Objectives

This course is the ultimate course for WMQ programmers. The course gives an insight in the use of the message queuing technique as implemented through the WebSphere Message Queuing (WMQ) software. The technique is not really new, originally meant to help out in a Client/Server environment, a product like WMQ currently gets a lot of renewed attention in an SOA context. By using the WebSphere MQ product, the course shows how to work safely and efficiently in a C/S environment built around a Q-infrastructure. A lot of companies depend on WMQ infrastructure for reliable transmission of information.

At the end of this base course, participants will:

• be able to describe the typical characteristics of a WMQ environment and its relationship to the other WebSphere products.
• have an insight into the configuration and use of the product and its objects.
• understand what WMQ can and cannot do for you.
• understand the different ways WebSphere MQ objects can be accessed and used in applications based on the Messaging technique.
• be able to bridge the gap between the logical program design and the always-asynchronous messaging infrastructure.
• be able to use the MQ Interface (MQI) as it is available on the platforms where this software can be installed.

Participants will also learn 'when' and 'why' this technique can be used. Technical concepts and programming patterns will be discussed, a good practical understanding of the WMQ product as a basis for designing and creating applications as well as troubleshooting is the goal of the course. This course is not a programming workshop.

Main topics

Day 1

• Positioning WMQ as a product in the WebSphere software stack
• Positioning WMQ in the system infrastructure:

Message and Q • Standalone • Distributed • Asynchronous infrastructure • what is WMQ used for

• Communication patterns:

Send and Forget • Request/Reply • Publish/Subscribe

• Technical concepts for configuration:

Commands and utilities • Queue creation/deletion • Channel manipulation • Distributed queuing • Security and Recovery • Priority • Monitoring & Performance

• The use of commands in order to define and to manage WMQ objects
• Description of the base WMQ objects:
• Types of queues (local and remote queues, event queues, transmission queues, dead-letter queues, command queues .....)
• components (queues, queue managers, .....)
• Labs to illustrate the organisation of a Queue Manager and the configuration of the base objects

Day 2

• The distributed setup explained:

remote queues • transmission Q • the use of channel agents • listeners • channel types

• Lab to illustrate message transmission
• The trigger concept

trigger types • initiation Q • trigger monitor(s)

• Lab to illustrate Q triggering
• Miscellaneous:

cluster concept • transactional behaviour • logging infrastructure • space/file management • shared data Q (z/OS) • CICS/IMS interface (z/OS) • MQ in an integration scenario

• Application programming: introduction:

MQInterface (MQGET, MQPUT, MQCONN, MQOPEN, MQCLOSE, MQINQ .....) • anatomy of a call

Day 3

• The use of the MQ Interface:
• syntax of MQ commands
• 'browse' messages, 'put' and 'get' messages
• the use of dynamic message queues
• synchronisation in a MQ environment
• Communications patterns revisited
• how to program for Request/Reply: temporary Q • retries • application logging • browse and search
• how to program for triggers: backout count • one time event
• how to program for message groups (segments): browse and search • synchronize
• Possibilities of the MQ Application Messaging Interface:
• distribution lists • technical concept • where/how to use
• publish and subscribe • technical concept • where/how to use • WMQ support for ...
• Labs to illustrate the programming patterns based on the MQI interface