FMW Certification/Compatibility Between 11g/12c/14c - WLS Proxy Plug-Ins, OHS, OID/OUD, and OAM (Doc ID 1576554.1)

Last updated on SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

Applies to:

Details

This document will clarify the intentions between the Oracle WebLogic Server (WLS) and Oracle Fusion Middleware (FMW) Certification Guides when FMW 14c, 12c, and 11g products are listed together. Primarily, there are two confusing areas that need an explanation:

• Oracle WebLogic Server 14c and 12c release include certifications with earlier released products, such as Oracle HTTP Server (OHS), Oracle Internet Directory (OID), Oracle Unified Directory (OUD), and Oracle Access Manager (OAM).
  
  
• Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In certifications include webservers and platforms but may not have direct certification between FMW versions. Some are supported in an interchangeable manner because of their primary purpose or services they provide as a proxy.
   

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Certification Check

To understand the intention of the certification, it should be noted which Certification Guide being read, (e.g. 11.1.1, 11.1.2, 12.1.3, 12.2.1.4, 14.1.1, or newer). When using two releases together, both should be checked, as the context may be different in the other (or may not reciprocate). Note the newer certifications can consider the older versions, but the older tested and written certifications cannot consider the newer versions. This can sometimes help understand the supported use cases. Below are the locations of each certification matrix:

Oracle Fusion Middleware Certification Central Hub
https://www.oracle.com/middleware/technologies/fusion-certification.html

- Certifications may also be looked up on the My Oracle Support, Certification tab at https://support.oracle.com

Key Points Within Certification Checks:

• It is important to note there are specific use cases where these are certified and others deemed compatible by design. For example - If using a newer WLS release alone,  custom applications deployed may use the services of OHS, OID/OUD, and OAM. This means HTTP proxy services through mod_wl_ohs, LDAP connections, and single sign-on authentication would be supported with the OHS, OID/OUD, and OAM versions stated in the certification guide. 
  
  
• Older FMW products are not certified with newer releases of WLS when installed together - but they are supported when used together for a designed purpose.  FMW 11g products should still be installed within a Middleware home with an existing WLS 10.3.6. All 12c products can be installed in the same or separate Oracle homes. No other release of products can be installed with WLS 14.1.1, but remotely, they may be used together.
  
  Repeat for emphasis - FMW 11g, 12c, and 14c combinations are not supported when "installed with" each other, but they are certified when "used with" each other for the intended services they provide. OID may be used as an LDAP provider, OAM for single sign-on services, or OHS as a proxy HTTP server. You must install 11g products with WLS 10.3.6, 12c products with the same version of WLS 12c, and WLS 14.1.1 in its own Oracle home.
  
  

Interoperability and Compatibility

FMW 12.1.x Interoperability and Compatibility Guides provides more information to clarify the intentions for each release:

Interoperability and Compatibility Guides

WebLogic Server Compatibility (WLS 14.1.1 standalone)

https://docs.oracle.com/en/middleware/fusion-middleware/12.2.1.4/intop/index.html (12.2.1.4)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/12213/lcm/INTOP/toc.htm (12.2.1.3)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/12212/lcm/INTOP/toc.htm (12.2.1.2)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/12211/lcm/INTOP/toc.htm (12.2.1.1)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/1221/core/INTOP/toc.htm (12.2.1.0)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/1213/core/INTOP/toc.html (12.1.3)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/1212/core/INTOP/toc.html (12.1.2)

Except for 14.1.1, which is standalone, look for these or similar sections to confirm compatibility between FMW products:

2.2 Oracle WebLogic Server and Coherence Compatibility with Previous Releases
2.3 Oracle Fusion Middleware Infrastructure Compatibility with Previous Releases
2.4 Oracle HTTP Server Interoperability and Compatibility
2.6 Interoperability with Oracle Identity Management Products



Below is more detail to include all scenarios and versions involving the WLS Proxy Plugin:

Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In

Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In refers to a proxy plug-in module - available as a separate download - that works with a specific list of 3rd party Web Servers such as Apache HTTP Server, Oracle iPlanet Web Server, Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS). Customers can use Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In with these 3rd party Web Servers to front-end WebLogic Server deployments.  Oracle HTTP Server bundles this proxy plug-in as part of the product and refers to it as the 'mod_wl_ohs' module.

Always check the certification between releases by referring to certification and compatibility guides for the Oracle Fusion Middleware products and versions are being used. The Oracle WebLogic Server Proxy Plug-In is designed to be backward compatible with Oracle Weblogic Server versions, but not all Oracle Fusion Middleware "upper stack" products have been tested in every scenario. When using other Oracle Fusion Middleware products, using the newest WLS Plugin should be used only where documentation allows for the installed applications. For Oracle HTTP Server (OHS), mod_wl_ohs is included as the WLS Proxy Plug-In. When OHS installed with an Oracle Fusion Middleware product, is usually the expected and tested version for the installed applications. For third-party web servers (IIS, Apache, iPlanet), there are platform certifications and other things to consider before making substitutions.

More advanced topologies include a mix of FMW products are deployed to WLS, sometimes separate WLS installations, where a single entry point proxy is required to reach all applications. Checking the certification may result in difficulty reaching a solid conclusion of what is supported for an advanced topology.

After checking the certification and compatibility guides for your combinations, the following summarizes what is supported when considering use between releases:

• WebLogic Web Server Plug-in 12c supports only 64-bit Web Servers and is certified to front-end WebLogic Server 10.3.x and 12c, (pending error correction and premier support timelines, noting versions before 10.3.6 had already passed when 12c was released). If the platform certification allows, you should use the latest 12c plugins in mixed environments.
  
  
• WebLogic Web Server Plug-in 11g (1.1) supports WebLogic Server 10.3.x and 12c, (again within error correction and premier support timelines). If the platform and other product certifications are not in place, you may use the latest 11g plugins in mixed environments.
  
  
• The overall recommendation is to use the latest WLS Plug-in 12c for a topology where both WLS 10.3.x and 12c exist. If certification with a third-party web server does not allow the latest WLS Plugin 12c, the latest WLS Plug-in 11g (1.1) would be supported, (within error correction support timelines).

The latest WLS Proxy Plug-In downloads are available at https://www.oracle.com/middleware/technologies/webtier-downloads.html#server3

Other Notes to clarify different situations:

• 10g (1.0) = Older plugin for third-party webservers only, installed with WLS until 10.3.4 for only third-party webservers, see <Note 1111903.1> for more information.
• 11g (1.1) = aka 11.1.1.x for OHS/mod_wl_ohs or third-party webservers, see <Note 1316142.1> for OHS/mod_wl_ohs or <Note 1111903.1> for third-party webservers.
• With the Oracle HTTP Server case, if installed with WLS, (in the same MW_HOME), then it must be a certified 11.1.1.n/10.3.x or 12.x.x/12.x.x combination, as per normal certification matrix, else newer WLS Proxy Plug-In (or OHS) is generally compatible where it is used purely as a proxy to the WLS server.
• The plugin version may have a newer update download, only the latest download is maintainable in some situations.
• If involving other FMW or Oracle deployed products, they must maintain their certifications of 11.1.1.x, 11.1.2.x, or 12c versions between FMW/WLS
• While it is supported to use a mix of versions, some features will not be available, dependent on the other side.
• Any use of mixed environments is not intended to be long term and incompatibility issues may arise depending on an application.

For more information, see the following:

<Note 1111903.1> WebLogic Server Web Server Plug-In Support

More Oracle WebLogic Server Compatibility Information

If checking on client compatibility such as wlfullclient.jar this document provides additional information along with other important points between previous releases:

WebLogic Server Compatibility (WLS 14.1.1 standalone)

Understanding Oracle WebLogic Server 12c (12c)
15 WebLogic Server Compatibility

https://docs.oracle.com/en/middleware/fusion-middleware/weblogic-server/12.2.1.4/intro/compatibility.html#GUID-A8ABF11F-230E-4959-9B91-8AE1E7E43750 (12.2.1.4)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/12213/wls/INTRO/compatibility.htm#INTRO112 (12.2.1.3)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/12212/wls/INTRO/compatibility.htm#INTRO112 (12.2.1.2)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/12211/wls/INTRO/compatibility.htm#INTRO112 (12.2.1.1)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/1221/wls/INTRO/compatibility.htm (12.2.1.0)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/1213/wls/INTRO/compatibility.htm (12.1.3)

https://docs.oracle.com/middleware/1212/wls/INTRO/compatibility.htm (12.1.2)

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