Configure a uniform cluster

Uniform clusters permit applications to be designed for scale and availability, and can connect to any of the queue managers within that uniform cluster.

Before starting

For an introduction to clustering, see Clusters. For an introduction to uniform clusters, see About uniform clusters.

Uniform clusters use IBM MQ clustering for communication between queue managers, and balancing of workload between queues. However they differ from typical IBM MQ clusters in the following ways:

• Uniform clusters typically have a smaller number of queue managers in the cluster. We should not create a uniform cluster with greater than 10 queue managers.
• Every member of the cluster has near-identical configuration.
• The cluster is typically used by a single application, or group of related applications.
• The number of application instances connecting to the cluster should be greater than, or equal to, the number of queue managers.

  There should be a good balance between the putting and getting applications.

We can simplify both creating a uniform cluster, and subsequently keeping the configuration between the uniform cluster members identical, by using the automatic configuration and automatic clustering support.

• About uniform clusters
  The objective of a uniform cluster deployment is that applications can be designed for scale and availability, and can connect to any of the queue managers within the uniform cluster. This removes any dependency on a specific queue manager, resulting in better availability and workload balancing of messaging traffic. Uniform clusters are not available on IBM MQ for z/OS; queue sharing groups provide many of the capabilities of a uniform cluster.
• Create a uniform cluster
  We can simplify both the initial creation of a uniform cluster, and subsequently keeping the configuration between the uniform cluster members identical, by using the automatic configuration and automatic clustering support.
• Use automatic cluster configuration
  You configure IBM MQ to enable automatic configuration by changing the qm.ini configuration information.
• Suspending a queue manager from a uniform cluster
  During normal operation of a uniform cluster, reconnectable client application instances might be automatically rebalanced at any time, to any queue manager in the cluster. To prevent applications from connecting to a particular queue manager for a period of time, for example, during maintenance operations or problem determination, use the SUSPEND QMGR command.

Parent topic: Configure distributed queuing