WAS v8.5 > WebSphere applications > Service integration > Message stores > File storesFile store exclusive access
Each file store contains information that uniquely identifies the messaging engine that created it. A file store can only be used by the messaging engine that created it.
The messaging engine opens the files in the file store in exclusive mode to prevent multiple instances of the same messaging engine from simultaneously using the file store, for example, by accidental activation on the messaging engine of multiple servers in a cluster. When a messaging engine stops, either in a controlled fashion or as a result of server failure, the file store files are closed. Subsequently another instance of the same messaging engine is able to open the file store.
Related concepts:
File stores