Administration using the REST API

We can use the administrative REST API to administer IBM MQ objects, such as queue managers and queues, and Managed File Transfer agents and transfers. Information is sent to, and received from, the administrative REST API in JSON format. These RESTful APIs can help you to embed IBM MQ administration into popular DevOps and automation tooling.

Before starting

For reference information about the available REST resources, see The administrative REST API reference.

• Getting started with the administrative REST API
  Get started quickly with the administrative REST API and try out a few example requests by using cURL to create, update, view, and delete a queue.

• Remote administration using the REST API
  We can use the REST API to administer remote queue managers, and the IBM MQ objects that are associated with those queue managers. This remote administration includes queue managers that are on the same system, but not in the same IBM MQ installation as the mqweb server. Therefore, we can use the REST API to administer your entire IBM MQ network with only one installation that runs the mqweb server. To administer remote queue managers, we must configure the administrative REST API gateway so that at least one queue manager in the same installation as the mqweb server acts as a gateway queue manager. Then, we can specify the remote queue manager in the REST API resource URL to perform the specified administrative action.

• REST API time stamps
  When date and time information is returned by the administrative REST API, it is returned in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and in a set format.

• REST API error handling
  The REST API reports errors by returning an appropriate HTTP response code, for example 404 (Not Found), and a JSON response. Any HTTP response code that is not in the range 200 - 299 is considered an error.

• REST API discovery
  Documentation for the REST API is available within the IBM Knowledge Center and in Swagger format. Swagger is a commonly used approach for documenting REST APIs. The Swagger documentation for the REST API can be viewed by enabling the API discovery feature on the mqweb server.

• REST API national language support
  The REST API supports, with certain qualifications, the ability to specify national languages as part of an HTTP request.

• REST API versions
  The REST API version number forms part of the base URL for REST requests. For example, https://localhost:9443/ibmmq/rest/v2/admin/installation. The version number is used to isolate clients from changes to the REST API that might be introduced in future releases.

Parent topic: Administer IBM MQ