17 Using the MWaaS Self Service Portal

Using the MWaaS Self Service Portal

The Middleware Self Service Portal allows Self Service (SSA) users to view, monitor, and request middleware services. SSA users can request middleware services using any of the predefined service templates. They can deploy, undeploy applications, create data sources, scale up, and scale down services with minimal or zero intervention by the Self Service Administrator.

To view the MWaaS Self Service Portal, follow these steps:

1. Log into Enterprise Manager as a user with EM_SSA_USER privileges.

2. Click the My Middleware radio button. The Middleware Cloud Self Service Portal appears.

   Figure 17-1 Middleware Cloud Self Service Portal

   
   

3. This page contains the following tabs:

   • Home: The Home tab contains the following regions:

     • Notifications: This region shows the number of services that are due to expire in the next 7 days and the number of the services templates published within the last 7 days.

     • Your Usage: The total quota (servers and memory) used so far by the SSA user, including all the services that the user has created.

     • Middleware Services: This region shows the list of services owned by the SSA user. For each service, the status, the zone being used by the service, the creation date, expiration date, and days until expiration are displayed. To request a service, click Request Service. See Requesting a Service for details. Click on the Name link to drill down to the Request Service Home page.

     • My Requests: This region shows a list of Service Creation, Service Deletion, Scale Up, and Scale Down requests. For each request, the status, type, start date, and submission date of the request is displayed. Select columns from the View menu to view more details about the request. You can select a scheduled request and click Cancel to delete the request. If a request that is scheduled such as Create gets canceled, all other associated requests are also canceled.

   • Chargeback: This tab displays all the chargeback break-up data for the service. The charge incurred will be calculated from the service requested date to current date. This page contains the following regions:

     • Charge Trend: This graph show the usage and charge trends over time.

     • Details: You can aggregate the chargeback data for the service by resources of metrics. You can export this data to an external application such as a spreadsheet.

     • Charge Plans: The charge plans that have been assigned to each PaaS Infrastructure Zone are displayed. Select a zone to view the pricing. The rate for each metric in the zone for a specific time period is displayed.

   • My Library: This tab displays a list of Java EE application components that are available to the SSA user. You can do the following:

     • Upload: You can upload a new Java EE application component to the Software Library. See Uploading a Java EE Component to the Software Library for details.

     • Delete: Select a Java EE component from the list and click Delete to remove it from the library.

     • Share / Stop Sharing: You can share a component with one or more users and roles. Select the component and click Share. The Select and Share: Users and Roles window appears. From the Type drop list, select User or Role and click Search. The users or roles with which the component can be shared. Select one or more users or roles and click Share. The selected component is shared with the specified users and roles. To stop sharing the component, select the component and click Stop Sharing.

Requesting a Service

You can deploy a middleware service to a specific zone with a selected service template. To request a middleware service, follow these steps:

1. Click Request Service in the Home page of the Middleware Cloud Self Service Portal.

2. The Select Service Template window appears. A list of service templates available in the zones the SSA user can access is displayed. Choose a service template and click Select to launch the New Service Request page.

   Figure 17-2 New Service Request Page

   
   

3. Enter a name for the service and select the PaaS Infrastructure Zone in which the new service is to be deployed.

4. You can specify the schedule for the service request.

   • Start Date: The service can be started Immediately or Later. If you select the Later option, specify the date from which the service is to be available.

   • End Date: The service can be available Indefinitely or till a specific date. If you select the Until option, specify the date till which the service is to be available. The service will be deleted on the specified date and will no longer be available.

5. In the Deploy Application region, you can optionally choose to deploy an application to the new service being created. Enter the following details:

   • Application Name: Enter a name for the application that is to be deployed.

   • Application Component: Select a Java EE application component from the Software Library

   • Deployment Plan: Select an xml file that contains the deployment options. This file overrides the deployment plan (if any) specified with the application component.

Viewing the Middleware Service Home Page

The Middleware Service Home page provides detailed information about the services you have requested using the Request Service option. To view the Middleware Service Home page, click on the Name link in the Middleware Services region in the Middleware Cloud Self Service Portal: Home tab.

Figure 17-3 Middleware Service Home Page

This page contains the following regions:

• Performance Summary: Shows the availability status of the service, the number of servers, and the performance metrics for the service. The metrics displayed are the metrics for the underlying WebLogic cluster associated with this service.

• Resource Usage: Shows the CPU and Heap Usage charts for each server in the cluster.

  Note: The server names are based on the name of the first server configured in the middleware provisioning profile. For example, if the first managed server is named as ser_1, after scale up, the subsequent servers are named as ser_2, ser_3 and so on.

• Applications: Lists all the applications deployed to this service. For each application, the name, status, and the key metrics such as Active Sessions, Request Processing Time, and Request per Minute are displayed. Click on the Name link to drill down to the Application Home page. You can do the following:

  • Deploy: Click Deploy to deploy the application to the service. See Deploying an Application for details

  • Delete: Select an application and click Delete to undeploy an application.

  • Redeploy: If you have an updated Java EE application component, you can select the application and click Redeploy to redeploy the application.

  • Start / Stop: Select an application and click Start or Stop to start or stop the application.

  • Test: Select an application and click the Test icon. A list of URLs is displayed in the Application URLs dialog box. Click the URL to navigate to the associated page.

• Data Sources: This region shows all the data sources that are available for this service. For each data source, the name, JNDI name and the URL for the database is displayed. You can create new data sources, edit or delete existing data sources, and test the connection to any specified data source.

• Response and Load: Shows the request processing time and number of requests per minute for the current service.

• My Requests: This table shows all the requests that have submitted for this service. These include requests such as Deploy, Undeploy, Redeploy, Start, Stop, Create, Edit, and Delete data source.

Uploading a Java EE Component to the Software Library

You can upload pre-configured ear, war, jar, or rar files to the Software Library. These files are uploaded to the Software Library as Java EE Application components, which are then deployed to your service. To upload a file to the Software Library, click the My Library tab. The Upload to Software Library field appears.

Figure 17-6 Upload to Software Library

Enter the name and description of the file being uploaded. You can then choose to upload files as follows:

• Individual Files: If you choose the Upload Files Individually option, you need to specify the following:

  • Archive: Select the archive file to be uploaded to the Software Library. This can be an ear, war, jar, or rar file. You can also optionally specify the following:

    • Deployment Plan: This is an xml file containing the deployment options for the Java EE Application component.

    • Pre Deploy Script: This is a script containing WLST commands. The Management Agent runs this script on the Administration Server associated with each instance before the application is deployed. You can use this script to create data sources, JMS end points, and any other resources that might be needed by the application that is being deployed.

    • Post Deploy Script: This is a WLST script that is executed by Management Agent on the Administration Server after the application is deployed. You can use this script to perform any post deployment configuration. For example, if you need to roll back and undo the changes made by the pre deploy script, you can select this option.

• Zip File: If you select the Upload Zip File option, you must upload a zip file that contains the JavaEEAppComp.manifest file that describes the contents of the zip file.

Click Upload to upload the file to the Software Library.

Viewing the Application Home Page

To view the Application Home page, select an application, and click the Name link in the Applications table on the Middleware Service Home page.

Figure 17-7 MWaaS Application Home Page

This page displays performance and availability for the application, along with a chart that shows response and load. You can redeploy, delete (undeploy), start, or stop the application using options from the Application menu.