Actions that the applications can perform

We can develop applications to send and receive messages that we need to support your business processes. We can also develop applications to manage your queue managers and related resources.


Actions that the applications can perform on IBM MQ for Multiplatforms

On Multiplatforms, we can write applications that perform the following actions:

  • Send messages to other applications running under the same operating systems. The applications can be on either the same or another system.
  • Send messages to applications that run on other IBM MQ platforms.
  • Use message queuing from within CICS for the following systems:

    • TXSeries for AIX
    • IBM i
    • Windows

  • Use message queuing from within Encina for the folllowing systems:

    • AIX
    • Windows

  • Use message queuing from within Tuxedo for the following systems:

    • AIX
    • AT&T
    • Windows

  • Use IBM MQ as a transaction manager, coordinating updates made by external resource managers within IBM MQ units of work. The following external resource managers are supported and comply with the X/OPEN XA interface

    • Db2
    • Informix
    • Oracle
    • Sybase

  • Process several messages together as a single unit of work that can be committed or backed out.
  • Run from a full IBM MQ environment, or run from an IBM MQ client environment.


Actions that the applications can perform on IBM MQ for z/OS

On z/OS, we can write applications that perform the following actions:

  • Use message queuing within CICS or IMS.
  • Send messages between batch, CICS, and IMS applications, selecting the most appropriate environment for each function.
  • Send messages to applications that run on other IBM MQ platforms.
  • Process several messages together as a single unit of work that can be committed or backed out.
  • Send messages to, and interact with, IMS applications by means of the IMS bridge.
  • Participate in units of work coordinated by RRS.

Each environment within z/OS has its own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. The advantage of IBM MQ for z/OS is that applications are not tied to any one environment, but can be distributed to take advantage of the benefits of each environment. For example, we can develop end-user interfaces using TSO or CICS, we can run processing-intensive modules in z/OS batch, and we can run database applications in IMS or CICS. In all cases, the various parts of the application can communicate using messages and queues.

Designers of IBM MQ applications must be aware of the differences and limitations imposed by these environments. For example:

  • IBM MQ provides facilities that allow intercommunication between queue managers (this is known as distributed queuing).
  • Methods of committing and backing out changes differ between the batch and CICS environments.
  • IBM MQ for z/OS provides support in the IMS environment for online message processing programs (MPPs), interactive fast path programs (IFPs), and batch message processing programs (BMPs). If we are writing batch DL/I programs, follow the guidance given in topics such as Building z/OS batch applications and z/OS batch considerations for z/OS batch programs.
  • Although multiple instances of IBM MQ for z/OS can exist on a single z/OS system, a CICS region can connect to only one queue manager at a time. However, more than one CICS region can be connected to the same queue manager. In the IMS and z/OS batch environments, programs can connect to more than one queue manager.
  • IBM MQ for z/OS allows local queues to be shared by a group of queue managers, giving improved throughput and availability. Such queues are called shared queues, and the queue managers form a queue sharing group, which can process messages on the same shared queues. Batch applications can connect to one of several queue managers within a queue sharing group by specifying the queue sharing group name, instead of a particular queue manager name. This is known as group batch attach, or more simply group attach. See Shared queues and queue sharing groups.

The differences between the supported environments, and their limitations, are explained further in Use and writing applications on IBM MQ for z/OS.

Parent topic: Application development concepts


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