Oracle this week upgraded the WebLogic application server that the company gained in its BEA Systems acquisition, adding integration with Oracle's Fusion middleware platform. Oracle WebLogic Server was named as Oracle's strategic Java container on July 1. The upgrade, WebLogic Server 10g R3, serves as the "cornerstone" of Oracle WebLogic Suite, which offers a foundation for enterprise applications and SOA and supports scale-out application grids, adaptive systems management, and predictable performance, Oracle said.

"The accelerated release of Oracle WebLogic Server 10g R3 demonstrates our commitment to BEA customers to quickly deliver new integrations with Oracle Fusion Middleware," said Thomas Kurian, senior vice president of Oracle Fusion Middleware, in a statement released by the company. With version 10g R3, users gain extended "hot-pluggable" capabilities to drop and deploy Fusion Middleware products into IT environments. The application server integrates with Oracle Fusion Middleware products such as the JDeveloper Java development tool; Coherence, for data managing and caching; TopLink, for object-relational persistence; and Enterprise Manager, for application management. The application server is among the first products that will combine Fusion Middleware and former BEA technologies.

Developer and end user enhancements are highlighted including a lighter-weight footprint, optional service startup, and faster startup. A FastSwap capability offers rapid develop-debut test cycles, Oracle said. Expanded support for the Spring Java framework is featured as well; Spring developers can leverage WebLogic's capabilities and manageability, according to Oracle. Spring capabilities for WebLogic Server previously had been stressed when BEA was in charge of the product.

An HTTP publish-subscribe feature in version 10g R3 supports dynamically updated Web 2.0-style rich user interfaces, Oracle said. JRockit Mission Control capabilities allow developers and users to gain more performance and insight application behaviors, according to Oracle.