Using WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK

Introduction to BEA WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK

BEA WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK provides tools, utilities, and a complete runtime environment for developing and running applications using the Java programming language. The WebLogic JRockit SDK includes the WebLogic JRockit Java Virtual Machine (JVM), the first commercial server-side JVM. The WebLogic JRockit JVM was developed uniquely for server-side applications and optimized for Intel architectures to ensure reliability, scalability, and manageability for Java applications.

This user guide provides instructions for using WebLogic JRockit SDK and JVM on the Windows and Linux platforms.

This section contains information on the following subjects:

What is JRockit?

The WebLogic JRockit 8.1 JVM is the only credible high performance JVM developed uniquely for server-side applications and optimized for Intel architectures. It ensures reliability, scalability, manageability, and flexibility for Java applications. As a crucial component of the BEA WebLogic Platform, the WebLogic JRockit JVM delivers a new level of performance for Java applications deployed on Intel 32-bit and 64-bit (Itanium) architecture at significantly lower costs to the enterprise. Furthermore, it is the only enterprise-class JVM optimized for Intel architectures, providing seamless interoperability across multiple hardware and operating system configurations. WebLogic JRockit 8.1 JVM makes it possible to gain optimal performance for your server-side application when running it on either the Windows and Linux operating systems and on either 32-bit and 64-bit architectures.

For more information on JVMs in general, see the Introduction to the JVM specification at.

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/vmspec/2nd-edition/html/Introduction.doc.html#3057

About the SDK

The WebLogic JRockit 8.1 JVM is one component of the WebLogic JRockit 8.1 software development kit (SDK). Along with the WebLogic JRockit 8.1 JVM, this kit is comprised of the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), which contains the JVM and Java class libraries (as specified by the Java 2 Platform API Specification), along with a set of development tools, such a compiler, a debugger, and so on. For more information on the contents of the WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK, please refer to What's in the WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK?

Why Should I Use JRockit?

There are three compelling reasons for using the WebLogic JRockit JVM:

WebLogic JRockit SDK provides optimal running performance for applications developed for and running on BEA WebLogic Server.

WebLogic JRockit JVM is the default production JVM for WebLogic Server-based applications. During "typical" WLS installation, WebLogic JRockit SDK is automatically installed with the server. The Configuration Wizard creates startup scripts that invoke the WebLogic JRockit JVM, making its use simple and transparent.

WebLogic JRockit JVM is designed for server-side applications.

If you are running server-side applications, the WebLogic JRockit JVM is the most effective VM you can use. A server-side JVM is designed with server applications in mind. Server-side applications have very different requirements than client-side applications and demand different behavior from a JVM. These applications generally do not use graphical user interfaces, run for longer periods of time, and are usually parallel and thread intensive. To fully exploit server-side applications and ensure optimal performance, your JVM should employ a server-specific design policy.

WebLogic JRockit JVM employs adaptive optimization to significantly improve runtime performance.

Adaptive optimization is a WebLogic JRockit JVM feature that detects and removes bottlenecks in a running program, significantly improving program performance. Adaptively optimized code usually performs better than statically compiled code because it has access to more information regarding the running program. Another advantage is that the code does not lose any of the dynamic characteristics of interpreted languages.

What Platforms Does JRockit Support?

WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK is certified to be compatible with J2SE 1.4.1.

32-bit Platform Support

The 32-bit versions WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK are supported on the following operating system releases:

Table 1-1 32-bit Platform Support

Operating Systems	Hardware Platforms	JRockit Support Status	Notes
Microsoft Windows 2000 SP2 (or higher)	Intel Pentium II or higher (and compatible)	Development and Production Support	None
Micorsoft Windows XP	Intel Pentium II or higher (and compatible	Development Support	None
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS / ES / WS 2.1	Intel Pentium II or higher (and compatible)	Development and Production Support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS & ES editions Development Support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS	Tested with kernel 2.4.9, glibc 2.2.4-31.7
SuSE SLES 8.0 (United Linux 1.0)	Intel Pentium II or higher (and compatible)	Development and Production Support	Tested with kernel 2.4.19, `glibc` 2.2.5

64-bit Platform Support

The 64-bit versions WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK are supported on the following operating system releases

Table 1-2 64-bit Platform Support

Operating Systems	Hardware Platforms	JRockit Support Status	Notes
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 EE	Intel Itanium 2 or higher	Development and Production Support	None
Red Hat Linux Advanced Server for Itanium Processor 2.1 Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation for Itanium Processor 2.l	Intel Itanium 2 or higher	Development and Production Support for Red Hat Advanced Server for Itanium Processor Development Support for Red Hat Advanced Workstation for Itanium Processor	Tested with `kernel` 2.4.18, `glibc` 2.2.4 Requires kernel 2.4.18-e.25 (or higher)
SuSE SLES 8.0 (United Linux 1.0)	Intel Itanium 2 or higher	Development and Production Support	Tested with kernel 2.4.19, `glibc` 2.2.5

Operating Systems

Hardware Platforms

JRockit Support Status

Notes

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 EE

Intel Itanium 2 or higher

Development and Production Support

None

Red Hat Linux Advanced Server for Itanium Processor 2.1

Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation for Itanium Processor 2.l

Intel Itanium 2 or higher

Development and Production Support for Red Hat Advanced Server for Itanium Processor

Development Support for Red Hat Advanced Workstation for Itanium Processor

Tested with kernel 2.4.18, glibc 2.2.4

Requires kernel 2.4.18-e.25 (or higher)

SuSE SLES 8.0 (United Linux 1.0)

Intel Itanium 2 or higher

Development and Production Support

Tested with kernel 2.4.19, glibc 2.2.5

JRockit 8.1 SDK Support

This section describes how to get support for WebLogic JRockit 8.1 SDK.

If WebLogic JRockit JVM Crashes

If WebLogic JRockit 8.1 crashes, it will dump information about the crash to stderr and create, in the directory where the VM was started, a file containing the same information, called jrockit.<pid>.dump (and, if you are using Windows, jrockit.<pid>.mdmp), where <pid> is the id of the process that crashed.

After a crash, send a copy of jrockit.<pid>.dump (and, if you are using Windows, jrockit.<pid>.mdmp), along with as much information as possible about your system setup and the application you were running when the VM crashed, to support@bea.com. You should provide the following information:

Hardware
Version of WebLogic JRockit JVM
Operating system and its version
The program you ran
Stack dumps (if any)
If possible, a small code example that will reproduce the error.

Using JRockit 8.1 SDK Documentation

This section provides hints for using this user guide. It includes information on the following subjects:

Printing These Documents

You can print a copy of any WebLogic JRockit SDK document from a Web browser, one file at a time, by using the File—>Print option on the browser.

PDF versions of all WebLogic JRockit 8.1 documents are available on the WebLogic JRockit 8.1 documentation pages on the e-docs Web site. You can open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader and print the entire document (or a portion of it) in book format. To access and print the PDFs, do the following:

Open the web page for the WebLogic JRockit 8.1 document you want to print and click the view as PDF icon.

A new browser launches, running the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which contains the PDF version of the document you selected.

Click the print button on the Adobe Acrobat Reader toolbar.

The Print dialog box appears.

Select the Print range (All, Current page, or Pages from) and click OK to print the document.

If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can get it for free from the Adobe Web site at http://www.adobe.com/.

Understanding Documentation Conventions

The following documentation conventions are used throughout this document.

Convention	Item
Ctrl+Tab	Indicates that you must press two or more keys simultaneously.
italics	Indicates emphasis or book titles.
`monospace text`	Indicates code samples, commands and their options, data structures and their members, data types, directories, and filenames and their extensions. Monospace text also indicates text that you must enter from the keyboard. Examples: `#include <iostream.h> void main ( ) the pointer psz` `chmod u+w *` `\tux\data\ap` `.doc` `tux.doc` `BITMAP` `float`
`monospace boldface text`	Identifies significant words in code. Example: `void` `commit` `( )`
`monospace italic text`	Identifies variables in code. Example: `String` `expr`
UPPERCASE TEXT	Indicates device names, environment variables, and logical operators. Examples: LPT1 SIGNON OR
`{ }`	Indicates a set of choices in a syntax line. The braces themselves should never be typed.
`[ ]`	Indicates optional items in a syntax line. The brackets themselves should never be typed. Example: `buildobjclient [-v] [-o name ] [-f` `file-list]... [-l` `file-list]...`
`\|`	Separates mutually exclusive choices in a syntax line. The symbol itself should never be typed.
`...`	Indicates one of the following in a command line: That an argument can be repeated several times in a command line That the statement omits additional optional arguments That you can enter additional parameters, values, or other information The ellipsis itself should never be typed. Example: `buildobjclient [-v] [-o name ] [-f` `file-list]... [-l` `file-list]...`
`. . .`	Indicates the omission of items from a code example or from a syntax line. The vertical ellipsis itself should never be typed.