Saturday, March 21, 2009

Bugs in Oracle SOA Suite 10.1.3.4

While testing our application on 10.1.3.4 MLR5, two pieces of functionality broke. Both of them undocumented and still awaiting confirmation as bugs from Oracle.

1. We have a BPEL process that insets a message into a queue using AQ adapter. This fails, with an exception stating xsi not defined in the XML. I've encountered this error message while inserting message into the queue when the XML is invalid.

Strangely enough this xml was generated from a java client proxy, and the xsi definition (mapping xsi to its corresponding namespace) exists along with the soap header. xsi is usually used to denote nulls in xml. If the definition of xsi is moved into the body the error dissapears.

Strange. Very Strange.

2. Another BPEL process contains a task being created and then the same task updating the outcome of the task. No authentication information was passed since the credentials returned while creating the task were used to complete the task. It generates some sort of a token that does this, but this piece of functionality broker in the newer version. Authentication information is required to be passed, so needed to give the bpeladmin username/password. Not very nice.

Hoping no more undocumented isses arise. Will update this post based on the response provided by Oracle support regarding the issues.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

SOA suite upgrade 10.1.3.4

I just upgraded my developer system (windows XP) to SOA suite upgrade 10.1.3.4 MLR#5 running on OLite. Below are the special points from the release notes. I still need to test the stability and features of the new version.


Section 5.1.1, "Password Displays in Clear Text During Deinstallation"
Section 5.1.2, "Passwords Appear in Clear Text in /tmp Directory After Running IRCA.SH"
>>LOL

5.1.3 BPEL Process Instances Do Not Display in Oracle BPEL Control when Using Oracle Database Lite

“If you install Oracle BPEL Process Manager with the Basic Install option, Oracle Database Lite (Olite) is installed. If you then apply the 10.1.3.4 patch to this installation, BPEL process instances under the Instances tab in Oracle BPEL Control do not display.
As a workaround, use the Advanced Install option, which enables you to install a database other than Olite.”
>>WTF? Was it never tested? Or they have stopped making the tool developer friendly.

5.5.11 Removing or Changing the Passwords of Default User Accounts
>>Finally clearly stated

5.7.3 Fault Policy Changes Do Not Require a Restart of Oracle BPEL Server
>> Nice

5.9.5 BPEL Test Suite OnMessage Event Does Not Support Synchronous Operations
When reading section "Asynchronous Event Emulation" of Chapter 20, "Testing BPEL Processes" of the Oracle BPEL Process Manager Developer's Guide, note that the onMessage event does not support synchronous (that is, two way) operations.
>> never knew this !!!