Fusion Cloud web services: Deprecated does not mean obsolete

During a Fusion Cloud implementation we had the task of creating the conversion to Enterprise Contracts. To load the conversion data we created a script that utilises Fusion Cloud web services. During the implementation also a release upgrade was planned from Fusion Cloud R10 to R11. This release brought and unexpected occurrence with it, being the web service we used to invoke in our conversion script being deprecated and resulting in the following response:

Training on Demand: Fusion Applications Extend Applications with ADF

Recently we followed the training Fusion Applications: Extend Applications with ADF in Training on Demand format.

What is Training on Demand?

"You train online via an Internet connection, 24/7. Access streaming lectures, whiteboarding and lab activities, with the ability to search video, pause or rewind. These courses are recorded. Courses are made available on a named user basis for a term of ninety (90) days from the effective date of your order." 

The training consists of a 5 day schedule and both of us were not able to schedule 5 consecutive days with all the projects that we are working on. This was exactly the training format we where looking for. We could follow the training whenever and wherever.

Although the recorded videos are available for 90 days, we were very surprised by the fact that we had to reserve lab time to execute the practices.

"As part of this course, you are eligible for 1 time, 5 days access to live Lab Environment. Please follow the steps below to test, configure, reserve and access your lab. You can click each section title to view each full step. We highly recommend testing and configuring your system before reserving your lab." 

In fact we still had 5 consecutive days to plan away from our projects to be able to execute the practices. This was number 1 of many disappointments to follow during this training.

Oracle Open World: Day 3

After attending Oracle Open World for three days, it looks like the future is all about handling big data, flash, hardware, mobile and social media and all of this in the cloud. And Oracle is supplying all of these, although we see competitive products from partners. Oracle is really making cloud the new standard for your business and you can see this in all the keynotes. No more on premises hardware, maintenance, upgrade, just a monthly fee and you are up and running with your entire infrastructure.

Oracle Open World: Day 1

I call it Oracle Open World Day 1, but according to many people the actual Oracle Open World starts tomorrow. The day started with the streets of San Francisco filling up with OOW attendees, all wearing Oracle badges.

Being in a foreign country, a foreign language, different products & shops and customs, everything felt a bit strange and I didn't feel like I fit in. But after attending the first day of OOW, talking to people who speak my language (being Oracle!) and having the same passion (being Oracle), it felt like home again.

Fusion Applications - How to get Sizing Requirement?

In the last year many of us struggled with the unknown sizing requirements for Fusion Applications. I have had many comments on the my posts and read tons of other posts from different people stating what the hardware requirements for Oracle Fusion Applications are. None of the documentation state the overall hardware requirements needed for Oracle Fusion Applications. You can find the hardware requirements for the individual components, but you can not simply sum up these requirements.

Some say 60GB RAM, some say 90GB RAM, latest I have heard was 128GB RAM.

I have heard sounds like minimum of three servers up to 14 servers.

Well let's set it clear by what Oracle is saying on Oracle Support document 1379929.1

Oracle wants to ensure that each customer is successful with Fusion Applications and as it has over a hundred different components giving a sizing estimate has proven to be a bit of a challenge. So instead of giving a one-size fits no-one estimate Oracle has a special process in place that will lead to a proper sizing advice. It consists of contacting your Oracle Sales / Account person who in turn engages the Oracle Fusion Applications environment sizing experts team. Based up on your inputs they will provide a proper sizing report recommending the disk and memory requirements and CPU sizes for your configurations and usage level.

So let's stop guessing, if you want to know the hardware requirements, you need to contact Oracle.

One thing is sure, Oracle Fusion Applications is not like any other ERP system and consists of many components. Creating a local sandbox is not something that can be done on a single "simple" server.

Oracle extends Oracle Fusion Applications UPK

Oracle has recently added Oracle Fusion Applications Receivales to the available UPK's, which sets the counter to ten. UPK's can be downloaded from eDelivery.

Report back: Oracle Fusion Applications HCM Live demo at Logica theNetherlands

Finally it was so far. The Oracle Practice at Logica were presented a live demo of Oracle Fusion Applications by Ronald Jaarsma, Master Principal Consultant HCM and Remon van de Watering, Sales Development Manager HCM.

Want to get a glimpse of Fusion Applications?

By now, most of us know it takes more resources to run a Fusion Applications environment, than any other ERP system. Creating a local sandbox, to acquire knowledge and experience of  Fusion Applications, is not done on local servers anymore.

Do not despair ...

Fusion Applications in the Cloud

Oracle Open World 2011 was mainly dominated by Exalogic. Exalogic is hardware and software engineered together to provide extreme performance for Java applications, Oracle Applications, and all other enterprise applications.

And yes, now Oracle is also offering Oracle Fusion Applications HCM and CRM in the Cloud!

Fusion Applications Final(ly) no more Beta version!

On 22 may 2011 Oracle released Oracle Fusion Applications R1 Beta version and was available for download from eDelivery. Yesterday (04 October 2011 ) at Oracle Open World 2011, Oracle announced general availability of Oracle Fusion Applications. This final version is now also available for download from eDelivery.

So what has changed from Beta to Final?

Fusion Applications: Extending the Domain with Oracle Access Manager

In my previous post I described the steps needed to configure Oracle Virtual Directory for virtualizing LDAP. In this post I will describe the steps that need to be taken to configure Oracle Access Manager and Webgate.

Oracle Access Manager allows users to seamlessly gain access to web applications and other IT resources across the enterprise deployments. It provides a centralized and automated single sign-on solution. It also contains an authorization engine, which grants or denies access to particular resources based on properties of the user requesting access as well as based on the environment from which the request is made.

Oracle Access Manager consists of various components including Access Server, Identity Server, WebPass, Policy Manager, WebGates, AccessGates, and Access SDK. The Access Server and Identity Server are the server components necessary to serve user requests for access to enterprise resources. WebGates are web server agents that act as the actual enforcement points for Oracle Access Manager.

Fusion Applications: Extending the Domain with Oracle Virtual Directory

In my previous post, ODSM was configured to manage OID. In the post I will describe the steps you need to take to configure Oracle Virtual Directory (OVD) and create a connection in ODSM to manage OVD.

Oracle Virtual Directory is an LDAP version 3 enabled service that provides virtualized abstraction of one or more enterprise data sources into a single directory view. Oracle Virtual Directory provides the ability to integrate LDAP-aware applications into diverse directory environments while minimizing or eliminating the need to change either the infrastructure or the applications. Oracle Virtual Directory supports a diverse set of clients, such as Web Applications and portals, and it can connect to directories, databases and Web Services.

Fusion Applications: Extending the Domain with Oracle Directory Service Manager (ODSM)

In my previous post I described the steps to configure Oracle Internet Directory. In this post I will describe the steps you need to take to configure Oracle Directory Service Manager (ODSM). ODSM is a java application that runs as a Managed Server on Weblogic and it's purpose is to manage Oracle Internet Directory and Oracle Virtual Directory.

Fusion Applications: Extending the Domain with Oracle Internet Directory

In my previous post I created the Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console and Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control. In this post I will configure Oracle Identity Directory (OID) and extend this domain with OID. Furthermore I will seed the Identity Store and Policy Store with data to be used by Oracle Access Manager.

OPN Provides Fusion Learning Center Access to Partners

As of August 15, 2011 Oracle PartnerNetwork provided hundreds of Oracle Fusion Applications self-paced learning assets to partners!

Yes, it is true, with this Oracle has shown to be committed to deliver Fusion Applications as a serious part of the Oracle stack and not just a hype as many skeptics would like to position a Apps which they have not seen yet.

Fusion Learning Center can be accessed through the following link.

Way to go Oracle!

Fusion Applications: Creating the WebLogic Server Domain for Identity Management

In my previous post I had configure Oracle HTTP server and an Apache LoadBalancer to handle all HTTP(s) traphic for IDM. In this post I will create the Oracle WebLogic Server Administration Console and Oracle Enterprise Manager Fusion Middleware Control. Later on we will extend this domain by adding Oracle Fusion Middleware components such as Oracle Identity Manager and Oracle Access Manager. Furthermore in this post we will configure Oracle HTTP server to handle HTTP(s) traphic for the Administration Server and Enterprise Manager through the loadbalancer.

Fusion Applications: Configuring the Web Tier

In my previous post, I installed the components for IDM. In this post I will describe the steps to configure Oracle Web Tier.

Oracle Web Tier comprises of two components:

• Oracle Web Cache

A content-aware server accelerator, secure reverse proxy server that improves the performance, scalability, and availability of web sites

•  Oracle HTTP Server

Apache based web server that provides a HTTP listener for Oracle WebLogic Server and the framework for hosting static pages, dynamic pages, and applications over the web and includes all base Apache modules and modules developed specifically by Oracle.

In this post we will configure Oracle HTTP Server.

Fusion Applications: Installing Oracle Identity Management Components

In my previous post, I created schema's in the database for Oracle Identity Management Components. In this post I will install the necessarily components for Oracle Identity Management. These consist of the following components:

• Oracle HTTP Server
• JRockit
• Oracle Weblogic Server
• Oracle Identity Management
• Oracle SOA Suite
• Oracle Identity and Access Management

Fusion Applications: Running Repository Creation Utility for Identity Management

In my previous post, I created an Oracle Database for Oracle Identity Management . In this post I will describe the steps,  to create the required Oracle schemas in the database used by Identity Management and Management Services, using the Repository Creation Utility (RCU).

Fusion Applications: Installing Oracle Database 11g for Oracle Identity Management

In my previous post I described the steps you need to take to install Oracle Enterprise Linux. As prerequisite for Oracle Fusion Applications, Oracle Identitiy Management needs to be installed and configured.

Oracle Identity Management is the equivalent of LDAP for Windows, except Oracle uses a database (surprisingly) to store its user management.

This post will describe the steps you need to take to install Oracle Database 11.2.0.2 on Oracle Enterprise Linux.