Multiple installations on UNIX, Linux, and Windows

On UNIX, Linux , and Windows, it is possible to have more than one copy of IBM MQ on a system.

We can choose where each copy of IBM MQ is installed, but each copy must be in a separate installation location. A maximum of 128 installations of IBM MQ can exist on a single machine at a time. One installation can be an installation of IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1, Fix Pack 6, or later. You have a choice:

• Keep the simplicity of maintaining and managing a single installation of IBM MQ on a machine.
• Take advantage of the flexibility that is offered by enabling multiple IBM MQ installations.

Decisions to make before installing

Before installing multiple copies of IBM MQ, you must make several decisions:

Will we have a copy of IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 on the system?

When IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1, Fix Pack 6, or later, is installed on the system, there are a number of restrictions to consider:

• On UNIX and Linux systems, IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 must be installed in the default location.
• IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 must be the first installation on a system. We cannot install IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 after installing Version 7.1, or later. If you uninstall version Version 7.0.1, it cannot be reinstalled while a later version of IBM MQ is installed.
• IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 is automatically the primary installation. We cannot select another installation as the primary installation while IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 is installed.

Where will you install each copy of IBM MQ ?

We can choose the installation location for your installations at Version 7.1, or later. For more information, see Installation location on Multiplatforms.

Do you need a primary installation?

A primary installation is an installation to which system-wide locations refer.

For more information, see Primary installation on UNIX, Linux, and Windows.

How will our applications connect?

You need to consider how our applications locate the appropriate IBM MQ libraries. For more information, see Connecting applications in a multiple installation environment, and Connecting .NET applications in a multiple installation environment.

Do your existing exits need changing?

If IBM MQ is not installed in the default location, your exits need to be updated. For more information, see Writing exits and installable services on UNIX, Linux, and Windows .

Which queue manager will be associated with which installation?

Each queue manager is associated with a particular installation. The installation that a queue manager is associated with limits that queue manager so that it can be administered only by commands from that installation. For more information, see Associating a queue manager with an installation.

How will you set up your environment to work with each installation?

With multiple installations on a system, you need to consider how you will work with particular installations, and how you will issue commands from that installation. We can either specify the full path to the command, or we can use the setmqenv or crtmqenv command to set environment variables. Setting the environment variables allows you to omit the path to the commands for that installation. For more information, see setmqenv, and crtmqenv.

When we have answered these questions, we can install IBM MQ after we have read IBM MQ installation overview. If we have existing installations of IBM MQ and you want to use the multiple installation capability to migrate from one version of IBM MQ to another version, see one of the following platform-specific topics:

• Multi-installation queue manager coexistence on UNIX, Linux, and Windows
• Plan the client installation on HP Integrity NonStop Server

The IBM message service client for .NET support pack and multiple installations

For multiple version support, on IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.1 or later, the Java and .NET Messaging and Web Services feature must be installed with the IBM MQ product. For more information about installing the .NET feature, see Install IBM MQ classes for .NET.