IBM MQ Internet Pass-Thru

IBM MQ Internet Pass-Thru (MQIPT) is an optional component of IBM MQ that can be used to implement messaging solutions between remote sites across the internet.

From IBM MQ Version 9.2.0, MQIPT is an optional component of IBM MQ. To obtain the MQIPT Version 9.2.x installation files, go to IBM Fix Central for IBM MQ. Prior to Version 9.2.0, MQIPT was available as a support pack.

You do not have to be running IBM MQ Version 9.2.0 to use MQIPT Version 9.2.0 or later. We can use MQIPT to connect any supported version of IBM MQ, and we do not have to install any other IBM MQ components at the same version as MQIPT.

If we have purchased IBM MQ entitlement, we can install as many copies as required of MQIPT. MQIPT installations are not counted against your purchased IBM MQ entitlement. For more information on IBM MQ licensing, see IBM MQ license information.

Note: This documentation relates to MQIPT Version 9.2.0 and later. For the MQIPT support pack (Version 2.1) documentation in IBM Knowledge Center, see MQIPT (SupportPac MS81) in the IBM MQ Version 9.0 documentation. Note: If we are using MQIPT Version 2.1 or earlier, we are encouraged to upgrade to MQIPT Version 9.2.x, as the end of support date for the MQIPT support pack is 30th September 2020.

IBM MQ Internet Pass-Thru runs as a stand-alone service that can receive and forward IBM MQ message flows, either between two IBM MQ queue managers or between an IBM MQ client and an IBM MQ queue manager.

MQIPT enables this connection when the client and server are not on the same physical network.

One or more instances of MQIPT can be placed in the communication path between two IBM MQ queue managers, or between an IBM MQ client and an IBM MQ queue manager. The instances of MQIPT allow the two IBM MQ systems to exchange messages without needing a direct TCP/IP connection between the two systems. This is useful if the firewall configuration prohibits a direct TCP/IP connection between the two systems.

MQIPT listens on one or more TCP/IP ports for incoming connections, which can carry either normal IBM MQ messages, IBM MQ messages tunneled inside HTTP, or messages encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS) or Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). MQIPT can handle multiple concurrent connections.

The IBM MQ channel that makes the initial TCP/IP connection request is referred to as the caller, the channel to which it is attempting to connect as the responder, and the queue manager that it is ultimately trying to contact as the destination queue manager.

MQIPT holds data in memory as it forwards it from its source to its destination. No data is saved on disk (except for memory paged to disk by the operating system). The only time MQIPT accesses the disk explicitly is to read its configuration file and to write connection log and trace records.

The full range of IBM MQ channel types can be made through one or more instances of MQIPT. The presence of MQIPT in a communication path has no effect on the functional characteristics of the connected IBM MQ components, but there might be some effect on the performance of message transfer.

MQIPT can be used in conjunction with IBM MQ and IBM Integration Bus, as described in Possible configurations of MQIPT.

To install MQIPT, see Installing MQIPT.

Parent topic: IBM MQ Technical overview


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