The format of an xa_open string

An xa_open string contains pairs of defined parameter names and values.

An xa_open string has the following format: 
parm_name1 = parm_value1, parm_name2 = parm_value2, ...
where parm_name is the name of a parameter and parm_value is the value of a parameter. The names of the parameters are not case-sensitive but, unless stated otherwise, the values of the parameters are case-sensitive. We can specify the parameters in any order. The names, meanings, and valid values of the parameters are as follows:

    Name
    Meaning and valid values

    CHANNEL
    The name of an MQI channel.

    This is an optional parameter. If this parameter is supplied, the CONNAME parameter must also be supplied.

    TRPTYPE
    The communications protocol for the MQI channel. The following protocols are valid values:

      LU62
      SNA LU 6.2

      NETBIOS
      NetBIOS

      SPX
      IPX/SPX

      TCP
      TCP/IP

    This is an optional parameter. If it is omitted, the default value of TCP is assumed. The values of the parameter are not case-sensitive.

    CONNAME
    The network address of the queue manager at the server end of the MQI channel. The valid values of this parameter depend on the value of the TRPTYPE parameter:

      LU62
      A symbolic destination name, which identifies a CPI-C side information entry.

      The network qualified name of a partner LU is not a valid value, nor is a partner LU alias. This is because there are no additional parameters to specify a transaction program (TP) name and a mode name.

      NETBIOS
      A NetBIOS name.

      SPX
      A 4 byte network address, a 6 byte node address, and an optional 2 byte socket number. These values must be specified in hexadecimal notation. A period must separate the network and node addresses, and the socket number, if supplied, must be enclosed in parentheses. For example: 
      0a0b0c0d.804abcde23a1(5e86)
      If the socket number is omitted, the default value of 5e86 is assumed.

      TCP
      A host name or an IP address, optionally followed by a port number in parentheses. If the port number is omitted, the default value of 1414 is assumed. Multiple hosts and ports for a queue manager may be specified by using a semicolon separator, for example: 
      host1(1415);host2(1416);host3(1417)

    This is an optional parameter. If this parameter is supplied, the CHANNEL parameter must also be supplied.

    QMNAME
    The name of the queue manager at the server end of the MQI channel. The name cannot be blank or a single asterisk (*), nor can the name start with an asterisk. This means that the parameter must identify a specific queue manager by name.

    This is a mandatory parameter.

    When a client application is connected to a specific queue manager any transaction recovery must be processed by the same queue manager.

    If the application is connecting to a z/OS® queue manager then the application can specify either the name of a specific queue manager or the name of a queue sharing group (QSG). By using the queue manager name or queue sharing group name, the application controls whether it partakes in a transaction with a QMGR unit of recovery disposition or a GROUP unit of recovery disposition. The GROUP unit of recovery disposition enables the recovery of the transaction to be processed on any member of the QSG. To use GROUP units of recovery the GROUPUR queue manager attribute must be enabled.

    For further information about using GROUP unit of recovery, see Unit of recovery disposition in a queue sharing group.

    TPM
    The transaction manager being used. The valid values are CICS® and TUXEDO.

    An extended transactional client uses this parameter and the AXLIB parameter for the same purpose. For more information these parameters, see The TPM and AXLIB parameters.

    This is an optional parameter. The values of the parameter are not case-sensitive.

    AXLIB
    The name of the library that contains the transaction manager's ax_reg and ax_unreg functions.

    This is an optional parameter.

    UID
    The user ID that is provided to the queue manager for authentication. If this parameter is supplied, the PWD parameter must also be supplied. If the user ID and password supplied are authenticated, the user ID is used for identification of ths transaction manager's connection. The user ID and password populate the MQCSP object on the MQCONNX call.

    The UID and PWD parameters are valid for both client and server bindings.

    PWD
    The password that is provided to the queue manager for authentication. If this parameter is supplied, the UID parameter must also be supplied.

Warning: In some cases, the password in an MQCSP structure for a client application will be sent across a network in plain text. To ensure that client application passwords are protected appropriately, see IBM MQ CSP password protection. Here is an example of an xa_open string: 

channel=MARS.SVR,trptype=tcp,conname=MARS(1415),qmname=MARS,tpm=cics