We have good news to highlight for Oracle WebLogic Server and Oracle Fusion Middleware customers. This information is available from standard Oracle documents that are maintained on an ongoing basis, but we are providing an overview here to help customers plan upgrades and new deployments. In short, we are working on a new WebLogic Server and Fusion Middleware 14.1.2 release, planned for CY2023*, and we have extended our support timeframes for WebLogic Server and Fusion Middleware 12.2.1.4. This means you have a longer period of time to run your WebLogic Server and Fusion Middleware applications on 12.2.1.4 if you choose, and you can also begin your planning for a future upgrade to Fusion Middleware 14.1.2 with new features and capabilities.
Background
To set some context, Fusion Middleware is Oracle’s digital business platform for the enterprise, including products ranging from application development tools and integration solutions to identity management, collaboration, and business intelligence reporting. Fusion Middleware enables organizations to efficiently create and run agile, intelligent applications in client-server, web, and cloud environments. WebLogic Server is a key component of the Fusion Middleware product family, supporting standards based application development, performance, scalability and manageability for on premises and cloud deployments. Most of the other Fusion Middleware products are built on or utilize WebLogic Server. WebLogic Server and Fusion Middleware releases are coordinated to support integrated usage of Fusion Middleware products with simplified management and maintainability. For more information about Fusion Middleware, see our product documentation and pages on oracle.com.
The most current release of Fusion Middleware, and the most widely deployed release, is Fusion Middleware 12.2.1.4. This is a Long Term Support (LTS) release, which means it is the final patch set release in the 12.2.1.X line, and will be maintained with patches and quarterly security fixes for the duration of 12.2.1.X Premier and Extended Support. It provides a powerful set of capabilities and a long support lifecycle for maximum return on investment in your deployments. We strongly encourage existing Fusion Middleware customers to upgrade to 12.2.1.4 if they have not done so already.
A common pattern used to deliver Fusion Middleware releases is to deliver a first release of WebLogic Server and Oracle Coherence, followed by a subsequent release(s) of the full Fusion Middleware product family. WebLogic Server and Coherence 14.1.1, which began shipping in March 2020, are the first product releases of Fusion Middleware 14.1.X. They include Java EE 8 and Jakarta EE 8 compatibility, simplified integration with microservices, support for a new WebLogic Remote Console built in open source, enhancements to Kubernetes tooling and support, Java SE 8 and 11 certification, GraalVM EE certification, and improvements to Oracle Database integration. We have seen strong adoption of WebLogic Server and Coherence 14.1.1 and expect that to continue as we prepare for the rollout of Fusion Middleware 14.1.2.
Fusion Middleware Statement of Direction
In May of this year, we updated the Fusion Middleware Statement of Direction to indicate that the next planned release of Fusion Middleware is Fusion Middleware 14.1.2, which will be built on updated versions of WebLogic Server and Coherence 14.1.2, with features and enhancements in areas such as:
- The latest Java technologies – Java SE 11 and 17 certification, Java EE 8 and Jakarta EE 8 and GraalVM;
- Cloud native application development and deployment, including alignment with Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) recommended technologies;
- Security and compliance enhancements to address modern security and regulatory requirements; and
- Interoperability in hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments.
For more information on specific products and timing see the Fusion Middleware Statement of Direction, but WebLogic Server, Coherence and a significant set of Fusion Middleware products 14.1.2 are intended for release in CY2023. Oracle intends that when Fusion Middleware 14.1.2 is released, we will offer the standard five (5) years of Premier Support and three (3) years of Extended Support. Oracle intends to designate Fusion Middleware 14.1.2 as an LTS release as referenced above, and as defined in the following MyOracle Support document: Oracle Fusion Middleware Error Correction Policy (Doc ID: 209768.1).
Extending WebLogic Server and Fusion Middleware 12.2.1.4 Support
In addition to updating our plans for new Fusion Middleware releases, we have also extended the duration of our support for WebLogic Server, Coherence and Fusion Middleware 12.2.1.4. As indicated in our updated Oracle Lifetime Support Policy for Oracle Fusion Middleware Guide we have extended 12.2.1.4 support dates to December 2025 (Premier Support) and December 2027 (Extended Support). This is a long period of time over which existing and new customers can leverage their 12.2.1.4 investments. We encourage all FMW customers who have not yet upgraded to upgrade now to 12.2.1.4 to take advantage of this long support lifecycle, with the confidence that you will be able to upgrade to newer releases with new capabilities in the future. For those of you already running on WebLogic Server 14.1.1, you will have a new release of WebLogic Server 14.1.2 coming, with a plan for the overall Fusion Middleware product line built on it. The future is bright, and as always, there will be more to come.
*All references in this document to Oracle WebLogic Server, Oracle Coherence and Oracle Fusion Middleware 14.1.2 plans are intended to outline our general product direction. The references to these plans are intended for informational purposes only and may not be incorporated into any contract. They are not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for Oracle’s products remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.