Understanding User Perspective and Architecture of Oracle Apps

Oracle Applications are data-driven, comprehensive, personalized, secure, and connected. They empower modern business in the cloud, allowing them to achieve superior results. In this post, we will discuss how users can access Oracle apps, what is its architecture, and key components.

User Request Servicing

To understand the components of Oracle E-Business Suite, it is first critical to know how users access the application. In order to access Oracle Applications, users have to launch a web browser, and then enter the URL, which is the web entry point for the app. After this, the web server will service user access request. You will be displayed a login screen where you have to provide necessary login information. Once you have logged in, you will have to select a responsibility, for example, System Administrator, and then select the menu option like Security: User Define to start working on the app. The menu option will automatically direct you to Java Servlet Pages JSP or HTML page, or to the Forms application.

At this time, the web server will continue serving all Java Servlet or HTML requests, unless until a Forms application is launched. In that case, a Forms Server or Forms Servlet will service such kind of requests. Throughout the entire process, users will retrieve data and execute packages from within Oracle Database.

Oracle Applications Components

Now that you have understood how users access Oracle apps, let’s look at some of the components that service user requests.

• Client: Users trying to access Oracle Applications must have an Oracle-defined web browser like Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Here, applications are served either as Oracle Forms or web applications. Users have to first login and then continue accessing Forms applications or web pages. It is required to have Oracle JInitiator plug-in to run the Forms as Java applets on the client.

• Web Node: For all Oracle Applications, the default web server is the Oracle Application Server based on Apache, and the web node is the node that runs this server.

• Forms Node: In case where Forms servlets are not configured for Oracle Applications Server, the Forms Sessions are serviced by Forms Server. Whenever a user initiates a Forms request, the web server hands off the request to Forms Server, which listens to incoming requests on a particular port. Forms Node is one that runs the Forms Server.

In addition to the above, Concurrent Processing Node, Database Node, and Admin Node are other components that service user requests.

Oracle Applications Architecture

Basic Architecture: When Oracle apps are deployed with a basic architecture, it usually does not have large concurrent user base, bulk transactional processing requirements, or special configuration requirements. These may run on one tier, which means that all nodes will run on a single physical server.

Two-Tier Architecture: Earlier, the Concurrent Processing Node shared the same tier as Database Node. But with fast network connectivity, it is recommended that the former runs on application tier.

Advanced Architecture: In this model, more number of nodes in the application tier is being split across multiple servers. Furthermore, additional nodes are being defined for similar components. The architecture involves multiple Forms, Web, Database, and Concurrent Processing nodes. 

What is Load Balancing?

It is the process of distributing users or transactions to multiple nodes servicing the same function. Load balancing is important when a large number of users need access to Oracle appsor when the number of transactions to be processed is huge. It becomes important to build multiple nodes servicing the same functions, thus, balancing excessive load on a single node.