Difference between Java EE &. Standalone Agents

Java EE vs. Standalone Agents

In 11g, the agents can optionally be installed as applications in a Oracle WebLogic Server, and automatically benefit from the clustering, load-balancing, datasources and connection pooling features available with the application server. They are by default scalable and highly available.

 Standalone Agents (like in 10g) and Java EE Agents (in WLS). Well, they are (almost) the same piece of code. The main difference is where/how you install them (in WLS or on top of a JVM) and the features that you benefit from this installation.
Typically:

• The Standalone agent is easier to deploy anywhere, but does not have clustering or connection pooling. It can rely on Oracle Process Manager and Notification Server (OPMN) for being protected and monitored like a service and it can use the built-in ODI Load Balancing feature.
• The Java EE agent is slightly more complex to set up (you need to install WLS first, set up a domain, and so forth), but gives you access to a different world in terms of enterprise-scale deployment: clustering, load-balancing, centralized monitoring and so forth.

Note that the choice between the two type of agents is really a user choice, and it is easy to mix both these type of agents seamlessly into an ODI architecture. (yes, you read that correctly, the standalone and JEE agents can be used together in the same network topology!)