The rules apply to all apache instances as the single instance.
BTW, the preferred server from the session has to be in the serverList(you defined
in the httpd.conf). You are not using clusters in the backend hence the server
list will not be updated
dynamically. The plugin will not know the changes in the backend without modifying
the httpd.conf and restarted.
The first is really important, the second just nice-to-have (I can setup
load-balancer
with sticky sessions if needed).
The Apache plug-in documentation seems to suggest that we must use Weblogic
clustering
for us to be able to specify multiple Weblogic servers in the plug-in
config file,
but is that really required?
It's a recommended configuration, but not mandatory.
Second, does the session cookie uniquely identify the Weblogic server
or does
the Apache plug-in keep the mapping between the cookie and the server?The server info is in the cookie for the same client although
the plugin also maintains a list of servers.
Also, does
this answer depend on whether we use Weblogic clustering or not?
No.
The answer depends on the protocol between the Apache plug-in and the
Weblogic
server. Is it documented? Available under NDA?
Your help will be really appreciated!!
We only support http and https(60sp1 or later).