Configure the IBM MQ Console and REST API
The mqweb server that hosts the IBM MQ Console and REST API is provided with a default configuration. In order to use either of these components a number of configuration tasks need to be completed, such as configuring security to allow users to log in. This topic describes all the configuration options that are available.
- Basic configuration for the mqweb server
Before we can start to use the REST API or IBM MQ Console, we must install the correct components and configure the mqweb server that hosts the REST API or IBM MQ Console. - Configure security
We can configure security for the IBM MQ Console and the REST API by editing the mqwebuser.xml file. We can configure and authenticate users by configuring either a basic user registry, or an LDAP registry, or any of the other registry types that are provided with WebSphere Liberty. We can then authorize those users by assigning users and groups a role. - Configure the HTTP host name
By default, the mqweb server which hosts the IBM MQ Console and REST API is configured to allow only local connections. That is, the IBM MQ Console and REST API can be accessed only on the system on which the IBM MQ Console and REST API are installed. We can configure host name to allow remote connections by using the setmqweb command. - Configure the HTTP and HTTPS ports
By default, the mqweb server that hosts the IBM MQ Console and REST API uses the HTTPS port 9443. The port that is associated with HTTP connections is disabled. We can enable the HTTP port, configure a different HTTPS port, or disable the HTTP or HTTPS port. We can configure the ports by using the setmqweb command. - Configure the response timeout
By default, the IBM MQ Console and REST API times out if the time taken to send a response back to a client is longer than 30 seconds. We can configure the IBM MQ Console and REST API to use a different timeout value by using the setmqweb command. - Configure autostart
By default, the IBM MQ Console is automatically started when the mqweb server starts. We can configure whether the IBM MQ Console and the REST API start automatically by using the setmqweb command. - Configure logging
We can configure the logging levels, maximum log file size, and the maximum number of log files that are used by the mqweb server which hosts the IBM MQ Console and REST API. We can configure logging by using the setmqweb command. - Configure the LTPA token
LTPA tokens can be used to avoid needing a user to provide username and password credentials on each request to the mqweb server. We can configure the name of the LTPA token cookie, the expiry interval for LTPA authentication tokens, and configure whether LTPA tokens can be used by HTTP connections, by using the setmqweb command. - Configure the administrative REST API gateway
By default, the administrative REST API gateway is enabled. When the administrative REST API gateway is enabled, we can perform remote administration with the REST API by using a gateway queue manager. We can configure the queue manager that is used as the default gateway queue manager, or we can prevent remote administration by disabling the administrative REST API gateway, by using the setmqweb command. - Configure the messaging REST API
By default, the mqweb server which hosts the IBM MQ Console and REST API has the messaging REST API enabled. From Version 9.2.0, connections to IBM MQ from the messaging REST API are pooled, with 20 connections available for each queue manager. When all connections are in use, the messaging REST API creates a new, non-pooled connection to use for the request. We can change the maximum number of pooled connections, and the behavior of the messaging REST API when all connections are in use by using the setmqweb properties command. We can also configure whether messaging is enabled by using the setmqweb properties command. - Configure the REST API for MFT
By default, the mqweb server which hosts the IBM MQ Console and REST Services does not have MFT enabled. We can configure whether the REST API for MFT is enabled, set the coordination queue manager, and specify the MFT reconnect timeout by using the setmqweb properties command.For a create REST API command like Create transfer we must add mqRestMftCommandQmgr.
By default, the mqweb server which hosts the IBM MQ Console and REST Services does not have MFT enabled.
- Tuning the mqweb server JVM
By default, the mqweb server Java virtual machine (JVM) uses platform-specific defaults for configuration parameters such as the minimum and maximum size of the heap, and the size of the class cache. We might need to change the default values to improve performance or to resolve problems. For example, if a java.lang.OutOfMemoryError is thrown by the mqweb server, we must increase the maximum size of the heap. Or if we are experiencing issues with the display of dashboard configuration information in the IBM MQ Console, we must set a variable that determines the file encoding of the configuration. We can change the default values in the jvm.options file. - File structure of the IBM MQ Console and REST API installation component
There are two sets of directory structures that are associated with the IBM MQ Console and REST API installation component. One directory structure contains files that can be edited. The other directory structure contains files that cannot be edited.
Parent topic: Configure IBM MQ Parent topic: Configure the mqweb server