Java Runtime Environment 7u10 (a.k.a. JRE 1.7.0_10 build 18) and later updates on the JRE 7 codeline are now certified with Oracle E-Business Suite Release 11i and 12 Windows-based desktop clients.

What's needed to enable EBS environments for JRE 7?

EBS customers should ensure that they are running JRE 7u10, at minimum, on Windows desktop clients.

Of the compatibility issues identified with JRE 7, the most critical is an issue that prevents E-Business Suite Forms-based products from launching on Windows desktops that are running JRE 7. 

Customers can prevent this issue -- and all other JRE 7 compatibility issues -- by ensuring that they have applied the latest certified patches documented for JRE 7 configurations to their EBS application tier servers.  These are summarized here for convenience. If the requirements change over time, please check the Notes for the authoritative list of patches:

1. Apply Forms patch 14615390 to EBS 11i environments (Note 125767.1)
2. Apply Forms patch 14614795 to EBS 12.0 and 12.1 environments (Note 437878.1)

These patches are compatible with JRE 6 and 7, production ready, and fully-tested with the E-Business Suite.  These patches may be applied immediately to all E-Business Suite environments. All other Forms prerequisites documented in the Notes above should also be applied. 

Where are the official patch requirements documented?

All patches required for ensuring full compatibility of the E-Business Suite with JRE 7 are documented in these Notes:

For EBS 11i:

• Deploying Sun JRE (Native Plug-in) for Windows Clients in Oracle E-Business Suite Release 11i (Note 290807.1)
• Upgrading Developer 6i with Oracle E-Business Suite 11i (Note 125767.1)

For EBS 12

• Deploying Sun JRE (Native Plug-in) for Windows Clients in Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12 (Note 393931.1)
• Upgrading OracleAS 10g Forms and Reports in Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12 (Note 437878.1)

Prerequisites for 32-bit and 64-bit JRE certifications

JRE 1.70_10 32-bit + EBS 11.5.10.2

• Windows XP SP3
• Windows Vista SP1 and SP2
• Windows 7 and Windows 7 SP1 
• Forms 6.0.8.28.x patch 14615390 (Note 125767.1)

JRE 1.70_10 32-bit + EBS 12.0 & 12.1

• Windows XP SP3
• Windows Vista SP1 and SP2
• Windows 7 and Windows 7 SP1
  
• Forms 10g overlay patch 14614795 (Note 437878.1)
• SSL Users:  10.1.0.5 version of Patch 6370967 applied to AS 10.1.3 with OPatch.
  Note: This fix is already included in the April 2011 AS 10.1.3.5 CPU patch and later.
  

JRE 1.7.0_10 64-bit + EBS 11.5.10.2

• Windows 7 (64-bit) and Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit)
• Forms 6.0.8.28.x patch 14615390 (Note 125767.1)

JRE 1.70_10 64-bit + EBS 12.0 & 12.1

• Windows 7 (64-bit) and Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit)
• Forms 10g overlay patch 14614795 (Note 437878.1)
  
• SSL Users:  10.1.0.5 version of Patch 6370967 applied to AS 10.1.3 with OPatch.
  Note: This fix is already included in the April 2011 AS 10.1.3.5 CPU patch and later. 
  

EBS + Discoverer 11g Users

JRE 1.7.0_10 (7u10) is certified for Discoverer 11g in E-Business Suite environments with the following minimum requirements:

• Discoverer (11g) 11.1.1.6 plus Patch 13877486 and later 
• Reference: How To Find Oracle BI Discoverer 10g and 11g Certification Information (Document 233047.1)

Worried about the 'mismanaged session cookie' issue?

No need to worry -- it's fixed.  To recap: JRE releases 1.6.0_18 through 1.6.0_22 had issues with mismanaging session cookies that affected some users in some circumstances.

The fix for those issues was first included in JRE 1.6.0_23. These fixes will carry forward and continue to be fixed in all future JRE releases on the JRE 6 and 7 codelines.  In other words, if you wish to avoid the mismanaged session cookie issue, you should apply any release after JRE 1.6.0_22 on the JRE 6 codeline, and JRE 7u10 and later JRE 7 codeline updates.

All JRE 6 and 7 releases are certified with EBS upon release

Our standard policy is that all E-Business Suite customers can apply all JRE updates to end-user desktops from JRE 1.6.0_03 and later updates on the 1.6 codeline, and from JRE 7u10 and later updates on the JRE 7 codeline.  We test all new JRE 1.6 and JRE 7 releases in parallel with the JRE development process, so all new JRE 1.6 and 7 releases are considered certified with the E-Business Suite on the same day that they're released by our Java team. 

You do not need to wait for a certification announcement before applying new JRE 1.6 or JRE 7 releases to your EBS users' desktops.

Implications of Java 6 End of Public Updates for EBS Users

The Support Roadmap for Oracle Java is published here:

• Oracle Java SE Support Roadmap

The latest updates to that page (as of Sept. 19, 2012) state (emphasis added):

Java SE 6 End of Public Updates Notice

After February 2013, Oracle will no longer post updates of Java SE 6 to its public download sites. Existing Java SE 6 downloads already posted as of February 2013 will remain accessible in the Java Archive on Oracle Technology Network. Developers and end-users are encouraged to update to more recent Java SE versions that remain available for public download. For enterprise customers, who need continued access to critical bug fixes and security fixes as well as general maintenance for Java SE 6 or older versions, long term support is available through Oracle Java SE Support .

What does this mean for Oracle E-Business Suite users?

EBS users fall under the category of "enterprise users" above.  Java is an integral part of the Oracle E-Business Suite technology stack, so EBS users will continue to receive Java SE 6 updates after February 2013.

In other words, nothing will change for EBS users after February 2013. 

EBS users will continue to receive critical bug fixes and security fixes as well as general maintenance for Java SE 6. These Java SE 6 updates will be made available to EBS users for the Extended Support periods documented in the Oracle Lifetime Support policy document for Oracle Applications (PDF):

1. EBS 11i Extended Support ends November 2013
2. EBS 12.0 Extended Support ends January 2015
3. EBS 12.1 Extended Support ends December 2018

Will EBS users be forced to upgrade to JRE 7 for Windows desktop clients?

No. This upgrade is highly recommended but currently remains optional. JRE 6 will be available to Windows users to run with EBS for the duration of your respective EBS Extended Support period.  Updates will be delivered via My Oracle Support, where you can continue to receive critical bug fixes and security fixes as well as general maintenance for JRE 6 desktop clients. 

Coexistence of JRE 6 and JRE 7 on Windows desktops

The upgrade to JRE 7 is highly recommended for EBS users, but some users may need to run both JRE 6 and 7 on their Windows desktops for reasons unrelated to the E-Business Suite.

Most EBS configurations with IE and Firefox use non-static versioning by default. JRE 7 will be invoked instead of JRE 6 if both are installed on a Windows desktop. For more details, see "Appendix B: Static vs. Non-static Versioning and Set Up Options" in Notes 290801.1 and 393931.1.

Applying Updates to JRE 6 and JRE 7 to Windows desktops

Auto-update will keep JRE 7 up-to-date for Windows users with JRE 7 installed.

Auto-update will only keep JRE 7 up-to-date for Windows users with both JRE 6 and 7 installed. 

JRE 6 users are strongly encouraged to apply the latest Critical Patch Updates as soon as possible after each release. The Jave SE CPUs will be available via My Oracle Support.  EBS users can find more information about JRE 6 and 7 updates here:

• Information Center: Installation & Configuration for Oracle Java SE (Note 1412103.2)

The dates for future Java SE CPUs can be found on the Critical Patch Updates, Security Alerts and Third Party Bulletin.  An RSS feed is available on that site for those who would like to be kept up-to-date.

What will Mac users need?

Oracle will provide updates to JRE 7 for Mac OS X users. EBS users running Macs will need to upgrade to JRE 7 to receive JRE updates.

The certification of Oracle E-Business Suite with JRE 7 for Mac-based desktop clients accessing EBS Forms-based content is underway. Mac users waiting for that certification may find this article useful:

• How to Reenable Apple Java 6 Plug-in for Mac EBS Users
  

Will EBS users be forced to upgrade to JDK 7 for EBS application tier servers?

No. This upgrade will be highly recommended but will be optional for EBS application tier servers running on Windows, Linux, and Solaris.  You can choose to remain on JDK 6 for the duration of your respective EBS Extended Support period.  If you remain on JDK 6, you will continue to receive critical bug fixes and security fixes as well as general maintenance for JDK 6.

The certification of Oracle E-Business Suite with JDK 7 for EBS application tier servers on Windows, Linux, and Solaris as well as other platforms such as IBM AIX and HP-UX is planned.  Customers running platforms other than Windows, Linux, and Solaris should refer to their Java vendors's sites for more information about their support policies.

References

• Recommended Browsers for Oracle Applications 11i (Metalink Note 285218.1)
• Upgrading Sun JRE (Native Plug-in) with Oracle Applications 11i for Windows Clients (Metalink Note 290807.1)
• Recommended Browsers for Oracle Applications 12 (MetaLink Note 389422.1)
• Upgrading JRE Plugin with Oracle Applications R12 (MetaLink Note 393931.1)

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