Start and stop MQIPT

We can start MQIPT either from the command line, or make it start automatically when the system is started. We can stop MQIPT by using the mqiptAdmin command.


Starting MQIPT from the command line

MQIPT is installed into an installation directory, such as:

  • C:\MQIPT on Windows systems, with executable scripts in C:\MQIPT\bin
  • /opt/mqipt on UNIX and Linux systems, with executable scripts in /opt/mqipt/bin

MQIPT also uses a home directory, which contains the configuration file mqipt.conf and any files that are output by MQIPT when it is running. The following subdirectories of the MQIPT home directory are created automatically when MQIPT is invoked for the first time:

  • An errors directory in which any First Failure Support Technology (FFST) and trace files are written
  • A logs directory in which the connection log is kept

The user ID under which MQIPT runs must have permission to create these directories, or alternatively the directories must already exist and the user ID must have permission to create, read, and write files in them. Also, if we are using a Java Security Manager policy then the security policy must grant the required permissions for these directories. For more information about Security Manager policy settings refer to Java Security Manager.

We can use the installation directory as a home directory. If we use this directory, we must ensure that the user ID under which MQIPT runs has the appropriate permissions, and that any Security Manager policy is configured correctly.

To start MQIPT, use the mqipt command, which is located in the bin directory of the MQIPT installation directory. For example, the following command starts an instance of MQIPT that uses the directory C:\mqiptHome as the home directory:
mqipt C:\mqiptHome
For more information about the mqipt command, see mqipt (start MQIPT).

We can use the mqipt command to specify a name to be given to the MQIPT instance that is being started. The name of the MQIPT instance is used to administer local instances of MQIPT with the mqiptAdmin command without needing to use a command port. If this parameter is not specified, the name of the MQIPT home directory is used as the name of the MQIPT instance.

Console messages show the status of MQIPT. If an error occurs, see Troubleshooting IBM MQ Internet Pass-Thru. The following messages are an example of the output when MQIPT starts successfully: 
5724-H72 (C) Copyright IBM Corp. 2000, 2020 All Rights Reserved
MQCPI001 IBM MQ Internet Pass-Thru V9.2.0.0 starting
MQCPI004 Reading configuration information from mqipt.conf
MQCPI152 MQIPT name is C:\mqiptHome
MQCPI021 Password checking has been enabled on the command port
MQCPI144 MQ Advanced capabilities not enabled
MQCPI011 The path C:\mqiptHome\logs will be used to store the log files
MQCPI006 Route 1414 is starting and will forward messages to :
MQCPI034 ....examplehost(1414)
MQCPI035 ....using MQ protocols
MQCPI057 ....trace level 5 enabled
MQCPI078 Route 1414 ready for connection requests


Starting MQIPT automatically

We can install MQIPT as a system service that starts automatically when the system is started. Use the mqiptService command to install and uninstall the MQIPT service.

  • On Windows systems, the mqiptService command installs MQIPT as a Windows service.
  • On UNIX and Linux systems, the mqiptService command installs MQIPT as an init.d system service that starts when the system boots.

When the MQIPT service is started, all active MQIPT routes start. When the service is stopped, all routes are subjected to immediate shutdown.

We can only install one MQIPT service on a system, even if there is more than one installation of MQIPT on the system.

For more information about the mqiptService command, see mqiptService (manage the MQIPT service).


Stopping MQIPT

We can stop MQIPT by using the mqiptAdmin command with the -stop parameter.

For example, the following command stops an instance of MQIPT with the name mqipt1 that is running locally under the same user ID as the mqiptAdmin command:
mqiptAdmin -stop -n ipt1
The mqiptAdmin command connects to the active instance of MQIPT to administer using one of the following methods:

  • by connecting to a local instance of MQIPT without using the command port.
  • by making a network connection to a command port.

Remote shutdown must be enabled by setting the RemoteShutDown property to true before the mqiptAdmin command can be used to stop MQIPT by sending a command to a command port.

For more information about administering MQIPT using the mqiptAdmin command, see Administer MQIPT by using the command line.

  • Specify the password encryption key
    From Version 9.1.5, if the MQIPT configuration contains passwords that are encrypted using an encryption key other than the default key, we must provide the password encryption key in a file that MQIPT can read when it starts.

Parent topic: Administer IBM MQ Internet Pass-Thru