What's new and what's changed in MQ Explorer

Learn about the main new and changed functions in MQ Explorer.

New features in MQ Explorer Version 8.0

MQ Explorer is now built on Eclipse 4.3.1 instead of Eclipse 3.6.2.
For more information, see Installing into Eclipse environments.
Support for topic host routing for publish/subscribe clusters
In previous versions, when you configure a clustered topic on a queue manager, all queue managers in the cluster become aware of all other queue managers in the cluster. When performing publish and subscribe operations, each queue manager then connects directly to all the others. This approach is still available in IBM® MQ 8.0, where it is known as direct routing.
In Version 8.0, an alternative approach has also been added, known as topic host routing. With this approach, all queue managers in the cluster become aware of the cluster queue managers that host the routed topic definitions. When performing publish and subscribe operations, queue managers in the cluster connect only to these topic host queue managers, and not directly to each other. The topic host queue managers are responsible for routing publications from queue managers on which publications are published to queue managers with matching subscriptions.
To support topic host routing, the following parameters are added:
  • Cluster publication route. The routing behavior of publications between queue managers in a cluster. This is set on the cluster tab of a topic object and is displayed on the cluster tab of a topic object and when displaying cluster topics.
  • Cluster object state. The current state of the clustered topic definition. This is displayed on the cluster tab of a topic object, and when displaying cluster topics.
  • Version. The version of the IBM MQ installation that the cluster queue manager is associated with. This is displayed on the cluster-sender channels tab of the queue manager clusters display.
Support to better understand the size of your system
The following parameters are added to the publish/subscribe information reported. They are displayed on the Publish/Subscribe status page for a given queue manager.
  • Sub count. Shows the total number of subscriptions against the local topic tree.
  • Topic count. Shows the total number of topic nodes in the local topic tree.
For more information, see Queue manager Publish/Subscribe Engine status attributes.
New connection details properties
For more information, see Connection details properties.
CHCKLOCL
Setting CHCKLOCL to Required for administrators or Required for all stops you from locally administering the queue manager by way of the runmqsc commands unless you specify the -u UserID parameter on the runmqsc command line.
For more information, see the CHKLOCL MQSC parameter explanation in the User ID + Password page section of Authentication information properties.
Security enabled remote queue manager connections
The SSL cipher specification RC2_MD5_EXPORT is no longer supported. Connections that use this cipher specification and that are imported into MQ Explorer Version 8.0 have a blank SSL cipher specification setting. A new cipher specification must be selected.
If a connection that was using this cipher specification is imported into MQ Explorer version 8 and then used without changing it, a dialog that contains the IBM MQ error message AMQ4199 is displayed.
Deprecation of specific SSLv3 Cipher Suites
The three SSL cipher specifications listed in Java and JMS: changes to CipherSuite support in the IBM MQ online product documentation are no longer supported.
However, you can re-enable other SSLv3 ciphers. See Deprecation: SSLv3 Ciphers in the IBM MQ online product documentation.
[z/OS]
New for z/OS
For z/OS, the following changes are described in Queue manager properties and Channel properties:

New features in MQ Explorer Version 7.5

Integration of IBM IBM WebSphere® MQ Managed File Transfer and IBM IBM WebSphere MQ Advanced Message Security

A key new feature of IBM WebSphere MQ 7.5 is the integration of IBM WebSphere MQ Managed File Transfer and IBM WebSphere MQ Advanced Message Security function, the use of which is subject to appropriate licensing entitlements. There is a single installation where you choose the required components.

The IBM WebSphere MQ Managed File Transfer and IBM WebSphere MQ Advanced Message Security extensions are always present in MQ Explorer, both in the server component and the stand-alone version from SupportPac MS0T, and become active as required. You now always see a Managed File Transfer node in the MQ Explorer Navigator view.

If you have an existing managed file transfer configuration on the computer, created from the earlier separate product, it automatically opens under the Managed File Transfer node. Alternatively, right-clicking on the node opens a new configuration wizard to select your coordination queue manager and command queue manager. This feature is useful if you are using MQ Explorer to connect to remote queue managers that are configured for use with IBM WebSphere MQ Managed File Transfer. When you set up your configuration, you can then use MQ Explorer to do a number of operations, including scheduling transfers and monitoring their progress.

IBM WebSphere MQ Advanced Message Security provides a high level of protection for sensitive data that is flowing through your IBM WebSphere MQ network. Messages can be both encrypted and also signed so that the identity of the sender can be confirmed. When MQ Explorer connects to a queue manager, if it detects the IBM WebSphere MQ Advanced Message Security capability on the queue manager, it adds a Security Policies node under the queue manager in the navigator view. From there, you can create security policies to protect specific queues.

Improved multi-version support

Another key new feature of this release of MQ Explorer is improved multi-version support. From IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1, you are able to install multiple copies of IBM WebSphere MQ on the same computer. MQ Explorer has improved function to further simplify working with multiple installations of IBM WebSphere MQ.

The Welcome screen now has a new link to View installations. Clicking this link displays all of your IBM WebSphere MQ installations. Each installation might have its own copy of MQ Explorer, so the installation that is running MQ Explorer is shown first. All other installations are then shown in the second table. Each installation has a name, version, and installation path, and optionally a description. One of the installations might be set as the primary one on the computer (setting as primary sets various system-wide settings such as environment variables on Windows systems). The State is Available unless there is an issue with the installation, and the Identifier is allocated at installation time and is for internal use.

There is a new Transfer queue managers to this installation function on the dialog. This control opens a new wizard, which can also be opened by right-clicking on the Queue Managers node in the navigator tree and selecting Transfer Queue Managers.... This new wizard enables you to transfer one or more queue managers from other installations to the current installation. This wizard is equivalent to the setmqm command, but saves having to type the required paths and parameters. Only stopped queue managers can be transferred; running queue managers are shown for reference. Queue managers can be pulled only into the current installation; they cannot be pushed out into other installations. After you click Transfer, the setmqm command is invoked with the selected queue managers. If successful, the navigator tree updates to include the transferred queue managers. If there are any problems, a dialog is shown with the error message from the command. You can also use drag and drop, and MQ Explorer import and export function, to transfer queue managers. For drag and drop, you must run two instances of MQ Explorer at the same time, from different installations. You can then drag a stopped queue manager out from one installation and drop it into the queue managers folders of the other. You then see a confirmation dialog.

If you export MQ Explorer settings to a file, under the Connection Information category there is now an option to save details for local queue managers. If you then import that file into MQ Explorer from a different installation, you get the same prompt as you do if you want to transfer the queue manager. You can drag the exported XML file into MQ Explorer to initiate the import.

Reduced overhead

To reduce the overhead of maintaining the Navigator view, the amount of information about the state of the Navigator view of MQ Explorer persistent on disk is reduced. As a result of this change, the expansion state of tree nodes in the Navigator view no longer persists when MQ Explorer is restarted.

New features in MQ Explorer Version 7.1

The following table lists the additional tasks that you can perform in MQ Explorer in IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1.

MQ Explorer is repackaged in Version 7.1 to be self-contained, no longer requiring the installation of a separate package for Eclipse technology. For more details about the IBM WebSphere Eclipse platform no longer being packaged with MQ Explorer, see MQ Explorer changes in the IBM WebSphere MQ online product documentation.

The multi-version capabilities of IBM WebSphere MQ 7.1 enable you to install a copy of MQ Explorer as part of each installation of IBM WebSphere MQ and run them independently. You can view the installation properties of local and remote queue managers.

Performance improvements have been made to MQ Explorer Version 7.1, across various areas. Startup time is reduced and most operations that involve large numbers of queue managers are now quicker, including connecting to remote queue managers by using multiple selection, and managing the list of queue managers in the Navigator view. The time that is taken to populate tables with many objects such as queues is also reduced.

Note: Some of the links in this topic work only when clicked from inside the installed MQ Explorer. If you are reading this material online, then some of the links might not work.
New features in Version 7.1 More information
Support for multiple installations. See Multiple installations of MQ Explorer.
Installing into Eclipse environments. See Installing into Eclipse environments.
New features since Version 6.x More information
Create and configure IBM WebSphere MQ service definitions by using MQ Explorer. See Creating and configuring a service definition.
Create and configure IBM WebSphere MQ administered objects by using MQ Explorer. See Creating and configuring JMS administered objects.
Manage IBM WebSphere MQ object authorities by using an authorization service in MQ Explorer. See Managing object authorities with an authorization service.
Test your object definitions for problems or write tests to enforce rules in object definitions. See Testing your object definitions for problems.
Configure a IBM WebSphere MQ publish/subscribe engine in MQ Explorer. See Queue manager properties.
Get context-sensitive help from the pop-up help throughout MQ Explorer. In a dialog, or over a tree item, press F1 on Windows or Ctrl+F1 onLinux® (x86 and x86-64 platforms) to display the pop-up help. The pop-up help contains a brief description and some links to take you to more information in the MQ Explorer help. Dialogs now include a small help icon to display the pop-up help when clicked, as well as pressing F1 or Ctrl-F1. See: Displaying context-sensitive help (pop-up window help)
Create and configure IBM WebSphere MQ classes for JMS administered objects by using MQ Explorer. See Creating and configuring JMS administered objects.
Manage IBM WebSphere MQ object authorities by using an authorization service in MQ Explorer. See Managing object authorities with an authorization service.
Group queue managers in folders, and make actions to all the queue managers in the set. Queue managers that belong to particular applications, departments, or companies can be grouped. See Creating and configuring a queue manager set.
Tightly integrated support for Publish and Subscribe messaging that simplifies the development, configuration, and deployment of event-driven messaging. See Configuring publish/subscribe messaging.
Optimizations to the JMS layer, tightly integrating JMS services into IBM WebSphere MQ queue manager internals. Consolidated administration and security for Publish and Subscribe, JMS, and XMS messaging into the standard IBM WebSphere MQ model. See Creating and configuring JMS administered objects.
Welcome pages are a quick and easy way to find links for tutorials, applications, and education. See Introduction to MQ Explorer.