6 Upgrading Considerations

The following sections describe upgrading from WebLogic jCOM 6.1 to WebLogic jCOM 8.1:

Advantages of jCOM 8.1 over jCOM 6.1
Changes to Your COM Code
Security Changes
Configuration Changes

Upgrading from WebLogic jCOM 7.0 to WebLogic jCOM 8.1 requires only minor changes, which are discussed in Upgrading from jCOM 7.0 to jCOM 8.1.

Advantages of jCOM 8.1 over jCOM 6.1

WebLogic jCOM 8.1 is dramatically simpler to implement than WebLogic jCOM 6.1, for the following reasons:

You no longer need to write and install a bridge. The jCOM runtime is now included in WebLogic Server. In fact, when you install WebLogic Server, the jCOM functionality is installed automatically.
You obtain the software you need on the COM machine by copying .dll and .exe files from your WebLogic Server installation directory.
jCOM is automatically enabled. This means that the WebLogic Server is automatically configured to listen for COM calls on its listen port.
jCOM properties are now configurable through WebLogic Server's Administration Console only.

Changes to Your COM Code

The upgrade to WebLogic Server 8.1 from jCOM 6.1 may affect your COM application code in the following ways:

If you are running a zero client application you can now obtain an object reference moniker (ORM) programmatically from a servlet running on WebLogic Server. You also have the option of obtaining it the old way—by running com.bea.jcom.GetJvmMoniker.

To obtain the ORM from the servlet, open a Web browser on WebLogic Server to http://[wlshost]:[wlsport]/bea_wls_internal/com.
Purge from your COM code any references to a separate jCOM bridge.

Security Changes

Previously handled through jCOM-specific software, security is now implemented through WebLogic Server's security mechanism of roles and policies. Specifically, to allow COM clients access to WebLogic Server objects, you must export those objects for use by the COM client. You do this through the WebLogic Server Administration Console.

For details, see Chapter 3, "Configuring Access Control."

Configuration Changes

You now configure properties through console rather than at command-line and many of the properties have gone away. The following table maps 6.1 properties to 8.1 properties:

This 6.1 property:	Is handled this way in 8.1:
ENABLE_TCP_NODELAY	No longer needed.
JCOM_DCOM_PORT	No longer needed. The new port defaults to the port WebLogic Server is listening on, typically 7001.
JCOM_COINIT_VALUE	Configure via the `Apartment Threaded` property in the WebLogic Server Console
JCOM_INCOMING_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT	Configure via the `Complete Message Timeout` property under Server > Protocols > General > Advanced Options in the Administration Console.
JCOM_OUTGOING_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT	Causes outgoing connections (connections initiated by the WebLogic jCOM runtime) which have not been used for specified number of milliseconds to disconnect. Configure by adding the 'JCOM_OUTGOING_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT = [number of milliseconds]' parameter on the command-line (for example, to the Java option of your WebLogic Server start script).
COM.BEA.JCOM.SERVER	WebLogic Server's listen port is used.
JCOM_MAX_REQUEST_HANDLERS	jCOM threading has been integrated with the WebLogic Server thread pool so this setting now corresponds to the number of threads configured for the WebLogic Server.
JCOM_NATIVE_MODE	Configure via the `Native Mode Enabled` property in the WebLogic Server Administration Console.
JCOM_NOGIT	No longer needed.
JCOM_NTAUTH_HOST	Configure via the `NTAuth Host` property in the WebLogic Server Administration Console.
JCOM_LOCAL_PORT_START	No longer needed. WebLogic Server listen port is used for this range.
JCOM_LOCAL_PORT_END	No longer needed. WebLogic Server listen port is used for this range.
JCOM_PROXY_PACKAGE	No longer needed.
JCOM_SKIP_CLOSE	No longer needed. WebLogic Server closes connections based on the value of the `Complete Message Timeout` property.
JCOM_WS_NAME	No longer needed. WebLogic jCOM uses the name of the server instance you invoke in a `CreateObject` statement.

Upgrading from jCOM 7.0 to jCOM 8.1

There are no code changes required for upgrading from jCOM 7.0 to jCOM 8.1. However, you now configure COM packet timeout values and the maximum length of COM message packets via a different location in the Administration Console.

These changes are summarized in the following table:

Value	Configure this way in 7.0	Configure this way in 8.1
COM packet timeout value	Set the `COM Message Timeout` property under Server > Connections > jCOM in the Administration Console	Set the `Complete Message Timeout` property under Server > Protocols > General > Advanced Options in the Administration Console.
The maximum length of COM message packets	Set the `COM Max Message Size` property under Server > Connections > jCOM in the Administration Console	Set the `Complete Maximum Message Size` property under Server > Protocols > General > Advanced Options in the Administration Console.