Working with channels

We can use the channels widget in the IBM MQ Console to add and delete channels, start and stop channels, reset and resolve channels, and ping channels. We can also view and set the properties of a channel, and manage authority records for the channel.


Before you begin

You must create a channels widget before we can use it. For more information about creating IBM MQ object widgets, see Working with IBM MQ objects.


About this task

The channels widget lists the channels that exist for a specific queue manager. We can select individual channels from the list to work with.

We cannot view or edit authority records for a channel on z/OS®.


Procedure

  • To add a channel:
    1. Click the create icon in the channels widget toolbar.
    2. Enter a name for the channel. Valid characters are letters and numbers and the ., /, _, and % characters.
    3. Select the type of channel to add.
    4. If you are creating a sender, cluster-sender, or requester channel, specify the connection name. The connection name is the name of the computer that hosts the target queue manager. The format of the name is computer_name(port_number). computer_name is the name or IP address of the computer that hosts the target queue manager, and port_number is the port that the target queue manager's listener is using.
    5. If you are creating a sender channel or a server channel, specify the transmission queue that corresponds to the queue manager at the receiver end of the channel.
    6. Click Create. The new channel is created.
  • To delete a channel:
    1. Select the channel to delete from the list in the channels widget.
    2. Click the delete icon in the widget toolbar.
    3. Confirm to delete the channel by clicking Delete. The channel is deleted.
  • To start a channel:
    1. Select the channel to start from the list in the channels widget.
    2. Click the start icon in the widget toolbar.
  • To stop a channel:
    1. Select the channel to stop from the list in the channels widget.
    2. Click the stop icon in the widget toolbar.
    3. Confirm to stop the channel by clicking Stop.
  • To view the properties of a channel:
    1. Select the channel in the channels widget.
    2. Click the properties icon in the channels widget toolbar. Alternatively, double-click the channel.
    3. View the properties and edit them as required. If the property text box is disabled, the property is read-only, or can be edited only from the command line. For information about a property, view the property information in Channel properties in the MQ Explorer documentation.
  • To reset a channel:
    1. Select the channel in the channels widget.
    2. Click ... > Reset.
    3. Specify a message sequence number. You need to reset a channel if it will not start because the two ends disagree about the sequence number of the next message to send. The message sequence number specifies that number.
    4. Click Reset Channel.
  • To resolve a channel:
    1. Select the channel in the channels widget.
    2. Click ... > Resolve.
    3. Choose whether to commit or back out the current batch of messages by clicking Commit or Back out.
  • To ping a channel:
    1. Select the channel in the channels widget.
    2. Click ... > Ping.
  • To view or edit authority records for a channel:
    1. Select the channel in the widget.
    2. Click ... > Manage authority records. The authority records show the permissions that users and administrators have on the selected channel.