Managed file transfers using WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition

Transfer files, with file transfer metadata, in a timely and reliable manner.

File transfer between an FTE Agent and IBM Integration

Transfer metadata is supported, providing more flexible file processing.
Transfers are timely.
The audit trail is complete between the integration node and the remote agent.
Resource statistics are available.

About WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition

WebSphere® MQ File Transfer Edition V7.0 delivers a reliable managed file transfer solution for moving files between IT systems without the need for programming. Files that are larger than the maximum individual WebSphere MQ message size can be moved. A log of file movements demonstrates that business data in files is transferred with integrity from source file system to destination file system.

Using the WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition nodes offers seamless integration with your existing WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition network. The following diagram shows a typical WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition network:

The image illustrates a typical WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition network, without IBM Integration Bus. Files are transferred between FTE agents through a WebSphere MQ cluster.

The main components and concepts of WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition are:

agent: A process that forms the end point of a transfer (source or destination). An agent is a WebSphere MQ application, and is connected to one queue manager. Many agents can be connected to the same queue manager. Operational commands can be sent to an agent (for example, to request a transfer) by putting an XML message on a particular queue on the agent's queue manager.
coordination queue manager: One queue manager in the topology takes on the responsibility of the coordination queue manager. All agents register with the coordination queue manager and also send audit information about each transfer. The coordination queue manager is responsible for publishing that audit information to external monitoring applications.
transfer: A transfer is a movement of one or more files from one agent to another. The transfer goes direct from one agent's queue manager to the other agent's queue manager, not via the coordination queue manager. The transfer takes place even if the coordination queue manager is not running.
transfer log: The WebSphere MQ Explorer plug-in tool includes a Transfer Log view that subscribes to the coordination queue manager for the audit information. The view displays information about every transfer that occurs in a given topology.

How IBM Integration Bus fits in

agent

An agent runs in each integration server that has deployed flows containing WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition nodes. The agent is responsible for receiving and initiating all WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition transfers. The agent name is derived from IntegrationNode.IntegrationServer; the name is not configurable. See Preparing the environment for WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition nodes for restrictions on agent names.

You do not need to start or stop this agent; if a flow containing WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition nodes is deployed, the agent is running. The agent is stopped only when the integration server is stopped. The integration node queue manager is used as the queue manager for the agent.

coordination queue manager

The integration node queue manager is the default coordination queue manager. You can specify a different coordination queue manager by using the mqsichangeproperties command. You must configure your coordination queue manager as a coordination queue manager. See the WebSphere File Transfer Edition product documentation for details.

transfer

Multiple FTEOutput nodes can be deployed to the same integration server, or to different integration servers in the same integration node. FTEOutput nodes can send one file per transfer. Each file can have multiple records. Each record can have multiple elements. Transfers from the FTEOutput are non-blocking; an error occurs if another transfer is outstanding with the same file name.

Multiple FTEInput nodes can be deployed to the same integration server, or to different integration servers in the same integration node. Multiple FTEInput nodes can read files transferred to the same directory without contention. Each file is processed only once, even if the nodes are deployed to separate integration servers, or different integration nodes.

When sending a file, you can dynamically set the following properties:

Destination agent
Destination file directory
Destination file name
Destination queue manager
Job name
Overwrite files on destination

Put a node such as the Compute node or Mapping node before the FTEOutput node.

When receiving files, you can apply filters. If an integration server has more than one FTEInput node, each node receives only the appropriate files. You can also determine what happens after the file has been processed (the file is left in its existing destination directory, left with a timestamp added, or deleted). See the Basic tab on the node for details.

You can combine the FTEInput and FTEOutput nodes to create a request and reply flow. See the sample for details.

Using elements in the local environment, you can call a program on the destination agent before starting the transfer, or when the transfer is finished. See LocalEnvironment.Destination.FTE fields for details.

Overview of using WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition nodes

You do not need to configure the WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition code that runs in the integration node.The following nodes are provided:

FTEOutput
FTEInput

Take the following steps to use the nodes to send or receive data across an existing WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition network:

Ensure that WebSphere MQ is installed on the same machine as your integration node. Information about file transfers is held on storage queues that are controlled by WebSphere MQ, so you must install WebSphere MQ on the same computer as your integration node if you want to use the capabilities provided by the FTEInput and FTEOutput nodes.
Ensure that a queue manager has been specified on the integration node; this queue manager will own the system queues that store information about the file transfer. For information about specifying a queue manager on the integration node, see mqsicreatebroker command.
Create the system queues that will store the file transfer information. For more information about creating the system queues, see Creating the default IBM Integration Bus queues on a WebSphere MQ queue manager.
Create a flow that includes one of the WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition nodes.
Configure the node.
For production purposes, change the coordination queue manager from the integration node queue manager; see Preparing the environment for WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition nodes.
Deploy the flow.

Monitoring the license usage of WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition in IBM Integration Bus

A message is written to the system log for every integration server that has a WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition node deployed.