Configuring WebCenter Sites

8 Configuring WebCenter Sites

After you configure the Oracle WebCenter Sites Managed Servers, you can configure a WebCenter Sites instance by completing the browser-based WebCenter Sites Configurator. WebCenter Sites runtime consists of WebCenter Sites and CAS web applications (WAR files) and the following components shared across cluster members: a config directory, a data directory, and a database instance.

The following topics describe how to configure WebCenter Sites:

Note:

The WebLogic Server Administration Console has been removed. For comparable functionality, you will use the WebLogic Remote Console. Detailed instructions are provided in the Remote Console online help. Links to those instructions will be provided as needed.

Completing Prerequisites for Configuring WebCenter Sites

Several prerequisite tasks must be done before you use the WebCenter Sites Configurator. These tasks include modifying cache files, creating database schemas, configuring a WebCenter Sites domain, and setting property values for your environment.

Before configuring WebCenter Sites, make sure these prerequisite tasks are done:

Note:

If RSS is installed in a separate domain, you need to run grant-opss-permission.sh or grant-opss-permission.bat. Ensure that these files contains the specified domain name before running it. If necessary, edit the file and update the domain name.

In the WebCenter Sites config directory, modify the files cs-cache.xml, ss-cache.xml, linked-cache.xml, and cas-cache.xml as follows:
1. Locate the following section:
  <cacheManagerPeerProviderFactory class="net.sf.ehcache.distribution.RMICacheManagerPeerProviderFactory" properties="peerDiscovery=automatic, multicastGroupAddress=230.0.0.0, multicastGroupPort=4444, timeToLive=0" />
2. Change the value of the peerDiscovery property to manual. If Sites is run on Cluster the peerDiscovery property value should be automatic.
  
  Note:
  WebCenter Sites is implemented on multicast to support caching and there could be network issues if another Sites instance or any other application using same multi cast address. Hence, Oracle recommends you to change the peerDiscovery property to manual.
3. Save and close the file.
4. Start the WebCenter Sites Managed Server.
  WebCenter Sites is implemented on multicast to support caching and there could be network issues if another Sites instance or any other application using same multi cast address. Hence, Oracle recommends you to change the peerDiscovery property to manual.
Use the Repository Creation Utility (RCU) to create database schemas for WebCenter Sites, as Creating the Database Schemas describes.
Use the Fusion Middleware Configuration Wizard with the Oracle WebCenter Sites - 14.1.2.0.0[wcsites] template to create a new domain and configure one or more WebCenter Sites Managed Servers, as Configuring the Domain describes.

Typically, WebCenter Sites uses the time zone setting of the WebLogic JVM. However, if you want to use a different time zone, ensure that you change it immediately after you install Sites, that is, before you create any data in the target environment.

Note:

The port value for the property remoteObjectPort under the section cacheManagerPeerListenerFactory should be unique when you install multiple WebCenter Sites instances on the same VM.

Configuring WebCenter Sites with the Configurator

The WebCenter Sites Configurator populates the database with tables and data necessary for WebCenter Sites to function. The Configurator also creates the necessary user accounts and sets the required permissions on the database objects.

Note:

If you are configuring WebCenter Sites over a slow network, increase the setting of the StuckThreadMaxTime property to 1000 seconds per thread before starting the WebCenter Sites Configurator. The default value is 600 seconds.

In certain environments that potentially have network-related issues, the sample sites import process could take more than 600 seconds per thread during the WebCenter Sites configuration setup process. This can cause the import process or install to fail, and multiple exceptions in the log file. Oracle recommends increasing the setting to 1000 seconds to complete a successful installation of the sample sites.

To change the value of StuckThreadMaxTime, in the WebLogic Remote Console for the domain, change to Servers -> wcsites_server1 -> Configuration -> Tuning.

To run the browser-based WebCenter Sites Configurator after the corresponding WebLogic domain has been successfully set up:

(Optional) To run the Configurator in silent mode:
1. Edit the DOMAIN_HOME/wcsites/wcsites/config/wcs_properties_bootstrap.ini file, and complete the inline instructions.
2. Start the WebCenter Sites Managed Server.
3. Initiate the WebCenter Sites configuration process with the following command:
  - On UNIX operating systems: xdg-open http://sites-host:sites-port/sites/sitesconfig
  - On Windows operating systems: start http://sites-host:sites-port/sites/sitesconfig
To configure WebCenter Sites over a web server, increase the web server timeout value to 300 sec before starting the WebCenter Sites configuration.

(Optional) Set the values of the following properties as appropriate for your environment, using the Property Management Tool in the Sites Admin interface. Set these properties for a cluster that uses the NIO database-based file system. If you would like files stored in locations other than the default (individual folders under DOMAIN_HOME/wcsites/wcsites/config), specify the locations as property values because they cannot be changed once WebCenter Sites is up and running.

Properties	Description
`xcelerate.transformpath`	Directory where Microsoft Word files are stored before WebCenter Sites transforms those files into assets.
`cs.pgcachefolder`	Deprecated. Only set if instructed to do so by Oracle Support.
`cs.xmlfolder`	Working directory for HTML rendering.
`cs.pgexportfolder`	Base export directory for the HTML files that are created when assets are published with the Export to Disk delivery type.
`vis.path`	Directory where WebCenter Sites is installed. You must include the trailing slash.
`mwb.path`	Directory where WebCenter Sites is installed. You must include the trailing slash.
`contentserver.installation.folder`	Directory where WebCenter Sites is installed. You must include the trailing slash. Applies to installations in which Satellite Server and WebCenter Sites are running in the same web application and must therefore share the user's session. Specifying this enables Satellite Server to access WebCenter Sites resources.
`cs.csdtfolder`	Directory where WebCenter Sites Developer Tools imports are stored.

For more information on the preceding properties, see Overview of the Property Management Tool in Property Files Reference for Oracle WebCenter Sites.

Start the Managed Server for the WebCenter Sites primary cluster node.
In a web browser, access this URL: http://sites-host:sites-port/sites/sitesconfigsetup.
On the WebCenter Sites Configurator screen, click Begin.
On the Database Parameters screen, specify the JNDI Datasource name for the WebCenter Sites database repository This must be the repository you created using the Repository Creation Utility while setting up the WebLogic domain.
On the Web Application Parameters screen, select Yes if you are installing over a secure connection, leave all the parameters at their default (prepopulated) values, and click Next.
On the CAS Deployment Information screen, leave all parameters at their default (prepopulated) values and click Next. If using a cluster and a front-end web server for load balancing, adjust these values as appropriate for your environment.
On the WebCenter Sites Administrator Accounts screen, specify the credentials you want, and then click Next.
(Optional) If you chose the WebCenter Sites with Examples installation option when installing WebCenter Sites, the Sample Sites screen appears. On this screen, select the desired sample sites and click Next.

Note:
In case of an Autonomous Transaction Processing-Dedicated (ATP-D) database, do not select FirstSiteII sample site.
On the Configuration Summary screen, click Test and verify that all tests are successful. Then click Start and wait for the configuration process to complete.
Restart the Managed Server for the WebCenter Sites application.
Verify that WebCenter Sites is up and running by accessing the following URL in a web browser and logging in: http://sites-host:sites-port/sites.

Note:

The default location for cas.log is DOMAIN_HOME/servers/wcsites_server1/logs/.

To get XMLPost and Bulkloader up and running, set the following directories in the CLASSPATH environment variable:

ORACLE_HOME\wcsites\webcentersites\sites-home\lib\*
ORACLE_HOME\oracle_common\modules\clients\*

For information about how to configure additional cluster nodes, see Setting Up a Cluster.

For information about how to configure an external LDAP authentication provider, see Switching to Authentication Against an LDAP Directory.

For information about how to configure Oracle Access Manager integration, see Switching to Authentication Against Oracle Access Manager.

For information about how to use the WebCenter Sites Configuration Import/Export Utility, see Using the Property Management Tool in Property Files Reference for Oracle WebCenter Sites.

Managing Customizations with WebCenter Sites Deployment

It is recommend to not include any implementation specific customizations to Sites WAR file as the changes will be overwritten during patching process and is redeployed.

The WebCenter Sites web application is shipped as a WAR file. The web application is deployed during Config Wizard process initially and can be redeployed multiple times during the application lifecycle. It is recommend to not include any implementation specific customizations to Sites WAR file as the changes will be overwritten during patching process and is redeployed.

Extending the WebLogic Server Shared Libraries framework, Sites provides extend.sites.webapp-lib.war as a shared library, located under ORACLE_HOME/wcsites/webcentersites/sites-home/ directory. Any implementation specific customizations such as static web resources or Java libraries can be included in this WAR file. This shared library gets deployed during application lifecycle and shares the same context root as sites (/sites/). The contents of this shared library will not be overwritten during patching process.

Note:

It is generally recommended to deploy the static artifacts such as images and stylesheet files onto the web server.
For more information on using the shared library, see Creating Shared Java EE Libraries and Optional Packages.

Configuring and Deploying the REST-avisports Sample Site

REST-avisports is a sample website that demonstrates client-side website development using the WebCenter Sites Aggregate REST API.

Before you configure and deploy the REST-avisports Sample Site, make sure these tasks are done:

Install WebCenter Sites with avisports sample site.
Start the WebCenter Sites Managed Servers and verify that they are running successfully.

To configure and deploy the REST-avisports Sample Site:

Locate the sites-restavisports.war file in the ORACLE_HOME/wcsites/webcentersites/sites-home directory.
Extract this WAR file.
Edit the js/appconfig.js file and provide this WebCenter Sites information:
1. SITES_HOST_NAME = sites-host
2. SITES_PORT = sites-port (for example: 7003)
3. SITES_CONTEXT = sites context-root (for example, sites)
The sites-restavisports.war can be deployed on any of the following servers:
1. On a separate managed server that is available in the same domain as WebCenter Sites.
2. On a dedicated Domain Server or an Application Server. A typical client-side website follow this setup.

When WebCenter Sites is running, you can access the REST-avisports sample site at this URL:

http://<restavisports-host-name>:<restavisports-deployed-port>/<restavisports-app-context-path>

Creating a WebCenter Sites Web Tier

After you configure a domain, you set up Oracle Web Tier or a third-party web tier.

For Oracle Web Tier, see Installing and Configuring Oracle HTTP Server or Installing Oracle Traffic Director for instructions to do these tasks:

Note:

As of 12.2.1.4.0, Oracle Traffic Director is deprecated. In the future, for equivalent functionality, use Oracle HTTP Server, Microsoft IIS Web Server, or Apache HTTP Server plug-ins, or a native Kubernetes load balancer, such as Traefik.

Install Oracle HTTP Server (OHS) or Oracle Traffic Director (OTD) in the same Oracle home as WebCenter Sites, or in a different domain.
Run the Configuration Wizard again to configure OHS or OTD to add it to (extend) the WebCenter Sites domain, or to create a standalone OHS or OTD domain.
Configure the mod_wls web server plug-in, which routes requests to Managed Servers.

For a third-party web server, see the documentation for the web server.

Configuring the OHS Server

Steps to configure Oracle HTTP Server (OHS).

Steps for configuring the OHS Server

Install OHS version 14.1.2.0.0.
Change the configuration to bypass the ROOT of OHS.
- Peform the following change in the mod_wl_ohs.conf file located in the <ORACLE_HOME>/user_projects/domains/<DOMAIN_NAME>/config/fmwconfig/components/OHS/instances/<OHS_INSTANCE_NAME>
```
<IfModule weblogic_module>
WebLogicHost <WEBLOGIC_HOST_ON_WHICH_SITES_IS_INSTALLED>
WebLogicPort <WEBLOGIC_PORT_ON_WHICH_SITES_IS_INSTALLED>
MatchExpression
</IfModule>
```
For configuring Cluster, set the properties in the mod_wl_ohs.conf file located in the <ORACLE_HOME>/user_projects/domains/<DOMAIN_NAME>/config/fmwconfig/components/OHS/instances/<OHS_INSTANCE_NAME>.
```
<IfModule weblogic_module>
WebLogicCluster <HOST_AND_PORT_DETAILS>
MatchExpression
</IfModule>
<Location /sites>
    SetHandler weblogic-handler
</Location>
<Location /cas>
    SetHandler weblogic-handler
</Location>
```
Note:
If you are installing WebCenter Sites with Sample Sites on different Webservers (for example: On the OHS Server), ensure to add the following paramaters in library file of Weblogic Plug-in as this allows you to import avisports installable during config wizard.
- WLIOTimeoutSecs=1200
- KeepAliveEnabled=true
If you do not add the parameters the config wizard will fail during the installation process. For more information of parameters, see Parameters for Web Server Plug-Ins.
After setting properties in the mod_wl_ohs.conf file, you be able to preview the crawled sites instead of OHS screen.
In addition to the above configuration, the following change is required for OHS version 11.1.0.9. The DirectoryIndex configuration in httpd.conf file should be modified to update the required change.
```
<IfModule dir_module>
DirectoryIndex index.html disabled
</IfModule>
```