Oracle Application Server

The Oracle Application Server 10g (the "g" stands for grid) (short Oracle AS), consists of an integrated, standards-based software platform. It forms part of Oracle Corporation's Fusion Middleware technology stack. The heart of Oracle Application Server consists of Oracle HTTP Server (based on Apache HTTP Server) and OC4J (OracleAS Containers for Java EE) which deploys Java EE-based applications. The version of OC4J offers full compatibility with the Java EE 1.4 specifications.

Oracle Application Server became the first platform designed for grid computing as well as with full life-cycle support for service-oriented architecture (SOA).

The release of Oracle Application Server, 10g R3, does not feature a metadata repository tier, relying instead on metadata repositories provided in previous releases.

Following Oracle's acquisition of BEA Systems: “key features [will be] integrated with WebLogic Server with seamless migration”.

History
Oracle Corporation marketed its first application server using the name Oracle Web Server (OWS). A subsequent repackaging resulted in the Oracle Application Server (OAS). A later product, superseding OAS, became the iAS (Internet Application Server).

Editions
Oracle Corporation subdivides some of its products into varying "editions"—apparently to facilitate marketing and license-tracking.

Available Oracle AS editions include:
 * Enterprise Edition
 * Standard Edition
 * Standard Edition One
 * Java Edition

Components

 * Oracle Portal
 * Oracle Identity Management
 * Oracle Integration
 * Oracle Business Rules
 * Oracle BPEL Process Manager (option)
 * Oracle Business Activity Monitoring (option)
 * Oracle Business Intelligence
 * Oracle Forms
 * Oracle Reports
 * Oracle TopLink
 * Oracle JDeveloper
 * Oracle Application Server Containers for Java EE (OC4J)
 * Oracle Enterprise Manager
 * Oracle Application Server Web Cache
 * Oracle Application Server Wireless
 * Oracle Application Development Framework

OC4J
Oracle Corporation refers to its implementation of the Java EE specification as Oracle Containers for J2EE and abbreviates the concept as OC4J. OC4J, originally based on the IronFlare Orion Application Server, has developed solely under Oracle's control since Oracle Corporation acquired the source code.

OC4J includes the following servers:
 * Web Container
 * Enterprise JavaBean Container
 * JMS Server

Implementation
Oracle Application Server can utilize an "Oracle AS Infrastructure Database"—an Oracle database instance supporting the Oracle AS Metadata Repository and/or Oracle Identity Management.

OPMN - the Oracle Process Management and Notification server - monitors components of the Oracle Application Server.

Operation
The opmnctl command starts, stops and monitors Oracle AS components.