Monitor and control channels on IBM i

Use the DQM commands and panels to create, monitor, and control the channels to remote queue managers. Each queue manager has a DQM program for controlling interconnections to compatible remote queue managers.

The following list is a brief description of the components of the channel control function:

• Channel definitions are held as queue manager objects.
• The channel commands are a subset of the IBM MQ for IBM i set of commands.

  Use the command GO CMDMQM to display the full set of IBM MQ for IBM i commands.

• You use channel definition panels, or commands to:
  • Create, copy, display, change, and delete channel definitions
  • Start and stop channels, ping, reset channel sequence numbers, and resolve in-doubt messages when links cannot be re-established
  • Display status information about channels

• Channels can also be managed using MQSC
• Channels can also be managed using IBM MQ Explorer
• Sequence numbers and logical unit of work (LUW) identifiers are stored in the synchronization file, and are used for channel synchronization purposes.

We can use the commands and panels to: define message channels and associated objects, and monitor and control message channels. By using the F4=Prompt key, we can specify the relevant queue manager. If we do not use the prompt, the default queue manager is assumed. With F4=Prompt, an additional panel is displayed where we can enter the relevant queue manager name and sometimes other data.

• Transmission queues
• Remote queue definitions
• Queue manager alias definitions
• Reply-to queue alias definitions
• Reply-to local queues
• Message channel definitions

For more information about the concepts involved in the use of these objects, see Configure distributed queuing.

Channels must be completely defined, and their associated objects must exist and be available for use, before a channel can be started.

In addition, the particular communication link for each channel must be defined and available before a channel can be run. For a description of how LU 6.2 and TCP/IP links are defined, see the particular communication guide for the installation.

Procedure

• Create objects on IBM i
• Create a channel on IBM i
• Starting a channel on IBM i
• Selecting a channel on IBM i
• Browsing a channel on IBM i
• Renaming a channel on IBM i
• Work with channel status on IBM i
• Work-with-channel choices on IBM i

• Create objects on IBM i
  We can use the CRTMQMQ command to create the queue and alias objects.
• Create a channel on IBM i
  We can create a channel from the Create Channel panel or by using the CRTMQMCHL command on the command line.
• Starting a channel on IBM i
  We can start a channel from the Work with Channels panel or by using the STRMQMCHL command on the command line.
• Selecting a channel on IBM i
  We can select a channel from the Work With channels panel.
• Browsing a channel on IBM i
  We can browse a channel from the Display Channel panel or by using the DSPMQMCHL command on the command line.
• Renaming a channel on IBM i
  We can rename a channel from the Work with Channels panel.
• Work with channel status on IBM i
  We can work with the channel status from the Work with Channel Status panel.
• Work-with-channel choices on IBM i
  The Work with Channels panel is reached with the command WRKMQMCHL, and it allows you to monitor the status of all channels listed, and to issue commands against selected channels.
• Set up communication for IBM i
  When a distributed-queuing management channel is started, it tries to use the connection specified in the channel definition. For it to succeed, it is necessary for the connection to be defined and available.

Parent topic: Configure distributed queuing

Related concepts

• Set up communication for IBM i

Related tasks

• Configure connections between the server and client

Related information

• Example configuration - IBM MQ for IBM i
• Message channel planning example for IBM MQ for IBM i
• IBM MQ for IBM i CL commands