Weblogic - Fusion Middleware Cluster - Clarification - 11g

Question

Hello All,
I've checked the forum and would need just a little clarification regarding weblogic cluster & fusion Middleware + Load Balancing.
My current Setup is:
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1 APP Server: Runs Fusion Middleware 11g Forms and Reports + Weblogic + OHS (windows 2008R2)
1 DB Server: Standalone database 11gR2 installation (windows 2008R2)
I've been asked to add a new app server and setup load balancing between the two app servers in order to split the incoming forms & reports requests.
What do I do? Do I install the new app server like the first one and just add it to an existing domain(clustering)? Is there a difference between fusion middleware clustering and weblogic clustering (as in database RAC - the whole idea being failover 24/7 no single point of failure?)
I would appreciate any assistance, and need not great detail, just need to make sense of the whole thing.
I'm already on with the following document: [http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E21764_01/web.1111/e13709/toc.htm]
Thanks in advance
Jan S.

Answer 1

Hi Jan
You are almost there. I would like to clarify some points for you.
1. You already have WLS + Forms/Reports and of course Backend RCU Database that has all the meta data for Forms/Reports. This RCU database is on single server Oracle database.
I've been asked to add a new app server and setup load balancing between the two app servers in order to split the incoming forms & reports requests.
2. The first question for above requirement is, do you need the new Server on the same Existing physical box or a different remote physical box. If on the same physical box (which I doubt), then there is NO need to install any new software like WLS, Forms/Reports etc. All you do is create a new Managed Server and add it to your existing Domain. NOW, do you currently have a Clustered Domain. If you, all you do is add this new server to that cluster. If not, then you need to add a New cluster and add your old and this NEW managed server to that Cluster. If your existing domain is only single server and is very recent, I would prefer create a brand new Cluster domain with Different Port numbers (you can change port numbers anytime later also). Then add/create one or two managed servers.
3. If you are give a new physical box for this new managed server, then YES, you do need to install exactly SAME version of Weblogic Server and same version of Forms/Reports server on this new machine. Then create a Cluster Domain with 2 managed servers. One managed server on first box where you will have Admin Server + Managed Server 1. Then run pack command. Go to other machine. Run unpack command to create second Managed Server. Now you got 2 managed servers in a Single Clustered Domain.
4. Now comes the Load Balancing Part. Never ever expose the individual managed server host and port and WebApp urls for any Clustered Domain. Instead install Apache Http Web App Server which I guess is same as Oracle Http Server. Oracle renamed it (there is no need for this, but it may be company policy). Anyhow all you do is, just install Apache Web Server. Copy some .dll (.so on linux) files to this apache installation. Then update httpd.conf file or weblogic.conf file with details of clustered weblogic domain managed servers host, port, url patterns etc.
5. All the External Requests will now go to Apache Web Server like http://apachehost:apacheport/xxxUrl. This Apache will take care of LOAD Balancing, Failover etc and based on input url pattern will redirect requests to back end cluster of weblogic managed servers.
6. The backend RCU database that has Metadata for Forms/Reports NEED NOT be Clustered. If you really have extremely heavy data, then you can have Oracle RAC database. Have multiple DB Nodes in RAC. For each Node, create a DataSource in Weblogic conolse and finally one master Multi Data Soiurce that uses all these single Datasources. But very rarely you really need RAC or clustered database for RCU. So for now, just go with single non-clustered Database that has RCU Schemas.
In conclusion, even though you have Forms/Reports, just follow the standard normal Weblogic Clustered domain Architecture for your requirement. All clustering is at application server level and nothing to do with any Oracles softwares like SOA/BPM, Forms/Report, BI etc etc.
Thanks
Ravi Jegga