Use the Postcard applications to verify a server-to-server installation

 

We can use the Postcard applications to verify communication between your machine and the machine of another named user, where that machine uses TCP/IP. Therefore, we can use the Postcard applications to verify that we can communicate with another server. Before you start:

• Make sure that TCP/IP and WebSphere MQ are installed on both machines.

• Check that one of the following applies:

  • Both machines are in the same cluster.

  • You have configured channels to communicate between the two machines.

If the machines are not in the same cluster, and you do not have channels configured to communicate between the two machines, follow the verification procedure given in Verifying a server-to-server installation. This will verify the communications between your machine and another machine without using the Postcard applications. During this verification you will configure channels to communicate between the two machines. Therefore, you will be able to use the Postcard applications after running this verification if you wish to.

To verify that the communication between two machines, the sender of the message and the receiver, are working correctly we can use the Postcard applications.

Use the MQI Postcard as explained below to verify that WebSphere MQ is successfully installed and the associated communication links are working properly. To use the Java™ Messaging support feature of WebSphere MQ, carry out the following instructions again, using the JMS Postcard.

On the sender machine:

1. Go to the WebSphere MQ Getting Started help page.

   At the end of the installation, if you click...

   Launch WebSphere MQ Getting Started

   ...help from the...

   Completing the Prepare WebSphere MQ Wizard

   ...window, this window is already open.

   Alternatively, select...

   Start | Programs | IBM WebSphere MQ | Getting Started

2. Click Postcard.

3. Launch your choice of Postcard application:

   • To launch the MQI Postcard, click...

     Start an instance of MQI Postcard

   • To launch the JMS Postcard, click...

     Start an instance of JMS Postcard

4. The WebSphere MQ Postcard - Sign On window is displayed.

   Type in a nickname to use to send messages within the postcard application (for example, user1).

   If the only queue manager on your machine is the default queue manager that you created by running the Default Configuration wizard, this queue manager is used as your mailbox for postcards.

   Click OK to display your postcard, then go to step 6.

5. To select the queue manager to use as the mailbox, click the Advanced checkbox, then do one of the following:

   • If you have created one or more of your own queue managers, but you have not run the Default Configuration wizard, select the appropriate queue manager from the list displayed.

   • If you have run the Default Configuration wizard and you want to use the default queue manager, but there is more than one queue manager on your machine, select...

     Use Default Configuration as mailbox

   • If you have run the Default Configuration wizard and also created one or more of your own queue managers, and you do not want to use the default queue manager, select Choose queue manager as mailbox, then select the appropriate queue manager from the list displayed.

   When your selection is complete, click OK if you are using an MQI postcard, or Next if you are using a JMS postcard to display your postcard.

6. Type in the following:

   • Some message text in the Message: field.

   • The nickname of the recipient in the To: field.

   • Type the name of the queue manager that the recipient is using in the On: field.

7. Click Send.

On the receiver machine:

1. From the Getting started help page, launch the same Postcard application as you did earlier in step 3, either:

   • Start an instance of MQI Postcard

   • Start an instance of JMS Postcard

2. Type in the nickname of the recipient, then click OK to display the WebSphere MQ Postcard window.

3. In the Postcards sent and received area of the postcard, details of the new message are displayed. The message is displayed as received.

   When this message arrives, this verifies that WebSphere MQ is correctly installed and that your communication link between the two machines is working correctly.

When all installation and verification is complete, you are ready to start using WebSphere MQ (see the WebSphere MQ System Administration Guide).

 

Parent topic:

Using the Postcard applications