Some Tips & Tricks for JCS

Based on our experience and customer feedback, here you can find some Tips & Tricks for Oracle Java Cloud Service:

• To ensure that you can restore the database for an Oracle Java Cloud Service instance without risking data loss for other service instances, do not use the same Oracle Database Cloud - Database as a Service instance with multiple Oracle Java Cloud Service instances. Backups of an Oracle Database Cloud - Database as a Service instance that is used with multiple Oracle Java Cloud Service instances contain data for all the Oracle Java Cloud Service instances. If you restore the database while restoring an Oracle Java Cloud Service instance, data for all the Oracle Java Cloud Service instances is restored.

• Apply only patches that are available through Oracle Java Cloud Service. Do not apply patches from any other source. You can get the list of available patches for a service instance from the service instance's Patching page or through the Oracle Java Cloud Service REST API.

• Use only the default domain that was provisioned when a service instance was created. Do not add any Oracle WebLogic Server domains to the service instance.

• If you plan to integrate multi-domain environments, ensure that the first eight characters of your Oracle Java Cloud Service instance name are unique so that all domains and associated resources have unique names. For more information, click here for Oracle WebLogic Server 12.1.3.0 and here for Oracle WebLogic Server 11.1.1.7.

• Add managed servers to a service instance only by scaling out the Oracle WebLogic Server cluster in the service instance. Do not use Oracle WebLogic Server administrative interfaces for this purpose. For information about how to scale out the cluster in a service instance, see here. When Oracle Coherence is enabled for a service instance: The Coherence data tier is scaled independently of the application tier. See here for information about scaling out the Coherence data tier by adding a capacity unit.

• Add Oracle WebLogic Server clusters to a service instance only by using the Oracle Java Cloud Service REST API for scaling out a service instance. Do not use Oracle WebLogic Server administrative interfaces for this purpose. For information about the REST API for scaling out a service instance, see here. When Oracle Coherence is enabled for a service instance: Note that you can scale out the Coherence data tier but you cannot add a second data tier WebLogic Server (storage-enabled) cluster in the domain. See here for information about scaling out the Coherence data tier.

• When Oracle Coherence is enabled for a service instance: Use only the DataGridConfig Coherence cluster that was created when the service instance was initially provisioned. Do not use defaultCoherenceCluster.

ORACLE STORAGE CLOUD SERVICE

• Do not attach custom storage volumes to a service instance's
  VMs. Any custom storage volumes that you attach are detached if the service
  instance is restarted. If a service instance requires additional storage, add
  storage by scaling the service instance’s nodes as explained here.

• Do not detach, change file access permissions for, or change
  the mount point of any disk volume that Oracle Java Cloud Service attaches to a
  service instance's VMs during creation of the service instance. For details of
  these volumes, see here.

• Except for the DOMAIN_HOME volume, do not change the content
  of any disk volume that Oracle Java Cloud Service attaches to a service
  instance's VMs during creation of the service instance. For details of these
  volumes, see here.

• Do not change the content of the Boot/OS volume of any
  service instance provisioned before the mid-August 2015 update to Oracle Java
  Cloud Service.

• The Boot/OS volume of any service instance provisioned
  before the mid-August 2015 update to Oracle Java Cloud Service is an ephemeral
  disk volume. Content added to an ephemeral Boot/OS volume does not persist if
  the service instance is restarted. This restriction does not apply to more recent service
  instances. The Boot/OS volume of any service instance provisioned after the
  mid-August 2015 update to Oracle Java Cloud Service is persistent. Content
  added to a persistent Boot/OS volume is retained if the service instance is
  restarted. For details of this volume, see here.

ORACLE COMPUTE CLOUD SERVICE

• Bookmark important Public IPs, in particular those of the
  Administration Server Domain and Load Balancer. When you create an SSH tunnel
  you use the Administration Server Domain Public IP. The Managed Server has no
  Public IP, but you can use the Host or Internal IP to create an SSH tunnel to
  it. You can use the Load Balancer Public IP to test your apps.

• Do not change the egress and ingress network and security
  settings of any infrastructure resources that the service instance uses.

• Do not close any ports or protocols that Oracle Java Cloud
  Service opened during creation of a service instance. You can open new ports and protocols, but closing existing
  ports and protocols may impair the functioning of a service instance. For more information about the ports that Oracle Java Cloud
  Service opens during creation of a service instance, see here.
  

• Do not detach NAT IP addresses from any of a service
  instance's VMs.

• Do not change the Oracle Fusion Middleware component schemas
  with which a service instance was provisioned.

• Do not change the ports for the Oracle WebLogic Server
  administration server and the Oracle Traffic Director administration server.

• Do not change OS users and SSH key settings that Oracle Java
  Cloud Service configured during creation of a service instance.

• The recommended way to use WLST with JCS is to use an SSH
  Tunnel. While this isn’t that difficult to setup and use, it is an extra step
  that some may feel as unnecessary. It also changes the way you have been
  accustomed to using WLST against your on-premise WebLogic instances. Here you
  can find a few configuration steps that will negate the need for using an SSH
  tunnel so that you can deploy to JCS the same way you have been accustomed to
  with your on-premise WebLogic domains.

If you want to know more shortcuts or ways to improve your workflow, follow me on Twitter (@StefanoCloud) or add me on LinkedIn.