Installing the IBM MQ resource adapter

The IBM MQ resource adapter is supplied as a resource archive (RAR) file. Install the RAR file in the application server. We might need to add directories to the system path.

About this task

The IBM MQ resource adapter is supplied as a resource archive (RAR) file called wmq.jmsra.rar. The RAR file contains IBM MQ classes for JMS and the IBM MQ implementation of the Java EE Connector Architecture (JCA) interfaces.

When you install the resource adapter as part of the IBM MQ product installation, wmq.jmsra.rar is installed with IBM MQ classes for JMS in the directory shown in Table 1.

Platform	Directory
UNIX and Linux	MQ_INSTALLATION_PATH/java/lib/jca
IBM i	/QIBM/ProdData/mqm/java/lib/jca
Windows	MQ_INSTALLATION_PATH\java\lib\jca
z/OS	MQ_INSTALLATION_PATH/java/lib/jca

MQ_INSTALLATION_PATH represents the high-level directory in which IBM MQ is installed. We must use the IBM MQ resource adapter to connect to IBM MQ from an application server. Depending on which application server we are using, the resource adapter might be pre-installed, or you might need to install it yourself.

Application server	Pre-installed or need to install?
WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0	The IBM MQ Version 9.0 resource adapter is pre-installed within WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0. Therefore, we do not need to install a new resource adapter in WebSphere Application Server traditional Version 9.0.
WebSphere Liberty	WebSphere Liberty does not contain the IBM MQ resource adapter, so we must obtain it separately from Fix Central.
Other Java EE application server	Obtain the resource adapter separately from Fix Central, as for WebSphere Liberty.

Procedure

• If we are connecting to IBM MQ from WebSphere Liberty, or another Java EE application server, download and install the IBM MQ resource adapter as described in Installing the resource adapter in Liberty.
• For bindings connections on UNIX and Linux systems, ensure that the directory containing the Java Native Interface (JNI) libraries is in the system path. For the location of this directory, which also contains the IBM MQ classes for JMS libraries, see Configure the Java Native Interface (JNI) libraries.

  On Windows, this directory is automatically added to the system path during the installation of IBM MQ classes for JMS.

  Tip: As an alternative to setting the system path, the IBM MQ resource adapter has a property called nativeLibraryPath that can be used to specify the location of the JNI library. For example in WebSphere Liberty this would be configured as shown in the following example:

  <wmqJmsClient nativeLibraryPath="/opt/mqm/java/lib64"/>

  Transactions are supported in both client and bindings mode.

• Installing the resource adapter in Liberty
  To connect to IBM MQ from WebSphere Liberty, or other Java EE application servers, we must use the IBM MQ resource adapter. Since Liberty does not contain the IBM MQ resource adapter, we must obtain it separately from Fix Central.

Parent topic: Use the IBM MQ resource adapter