Message channel agent type (MCATYPE)
This attribute can specify the message channel agent as a process or a thread.
On WebSphere® MQ for z/OS®, it is supported only for channels with a channel type of cluster-receiver.
Advantages of running as a process include:
- Isolation for each channel providing greater integrity
- Job authority specific for each channel
- Control over job scheduling
Advantages of threads include:
- Much reduced use of storage
- Easier configuration by typing on the command line
- Faster execution - it is quicker to start a thread than to instruct the operating system to start a process
For channel types of sender, server, and requester, the default is process. For channel types of cluster-sender and cluster-receiver, the default is thread. These defaults can change during your installation.
If you specify process on the channel definition, a RUNMQCHL process is started. If you specify thread, the MCA runs on a thread of the AMQRMPPA process, or of the RUNMQCHI process if MQNOREMPOOL is specified. On the machine that receives the inbound allocates, the MCA runs as a thread if you use RUNMSLSR. It runs as a process if you use inetd.
On
WebSphere MQ for
z/OS,
this attribute is supported only for channels with a channel type
of cluster-receiver. On other platforms, it is valid for channel types
of:
- Sender
- Server
- Requester
- Cluster sender
- Cluster receiver