Hi,
Here are some of the enhancements in Weblogic6.0 :
WebLogic Server 6.0 contains the following new features:
Enterprise Messaging Platform � BEA WebLogic Server extends the
platform to include high-volume messaging based on Java
Messaging Service (JMS).
Integrated XML Support � Leverage Extensible Markup Language
(XML) capabilities for B2B, EAI, and presentation services.
Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) 2.0 with Message Driven Beans and
Advanced Container Managed Persistence -- Take a look into the
future of Enterprise Java (J2EE) with BEA's EJB 2.0
implementation.
Distributed Transaction Management � The new transaction
manager, leveraging BEA's expertise with BEA Tuxedo�, gives
developers the ability to do complex, distributed transactions
from Java-based applications.
New Web-based System Management � New management and usability
features greatly enhance administrator and developer
productivity. These features dramatically improve every aspect
of the application lifecycle - from installation, to
configuration, development, deployment and management.
J2EE Certification - Certification assures enterprises and
developers alike that APIs and development features will work in
a uniform way.
Web and Object Clustering Enhancements � BEA WebLogic Server 6.0
extends the clustering architecture to improve scalability and
high availability.
Web Server Enhancements � BEA WebLogic Server 6.0 eliminates the
requirement for a separate Web server with a powerful and
tightly integrated Web/application server architecture.
Security Enhancements � BEA WebLogic Server 6.0 offers new
security features including denial of service protection and
improved administration.
Internationalization � BEA WebLogic Server 6.0 can support
virtually any language , including double-byte character-set languages like Japanese kanji
Database Multipools � You have always been able to setup jdbc connection pools in WLS, but in 6.0 they allow you to setup a meta pool. You would normally setup your architecture so that you have replicated database servers, and then the pool points to both servers (e.g. Oracle replication). Then if the main oracle instance dies, the multipool will failover to the backup instance.
Solid transaction support (Two Phase Commit) -- BEA got the transaction gurus from Tuxedo, and built full XA compliant 2PC transactional support into WLS 6.0.
No more weblogic.class.path � Again, if you are used to WLS 5.1 and below you will have run into problems when you didn't setup your weblogic.class.path, CLASSPATH, and/or servlet.class.path correctly. The nasty "ClassCastException" can glare at you if you are not careful. Now JDK1.3 is out, it allows WLS to disgard it's
hack with multiple classloaders, and we are left with one CLASSPATH.
WLS forces you to use 1.3 and above for the server.
Central Admin Server -> Managed Server -- WLS 6.0 has changed it's configuration architecture to come closer to BEA Tuxedo. You have an admin server that holds the configuration for all servers in a given "domain". When you start up the managed servers, they point to the admin and get their config, and code sent over to them. This allows you to centralize your configuration, instead of having properties files all over the network.
Stateful Session In-memory replication -- WebLogic clustering has been improved in 6.0. You can now cluster stateful session beans using in-memory replication. The server that holds the state will replicate it to a backup server. If the primary goes down you will be routed across to the backup. Then the backup will become the primary and choose another server as its backup.