Appendix B. Migration from Previous Versions

by Kunal Mittal and Joe McGuire

IN THIS APPENDIX

• Migration from Versions 6.0/6.1/7.0 to 8.1

• Migration from Versions 4.5/5.1 to 8.1

• Installation Recommendations for All Migrations

• Application Recommendations for All Migrations

If you're reading this appendix, you probably have an existing WebLogic application on an earlier version of WebLogic Server that you would like to migrate to version 8.1.

Migration involves upgrading two components: the server installation and the applications. The particular migration procedures you'll follow depend on whether you're migrating from versions 6.0/6.1/7.0 or from versions 4.5/5.1.

Prior to version 6.0, the WebLogic installation used a number of proprietary files, such as the weblogic.properties file, to configure server and application properties. WebLogic Server also used its own class loader and security files. As J2EE standards began to take shape, version 6.0 was introduced to more closely conform to those standards. Version 6.0 was a radical departure from its predecessor, version 5.1, and wholly changed not only the WebLogic Server configuration, but also application structure and deployment.

This appendix walks you through each of the two migration scenarios: first from the perspective of a version 6.0/6.1/7.0 upgrade, and then from that of versions 4.5/5.1.