IBM MQ multi-instance queue managers

WebSphere® MQ Version 7.0.1 onwards supports the creation of multi-instance queue managers. A multi-instance queue manager restarts automatically on a standby server. IBM® MQ Managed File Transfer supports connection to multi-instance agent queue managers, a multi-instance coordination queue manager, and a multi-instance command queue manager.

Configuring a multi-instance queue manager

Important: For information about configuring a IBM MQ multi-instance queue manager, see Multi-instance queue managers. Ensure that you have read this information before attempting to configure a multi-instance queue manager to work with IBM MQ Managed File Transfer.

Using a multi-instance queue manager as an agent queue manager

To enable an agent to connect to both the active and standby instance of your multi-instance queue manager, add the agentQMgrStandby property to the agent's agent.properties file. The agentQMgrStandby property defines the host name and the port number used for client connections for the standby queue manager instance. The value of the property must be given in MQ CONNAME format, that is, host_name(port_number).

The agentQMgr property specifies the name of the multi-instance queue manager. The agentQMgrHost property specifies host name for the active queue manager instance and the agentQMgrPort property specifies the port number for the active queue manager instance. The agent must connect in client mode to both the active and the standby instance of the multi-instance queue manager.

See The agent.properties file for more information.

This example shows the contents of the agent.properties file for AGENT1 that connects to a multi-instance queue manager called QM_JUPITER. The active instance of QM_JUPITER is on the system host1 and uses the port number 1414 for client connections. The standby instance of QM_JUPITER is on the system host2 and uses port number 1414 for client connections.


agentName=AGENT1
agentDesc=
agentQMgr=QM_JUPITER
agentQMgrPort=1414
agentQMgrHost=host1
agentQMgrChannel=SYSTEM.DEF.SVRCONN
agentQMgrStandby=host2(1414)

Using a multi-instance queue manager as the coordination queue manager

To enable connections to both the active and standby instance of your multi-instance coordination queue manager, add the coordinationQMgrStandby property to all the coordination.properties files in your IBM MQ Managed File Transfer topology.

See The coordination.properties file for more information.

This example shows the contents of a coordination.properties file that specifies the connection details to a multi-instance coordination queue manager called QM_SATURN. The active instance of QM_SATURN is on the system coordination_host1 and uses the port number 1420 for client connections. The standby instance of QM_SATURN is on the system coordination_host2 and uses the port number 1420 for client connections.


coordinationQMgr=QM_SATURN
coordinationQMgrHost=coordination_host1
coordinationQMgrPort=1420
coordinationQMgrChannel=SYSTEM.DEF.SVRCONN
coordinationQMgrStandby=coordination_host2(1420)

The IBM MQ Managed File Transfer stand-alone logger must always connect to its queue manager in bindings mode. When using the stand-alone logger with a multi-instance coordination queue manager connect stand-alone logger, in bindings mode, to a different queue manager. The steps to do this are described in Alternative configurations for the stand-alone logger. You must define the channels between the stand-alone logger's queue manager and the coordination queue manager with the host name and port number of both instances of the multi-instance coordination queue manager. For information on how to do this, see Multi-instance queue managers.

The IBM MQ Managed File Transfer plug-in for IBM MQ Explorer connects to the coordination queue manager in client mode. If the active instance of the multi-instance coordination queue manager fails the standby instance of the coordination queue manager becomes active and the plug-in reconnects.

The IBM MQ Managed File Transfer commands fteList* and fteShowAgentDetails connect directly to the coordination queue manager. If the active instance of the multi-instance coordination is unavailable these commands will attempt to connect to the standby instance of the coordination queue manager.

Using a multi-instance queue manager as the command queue manager

To enable connections to both the active and standby instance of your multi-instance command queue manager, add the connectionQMgrStandby property to all the command.properties files in your IBM MQ Managed File Transfer topology.

See The command.properties file for more information.

This example shows the contents of a command.properties file that specifies the connection details to a multi-instance command queue manager called QM_MARS. The active instance of QM_MARS is on the system command_host1 and uses the port number 1424 for client connections. The standby instance of QM_MARS is on the system command_host2 and uses the port number 1424 for client connections.


connectionQMgr=QM_SATURN
connectionQMgrHost=command_host1
connectionQMgrPort=1424
connectionQMgrChannel=SYSTEM.DEF.SVRCONN
connectionQMgrStandby=command_host2(1424)