Network Deployment (Distributed operating systems), v8.0 > Applications > Messaging resources > Interoperation with WebSphere MQ
Interoperation using the WebSphere MQ messaging provider
Through the WebSphere MQ messaging provider in WAS, JMS messaging applications can use your WebSphere MQ system as an external provider of JMS messaging resources.
WebSphere MQ is characterized as follows:
- Messaging is handled by a network of queue managers, each running in its own set of processes and having its own administration.
- Features such as shared queues (on WebSphere MQ for z/OS) and WebSphere MQ clustering simplify administration and provide dynamic discovery.
- Many IBM and partner products support WebSphere MQ with (for example) monitoring and control, high availability and clustering.
- WebSphere MQ clients can run within WAS (JMS), or almost any other messaging environment by using a variety of APIs.
If your business uses WebSphere MQ, and to integrate WAS messaging applications into a predominantly WebSphere MQ network, the WebSphere MQ messaging provider is a logical choice. However, there can be benefits in using another provider. If you are not sure which provider combination is best suited to your requirements, see Choosing messaging providers for a mixed environment.
The WebSphere MQ messaging provider supports JMS 1.1 domain-independent interfaces (sometimes referred to as "unified" or "common" interfaces). This enables applications to use the same interfaces for both point-to-point and publish/subscribe messaging, and also enables both point-to-point and publish/subscribe messaging within the same transaction. With JMS 1.1, this approach is considered good practice for new applications. The domain-specific interfaces are supported for backwards compatibility for applications developed to use domain-specific queue interfaces, as described in section 1.5 of the JMS 1.1 specification.
The WebSphere MQ messaging provider also supports the Java EE Connector Architecture (JCA) 1.5 activation specification mechanism for message-driven beans (MDBs) across all platforms supported by WAS.
We can use WAS to configure WebSphere MQ resources for applications (for example queue connection factories) and to manage messages and subscriptions associated with JMS destinations. You administer security through WebSphere MQ.
In a mixed-version WAS cell, you can administer WebSphere MQ resources on nodes of all versions. However, some properties are not available on all versions. In this situation, only the properties of that particular node are displayed in the administrative console.
WAS v6.x contained a WebSphere MQ JMS client to facilitate interaction with WebSphere MQ. For WAS v7.0 and later this has been replaced with the WebSphere MQ resource adapter. The resource adapter is included with WAS and does not need to be installed separately. Service updates to the resource adapter are usually applied automatically through WAS fix packs. For more information about maintaining the resource adapter, see Maintain the WebSphere MQ resource adapter. 
New feature: WAS v8.0 provides first class support for connecting to multi-instance WebSphere MQ queue managers. We can provide host and port information in the form of a connection name list, which a connection factory or activation specification uses to connect to a multi-instance queue manager.New feature:
New feature: v8.0 exposes WebSphere MQ queue or topic destination properties allowing you to specify:
- Whether an application processes the RFH version 2 header of a WebSphere MQ message as part of the JMS message body.
- The format of the JMSReplyTo field.
- Whether an application can read or write the values of MQMD fields from JMS messages that have been sent or received using the WebSphere MQ messaging provider.
- Which message context options are specified when sending messages to a destination.
New feature:
New feature: v8.0 exposes the following four WebSphere MQ connection properties that are used to configure the WebSphere MQ resource adapter used by the WebSphere MQ messaging provider. These properties affect the connection pool used by activation specifications:
- maxConnections
- connectionConcurrency
- reconnectionRetryCount
- reconnectionRetryInterval
New feature:
For more information about using WebSphere MQ with WAS, see the white papers and IBM Redbooks publications provided by WebSphere MQ; for example, through the WebSphere MQ library web page.
Related
Network topologies: Interoperating by using the WebSphere MQ messaging provider
Enhanced features of the WebSphere MQ messaging provider
WebSphere MQ custom properties
WebSphere MQ messages
Strict message ordering with the WebSphere MQ messaging provider and message-driven bean (MDB) applications
Types of messaging providers
Interoperation with WebSphere MQ
Maintain the WebSphere MQ resource adapter
Manage messaging with the WebSphere MQ messaging provider
Configure the WebSphere MQ messaging provider with native libraries information
Configure custom properties for WebSphere MQ messaging provider JMS resources
Configure JMS resources for the WebSphere MQ messaging provider
WebSphere MQ library
Concept topic