Oracle Forms and Reports Servers inside a docker container

Question

I have a conceptual question.

I am recently working with Oracle Forms and Reports. We had our system built on Solaris, and now we are migrating to Debian. The problem is, that the new platform is not supported by the Oracle Forms and Reports that we are using.

Now, I hardly know anything about docker images, therefore I would like to ask the ones that know this stuff: Is it possible for the Oracle Forms and Reports servers to run inside a docker container, and that I can still use my user interface on the host machine, whcih is based on Oracle Forms and Reports.

Forgive me, if the question sounds stupid, I do not understand this stuff, I am still learning.

We have a GUI and an oracle database with oracle forms and reports installed (or that is the goal). The user interacts with the database through this gui, which has oracle forms and reports windows.

Before I dive into docker, I would like to know if it is possible to have Oracle Forms and Reports Servers to run inside the docker container, while the GUI runs on the host machine. I also would like to know whether this is easier than struggling with a platform that is not supported, and woudl need packages and stuff.

I assume it is not that simple :D There are already installed and working oracle forms and reports docker images around the web. In my dreams I just run the docker image with the Oracle Forms and Reports inside it, and just change the defined paths on my host machine, as if the Oracle was still there, just inside the "docker image folder".

Thank you for your answers :)

Answer 1

It is believed to be technically possible to run F/R in a Docker container. However, just like using Debian, Docker is not certified either.

https://github.com/DirkNachbar/Docker

Why would you move to Debian and not a flavor that offers formal support? Completely free may sound like a good idea, until you have a critical issue.

Oracle Fusion Middleware is certified on Oracle Linux, RedHat, and Suse. Certainly one of these could work for your org. At least with one of these you have an option to contact a "Support" organization and get direct help if it becomes necessary.

If you plan to run any Oracle software, I strongly recommend using a certified platform. In your case, F/R is only part of it. What about the DB? That will also need to be on a certified platform.