Configurable settings and endpoint replacements

There are multiple approaches to define configuration settings for the composite which can be changed at run time.

Configuration Settings

DVM
Pros

• Stored in MDS
• Changes are independent of deployment
• Nice UI for update

Cons

• Hard to modularize per Composite
• If managed via both UI and SVN, it can quickly can get out of sync in multiple environment.
• Not too sure about what level of caching is done

DB Lookup (may be with custom XSL)

• Probably a bit more overhead vs having things in memory

AIA Configuration Properties (More info: http://chintanblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/aia-configuration-and-dynamic.html)
 Pros

• MDS stored
• Changes are independent of deployment
• Different level of modularization - System/System Module/Service

Cons

• No UI to make changes - hopefully in future release

Preference along with config plan (More info: http://chintanblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/bpel-preference-11g.html)
Pros

• Run time changes via Mbean browser and changes can withstand server restart

Cons

• Modularization is not flexible (e.g. two composite cannot share same property)
• Changes via MBean are still temporary. Deployment will overwrite changes from composite (or config plan).
• Have to keep config plan in sync with UI changes

Code migration and reference to end point URL
Custom search/replacement
Pros

• Much better control, as it is raw search and replace

Cons

• Custom scripting
• Unless it is highly sophisticated, search term has to be known in advance

Configuration Plan
Pros

• OOTB, and it is xpath based replace so no need for search term

Cons

• have to manage one per env
• If composite is constantly changing, it is really hard to manage multiple plans
• No support for runtime URL change

Dynamic Partnerlink Lookup (DPL) - using AIAConfig (More info : link)
Pros

• Centralized config for all end points (and preference) - better governance
• OOTB functions for lookup and merge during deployment
• Just one MDS stored file

Cons

• Changes requires MDS update via script and reloading via AIA console
• No UI to make changes - hopefully in future release
• Only supported in AIA, if not AIA, need to have custom XSL function to support same functionality

Oracle Service Registry (OSR)

• It's dead, man, get over with it.