Choose a messaging provider
For messaging between application servers, perhaps with some interaction with an IBM MQ system, we can use the default messaging provider. To integrate WAS messaging into a predominantly IBM MQ network, we can use the IBM MQ messaging provider. We can also use a third-party messaging provider. To choose the provider that is best suited to our needs, consider what the application needs to do, and the business need for the provider to integrate well with your enterprise infrastructure.
Enterprise applications in WAS can use asynchronous messaging through services based on Java Message Service (JMS) messaging providers and their related messaging systems. These messaging providers conform to the JMS Version 1.1 specification.
We can configure any of the following messaging providers:
- The default messaging provider (which uses service integration as the provider)
- The IBM MQ messaging provider (which uses the IBM MQ system as the provider)
- A third-party messaging provider (which uses another company's product as the provider)
The types of messaging providers that can be configured in WAS are not mutually exclusive:
- All types of provider can be configured within one cell.
- Different applications can use the same, or different, providers.
- One application can access multiple providers.
No one of these providers is necessarily better than another. The choice of provider depends on what your JMS application needs to do, and on other factors relating to the business environment and planned changes to that environment.
Tasks
- Determine the environment and application requirements.
To use a third-party messaging provider, see Manage messaging with a third-party messaging provider.
If our existing or planned messaging environment involves both IBM MQ and WAS systems, and it is not clear whether we should use the default messaging provider, the IBM MQ provider, or a mixture of the two, complete the task Choosing messaging providers for a mixed environment.
- Choose the messaging provider:
- Choose the default messaging provider.
If we mainly want to use messaging between applications in WAS, perhaps with some interaction with an IBM MQ system, the default messaging provider is the natural choice because this provider is fully integrated with the WAS runtime environment. See Default messaging provider. To configure and manage messaging with the default messaging provider, see Manage messaging with the default messaging provider.
- Choose the IBM MQ messaging provider.
If our business also uses IBM MQ, and we want to integrate WAS messaging applications into a predominantly IBM MQ network, the IBM MQ messaging provider allows you to define resources for connecting directly to the queues in an IBM MQ system.
- Choose a third-party messaging provider.
Use any third-party messaging provider that supports the JMS Version 1.1 unified connection factory. We might want to do this, for example, because of existing investments.
- To administer a third-party messaging provider, use the resource adaptor or client supplied by the third party. We can still use the WAS administrative console to administer the JMS connection factories and destinations that are within WAS, but we cannot use the administrative console to administer the JMS provider itself, or any of its resources that are outside of WAS.
- To use message-driven beans (MDBs), third-party messaging providers must include Application Server Facility (ASF), an optional feature that is part of the JMS Version 1.1 specification, or use an inbound resource adapter that conforms to the Java EE Connector Architecture (JCA) Version 1.5 or 1.6 specification.
To work with a third-party provider, see Manage messaging with a third-party JCA 1.5 or 1.6-compliant messaging provider or Manage messaging with a third-party non-JCA messaging provider.
Subtopics
- Choosing messaging providers for a mixed environment
If our existing or planned messaging environment involves both IBM MQ and WAS systems, choose between the default messaging provider, the IBM MQ messaging provider, or a mixture of the two, by considering our messaging requirements, the business environment, and the needs of each messaging application.
Related:
Introduction: Messaging resources IBM MQ messaging provider Manage messaging with a third-party messaging provider Manage message-driven beans Secure messaging Tune messaging Troubleshoot messaging Programming to use asynchronous messaging Manage messaging with the default messaging provider Configure JMS resources for the synchronous SOAP over JMS endpoint listener