Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

Sign In
BLOGS PRODUCTS &
INDUSTRIESSUPPORTPARTNERSCOMMUNITIESABOUT
HOME SERVICES

Oracle E-Business Suite Technology

HomeCertificationsProductsConceptsRelease 11iRelease 12FusionAbout

The latest news directly from E-Business Suite Development

Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12

By Prasad Akkiraju on March 25, 2008 2:47 AM

E-Business Suite Release 12 provides a useful mechanism for the Applications administrators to start the
Apache on the applications tier during down time. Applications administrator can start the apache in a
mode called restricted mode. Down time tasks like patching can continue to be performed while the
Apache is in restricted mode. Restricted access to Oracle Applications Manager (OAM) is available in this
mode. This allows the system administrator to monitor tasks like patching from OAM. When the Apache
is started in restricted mode, normal users are redirected to a downtime URL containing downtime details.

Enabling Apache in Restricted Mode in Release 12

I. Creation of downtime schedule

1. Login to OAM as administrator and create a downtime schedule as follows.

1. Click on Sitemap --> Maintenance --> Maintain downtime schedules

2. Click on Schedule Downtime link

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (1 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

2. Enter the details in the page and click submit

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (2 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

The above step creates a downtime.html page that will be used as redirect page when apache is started in
restricted mode

3. The downtime schedule can be viewed, edited, or cancelled from the wizard.

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (3 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

II. Configuring and starting restricted mode Apache

1. Login to your applications tier and source the environment file so that all the environment variables
are set
2. Stop your application tier services by running adstpall.sh from $ADMIN_SCRIPTS_HOME
directory.

3. Run the command 'txkrun.pl -script=ChangeApacheMode' from the <FND_TOP>/bin directory:

4. This prompts for the following inputs:
1. full path for the Applications Context file
2. Enter the mode for Apache. Type 'Restrict'

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (4 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

3. Confirmation of whether you have stopped your applications tier services

5. Once you enter the above details, the configuration script
1. sets the respective context variables in the context file required to configure the Restricted
mode
2. instantiates the configuration files for the HTTP Server and OC4J in the <INST_TOP>.
6. Restart the services on the applications tier upon successful completion of the above command.

During the configuration, the utility makes a copy of your context file in case you hit any issues. This
backup file can always be restored and autoconfig be run to restore to the original state.

Now, you are ready to use the restricted mode of Apache and plan your downtime activities!!.

When the users try to access the Applications home page, they get redirected to the downtime page
generated when you schedule downtime.

The URL for the down time page is:

http://host:port/OA_HTML/oam/nonUix/launchMode/restricted/downtime.html

Sample downtime page:

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (5 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

Access to OAM

For system administrators, a user named ad_monitor is available to access OAM during the restricted
mode. Login from this user provides access to the maintenance wizards and status pages in the Oracle
Applications Manager.

Disabling Restricted Mode of Apache

Once you are done with your downtime activities, Restricted mode of Apache can be disabled i.e.,
switching back to NORMAL mode by running the following steps:

1. Login to your applications tier and source the environment file so that all the environment variables
are set
2. Stop your application tier services by running adstpall.sh from $ADMIN_SCRIPTS_HOME

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (6 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

directory.

3. Run the command 'txkrun.pl -script=ChangeApacheMode' from the <FND_TOP>/bin directory:

4. This prompts for the following inputs:
1. full path for the Applications Context file
2. Enter the mode for Apache. Type 'Normal'
3. Confirmation of whether you have stopped your applications tier services
5. Once you enter the above details, the configuration script sets the respective context variables in the
context file required to reset the mode back to Normal
6. Restart the services on the applications tier upon successful completion of the above command.

You are all set for normal user activity now.

References

● Chapter 6 'Patching and Maintenance with Oracle Applications Manager', Section 'Managing
downtime in Restricted Mode' of Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide -
Maintenance, Release 12 (Part Number B31454-01)

Tags:

● EBS 12
● Prasad Akkiraju
● best practices
● maintenance

Filed under: EBS Release 12 , Patching • Comments (11) • Share

Comments (11)

Tianhua Wu:

What is the URL to access OAM during maintenance?

Posted by Tianhua Wu | March 25, 2008 11:09 AM

Posted on March 25, 2008 11:09

NewSunSEO:

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (7 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

Good to see another update. I look forward to testing it out in the near future.

Posted by NewSunSEO | March 25, 2008 1:52 PM

Posted on March 25, 2008 13:52

Ram:

Too good a functionality to ignore while patching.

Posted by Ram | March 25, 2008 4:40 PM

Posted on March 25, 2008 16:40

Shyamal:

Click on sitemap-->monitoring-->maintain downtime schedules

--Correct Navigation Path is

Click on sitemap-->Maintenance-->maintain downtime schedules

-Thanks a lot for all your hardwork and keeping us Up-To-Date

Shyamal

Posted by Shyamal | March 26, 2008 12:35 PM

Posted on March 26, 2008 12:35

Tianhua Wu:

But I am sorry, Shyamal, you will be redirected to downtime.html when you try to login. The reason I
asked is that the URL provided in "Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide - Maintenance,
Release 12" did not work for me.

Here is the URL in the book:

http://host:port/servelets/weboamLocal/oam/oamLogin

Actually, I could not find oamLogin.jsp on file system at all. I did find oamLogin.class and oamLogin.uix
files.

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (8 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

Posted by Tianhua Wu | March 27, 2008 10:55 AM

Posted on March 27, 2008 10:55

Prasad Akkiraju:

Thanks Shyamal for pointing out the correct navigation. Corrected and reposted.

Posted by Prasad Akkiraju | March 28, 2008 12:10 AM

Posted on March 28, 2008 00:10

Yury Velikanov:

Hi,

Just a short question: What is the difference in that functionality comparing with 11i?
Are there any improvements? IMHO 11i was a bit buggy and kind of beta release for that.

Thank you in advance for you answer,

Regards,
Jurijs

Posted by Yury Velikanov | March 28, 2008 4:50 AM

Posted on March 28, 2008 04:50

Prasad Akkiraju:

In 11i, there is no utility to configure Apache in restricted mode. It has to be done by editing the context
file and running autoconfig. The wizard is pretty much the same for downtime scheduling. I will be
writing up the procedure for 11i soon.

Posted by Prasad Akkiraju | March 28, 2008 10:42 AM

Posted on March 28, 2008 10:42

Tianhua Wu:

Sorry Shyamal, I thought you were trying to answer my question.

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (9 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

Prasad, since you mention OAM can be accessed via ad_monitor user during the restricted mode, could
you please let me know what the URL should be? The one in my previous post does work.

Thanks,

T Wu

Posted by Tianhua Wu | March 28, 2008 1:01 PM

Posted on March 28, 2008 13:01

Prasad Akkiraju:

Remember in Release 12, there is a single entry point for apps. HEnce, login through the main login page
as ad_monitor. This works for me.

Posted by Prasad Akkiraju | March 28, 2008 10:11 PM

Posted on March 28, 2008 22:11

Steve Parks:

Hello,
I'm wondering if there's a simple workaround for allowing a select group of applications users to still log
into the E-Business Suite and use their responsibilities during a scheduled downtime, whether Apache is
started in restricted mode or not. I'd like to avoid using the FND_USER_PKG API to temporarily end-date
users from List A while allowing users from List B to still access the system during a cut-over period.
Thanks,
SBP

Posted by Steve Parks | April 14, 2010 7:57 AM

Posted on April 14, 2010 07:57

Post a comment
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your
comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

Name:

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (10 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?

Comments:

Preview Post

Google Search

Categories
● Focus Areas
● Business Intelligence

● Configuration Management

● Database

● Desktop Clients

● Extending Apps

● Monitoring System Health

● Networking + Architectures

● Optimizing Performance

● Patching

● Portal

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (11 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

● Security
● Third-Party Integration
● User + Identity Management

● News
● Desupport Notices

● Early Adopter Programs

● Events + Conferences

● General

● Hottest Articles

● New Certifications

● New Techstack Patches

Archives

Select a Month...

Links
● All Oracle Blogs
● Related Blogs & Other Sites
● Apps Podcasts (AppCasts)
● Oracle Apps Product Center
● EBS R12 Upgrade Forum

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe via RSS

Subscribe by Email

Recent Comments

Comments Feed

● Steve Parks on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12

● Prasad Akkiraju on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (12 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM

 Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12 (Oracle E-Business Suite Technology)

● Tianhua Wu on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12

● Prasad Akkiraju on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12
● Yury Velikanov on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12
● Prasad Akkiraju on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12
● Tianhua Wu on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12
● Shyamal on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12
● Ram on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12
● NewSunSEO on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12
● Tianhua Wu on Downtime and Apache Restricted Mode in Release 12

Powered by
Movable Type and Oracle
The views expressed on this blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Oracle. Terms of
Use

http://blogs.oracle.com/stevenChan/2008/03/downtime_and_apache_restricted_1.html (13 of 13)8/19/2010 2:04:39 AM