Considerations when migrating from FTE to MFT

If we are planning to move from WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.4 or earlier to Managed File Transfer in IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 or later, review this information, which summarizes the changes between versions.

Configuration changes

The configuration layout directly after installation in IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5, or later is different from the configuration layout directly after installation in WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.4 or earlier.

For example, the diagram shows the configuration layout directly after installation firstly as it was in WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.4, Fix Pack 1 and then as it is in IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 or later.

WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Version 7.0.4 or earlier file name and default location	IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 or later equivalent file name and default location
Default configuration directory location (wmqfte_configuration_directory): UNIX systems: /var/IBM/WMQFTE/config Linux systems: /var/ibm/WMQFTE/config Windows: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\IBM\WMQFTE\config	Default configuration directory location and content: Information that was previously in the IBM WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition configuration directory is split over four separate subdirectories: config, installations, ipc, and logs. The default product root directories (MQ_DATA_PATH) are as follows: UNIX systems: /var/mqm Linux systems: /var/mqm Windows: the location of the configuration directory depends on the location of our primary IBM MQ installation. The default locations for primary installations are as follows: 32-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere MQ 64-bit: C:\Program Files\IBM\MQ The configuration subdirectories are as follows: The MQ_DATA_PATH/mqft/config directory contains the parts of the configuration that are read-only for Managed File Transfer processes. For example, agent.properties and command.properties. The MQ_DATA_PATH/mqft/installations directory contains configuration information for each installation. The content of this directory is equivalent to the content of the wmqfte.properties file. The MQ_DATA_PATH/mqft/ipc directory contains IPC resources used internally to communicate between the Managed File Transfer components. Applicable to UNIX and Linux systems only. The MQ_DATA_PATH/mqft/logs directory contains the parts of the configuration that are written by Managed File Transfer processes. For example, trace information and log files.
wmqfte.properties The wmqfte.properties file sets properties that apply to the entire IBM WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition installation. The default location is wmqfte_configuration_directory	installation.properties The installation.properties file is a renamed and relocated equivalent of the wmqfte.properties file. On UNIX and Linux systems, the default location is MQ_DATA_PATH/mqft/installations/installation_name On Windows, the default location is MQ_DATA_PATH\mqft\installations\installation_name
databaselogger.properties. This file contains property information for the stand-alone database logger. The default location is wmqfte_configuration_directory/coordination_qmgr_name	logger.properties This file now incorporates property information for stand-alone file loggers, stand-alone database loggers, and Java EE database loggers. The default location is MQ_DATA_PATH/mqft/config/coordination_qmgr_name/loggers/logger_name.

Security changes

For IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 or later, only users who are administrators (members of the mqm group) can run the following list of fte commands:

• fteChangeDefaultConfigurationOptions
• fteCreateAgent
• fteCreateBridgeAgent (create and configure an MFT protocol bridge agent)
• fteCreateCDAgent: create a Connect:Direct bridge agent
• fteCreateLogger
• fteDeleteAgent
• fteDeleteLogger
• fteMigrateAgent: migrate an FTE V7.0 agent to MQ V7.5 or later
• fteMigrateConfigurationOptions: migrate an FTE V7.0 configuration to MQ V7.5 or later
• fteMigrateLogger: migrate an FTE V7.0 database logger to MQ V7.5 or later
• fteModifyAgent: run an MFT agent as a Windows service
• fteModifyLogger: run an MFT logger as a Windows service
• fteSetupCommands: create the MFT command.properties file
• fteSetupCoordination

When using IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 or later on Multiplatforms, only the user that the agent process is running under can run the fteSetAgentTraceLevel command.

For z/OS, the fteSetAgentTraceLevel command can be run by either:

• The same userid that the agent process is running as.
• Members of the group specified by the agent property adminGroup.

For z/OS, if the fteShowAgentDetails command is run to display information about a local agent, then the command can be run by either:

• The same userid that the agent process is running as.
• Members of the group specified by the agent property adminGroup.

For more information, see the adminGroup property in The MFT agent.properties file.

Security changes in IBM MQ Version 8.0

If we are running Managed File Transfer on IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0, and migrate to IBM MQ Version 8.0, the user ID information in the MQMFTCredentials.xml file is passed to the queue manager, but will not be acted upon. This is because the passing of user ID and password information only is supported in IBM MQ Version 8.0.

commandPath and agent sandboxes

For IBM MQ Version 8.0 and later, if an agent has been configured with an agent sandbox and the agent property commandPath has been set, then the directories specified by commandPath are automatically added to the denied paths when the agent starts. If the commandPath property is set on an agent which is not configured with an agent sandbox, then a new sandbox is set up automatically and the directories specified by the commandPath are added to the denied directories when the agent starts.

If the commandPath property is set on an agent which is not configured with an agent sandbox, then a new sandbox is set up automatically and the directories specified by the commandPath are added to the denied directories when the agent starts.

commandPath and user sandboxes

For IBM MQ Version 8.0 and later, if an agent has been configured with one or more user sandboxes, and has the agent property commandPath set, then the directories specified by commandPath (and all of their subdirectories) are automatically added as <exclude> elements to the <read> and <write> elements for each user sandbox when the agent starts up.

For more information about the commandPath property, see commandPath MFT property and The MFT agent.properties file.

Migrating MFT agents that run as a Windows service from IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 to IBM MQ Version 9.0

Between IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5, IBM MQ Version 8.0, and IBM MQ Version 9.0, the default IBM MQ installation path has changed on the Windows platform.

If a queue manager is being migrated from IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 to IBM MQ Version 8.0 or IBM MQ Version 9.0, any applications that are running on the same system as the queue manager must be reconfigured to load the IBM MQ libraries from the new installation location. This includes any IBM MQ Managed File Transfer agents that are running as a Windows service.

Carry out the following procedure:

1. Stop the agents that are associated with the IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 queue manager. See stopping an MFT agent for more information. For example issue the following command:

   fteStopAgent  <agent_name>

2. Modify the agent to remove the service definition of the agent. See run an MFT agent as a Windows service for more information. For example, issue the following command:

   fteModifyAgent -agentName <agent_name>

3. Next, migrate the agent queue manager from IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.5 to the later version by using the setmqm command. See associating a queue manager with an installation for more information about the setmqm command.
4. Finally, modify the agent to reconfigure the agent to run as a Windows service again, by using the fteModifyAgent command.For example:

   fteModifyAgent -agentName AGENT1 -s -su fteuser -sp ftepassword

Parent topic: Migrating IBM MQ Managed File Transfer