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  • 1.  Running MQ Explorer into Eclispe issues

    Posted 04/07/20 09:29 AM
    Hello MQ community users,

    I have installed MQ Explorer v9.1.4 into Eclipse 2020-03 (4.15.0) on Windows client platform in order to connect and access a few target Windows based Queue Managers (mainly v7.5, v.8)

    I have managed to connect to the specific queue managers, but when trying
    retrieve the queues or channels or other objects listed under this queue manager, the search is endless and finally fails...
    So, I am not able to see any object listed under the connected MQ manager.

    Notice that the idea, is to run multiple instances of MQ explorer under my account and the same will be applied for a few other accounts, for administration purposes.
    I have followed the article below: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/how-run-multiple-instances-mq-explorer-75-or-80

    Btw, the article says that the above is NOT applicable to MQ v7.5 and later versions on Windows.

    Do you think, that might be the reason for the failure?
    Should I try the same on a Linux box?

    Thanks in advance,
    Cheers Nick

    ------------------------------
    Nick Dakoronias
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Running MQ Explorer into Eclispe issues

    Posted 04/07/20 09:53 AM
    Hi,
    We use MQ Explorer to administer MQ to a certain extent. It is a GUI so we do no use it for mass administration. Each of the admins (about 8 of us) has  a copy of of MQ explorer installed and a copy of centrally managed WMQ_Handles.xml file. We have about 1000 queue managers defined in this file. Each admin has their own login to MQ (via ldap, id and password). We don't need multiple copies of MQ explorer. We connect to Linux, AIX, Windows , I-series and and z-os. The majority of our estate is Linux and we use ssh and command line to mass administer our Linux estate. 
    regards,
    Rab.

    ------------------------------
    Rab McGill
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Running MQ Explorer into Eclispe issues
    Best Answer

    Posted 04/07/20 11:40 AM
    Nick,
    In answer to you email.
    Adding a queue manager to MQ Explorer via the GUI will also update the WMQ_Handles.xml, but can be manually updated too (make sure MQ explorer is closed if editing the file). 

    the file on windows is located somewhere like
    C:\Users\name\IBM\WebSphereMQ\workspace\.metadata\.plugins\com.ibm.mq.explorer.ui

    example file with two queue managers - 

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
    <!DOCTYPE QueueManagerHandles SYSTEM "WMQ_Handles.dtd">
    <QueueManagerHandles>
    <QueueManagerHandle commandLevel="910" connnectionType="2" name="QMRY01" platform="3" uuid="QMRY01_2019-08-17_19.31.09" visible="1" refreshInterval="-1" autoReconnect="0" userIdState="1" expiryInterval="300" waitInterval="30" connName="QMRY01(1414)" channel="SYSTEM.ADMIN.SVRCONN" securityExitName="" securityExitLocation="" securityExitData="" useridCompatibilityMode="1" passwordMode="1" userid="" sslCipherSuite="SSL_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA256" sslFipsRequired="0" sslPeerName="" sslResetCount="0" sslPersonalStore="F:\keys\mq\mqexplorer\qmkey.jks" sslPersonalStorePw="********" sslTrustedStore="F:\keys\mq\mqexplorer\qmkey.jks" sslTrustedStorePw="********" uniqueId="QMRY01/QMRY01/1414/SYSTEM.ADMIN.SVRCONN"/>
    <QueueManagerHandle commandLevel="910" connnectionType="2" name="QM5A01" platform="3" uuid="QM5A01_2018-06-26_10.04.43" visible="1" refreshInterval="-1" autoReconnect="0" userIdState="1" expiryInterval="300" waitInterval="30" connName="QM5A01(1414)" channel="SYSTEM.ADMIN.SVRCONN" securityExitName="" securityExitLocation="" securityExitData="" useridCompatibilityMode="1" passwordMode="1" userid="" sslCipherSuite="SSL_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA256" sslFipsRequired="0" sslPeerName="" sslResetCount="0" sslPersonalStore="F:\keys\mq\mqexplorer\qmkey.jks" sslPersonalStorePw="********" sslTrustedStore="F:\keys\mq\mqexplorer\qmkey.jks" sslTrustedStorePw="********" uniqueId="QM5A01/QM5A01/1414/SYSTEM.ADMIN.SVRCONN"/>
    </QueueManagerHandles>


    Queue managers can be grouped in folders (sets) if you want. These are held in WMQ_Sets.xml

    Other alternatives to MQ Explorer that I have used are QPASA (now Truesight Middleware Monitor ) and MQMon. Both are commercial offering but MQMon does not cost much and has a lot of useful tools. Truesight Middleware Monitor is good for alerting and throughput analysis.  

    Regards,
    Rab.



    Dear Rab,
    Many thanks for your prompt response:)

    This is what I was actually looking for..
    Since I haven't experience on something like this, could you pls send me a sample of this xml file, in order to
    see the structure and the connection records layout?
    How did that xml file generated ? Have you created manually by yourself?

    Cheers Nick.

    ------------------------------
    Rab McGill
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Running MQ Explorer into Eclispe issues

    Posted 04/08/20 08:37 AM
    Thanks Rab,

    I have already taken backup of those essential xml files ( fyi, i had created sets per Windows domain as well).

    I assume the scenario to have a dedicated MQ explorer VM  with local xml files, to be updated when needed 
    by a few (5) MQ admins upon their platform (Wintel, AIX, iSeries, zSeries) and which will be accessed via RDP
    so that  each MQ admin (per platform) to be able to connect and manage his own Queue Managers, is also feasible and valid. Correct?

    Regarding alternative commercial MQ administration tools, apart from BMC TrueSight Middleware Monitor (good candidate since cust. is using BMC Remedy for  change mamangement), I have also looked into CA SYSVIEW Option for MQ  from Broadcom (do you know it? - cust is using  already  Broadcom CA APM  for agent based monitoring of hosts, applications and services including only a few MQ nodes) but it is mentioned  as a mainframe management tool:
    https://techdocs.broadcom.com/content/broadcom/techdocs/us/en/ca-mainframe-software/performance-and-storage/ca-sysview-performance-management/16-0/ca-sysview-product-overview/ca-sysview-option-for-ibm-mq.html

    At last I have also reviewed other commercial alternatives listed in https://www.capitalware.com/mq_tools_comm.html#mqadmin
    such as MO71 -> https://www.mqgem.com/mo71.html or WMQTool -> http://www.niratul.com/wmqtool002.htm
    Do you know a particular experience on a cost-efficient tool from that list?

    Thanks in advance for your time
    Cheers Nick.


    ------------------------------
    NICK DAKORONIAS
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Running MQ Explorer into Eclispe issues

    Posted 04/08/20 10:26 AM
    Hi Nick,
    I would suggest each admin has their own copy of MQ explorer. There are installation packages for Windows an Linux.  Each admin would have their own copy of the WMQ_Handles.xml, either maintained by themselves or copied down from say a content management system. There could be multiple versions of the WMQ_Handles.xml with just the queue managers the admin is interested in.  I am not sure what benefit there is to having it on a single VM.

    I only have experience of  MQ Explorer, Truesight Middleware Monitor and MQMon (also known as MO71 in your list).
    MQ Explorer in my opinion is light weight (even though it is java) and easy to use.

    MQMon/MO71 is more functionally rich than MQ explorer and hence a slightly larger learning curve. Similar setup to MQ explorer, has a config file with the list of queue manager in it. As I mentioned it doesn't cost much, in comparison to Truesight Middleware Monitor it is pocket change.  Even if you have other tools I would always have MQMon too.  Morag Hughson is probably best person to ask about it. 

    Truesight Middleware Monitor, "expensive" but it is pretty good for monitoring and alerting. I don't tend to use it for admin. Monitoring and alerting are template based. We have two or three alert templates and one history template that are applied automatically to a queue manager. Management overhead is therefore very little. Alerts can be sent to for example email or Service Now. History is good to see throughput and problem diagnosis.

    Regards,
    Rab.

    ------------------------------
    Rab McGill
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Running MQ Explorer into Eclispe issues

    Posted 04/09/20 06:39 AM
    Thanks Rab, for your response.

    "I would suggest each admin has their own copy of MQ explorer. There are installation packages for Windows an Linux. "
    What about the MQ admins on AIX, zOs, iSeries?

    " I am not sure what benefit there is to having it on a single VM.    "
    Customer would like to have a single point of administration (dedicated VM) acting as "hub" for all target MQ platforms.
    MQ admins will access that VM via RDP.

     


    ------------------------------
    NICK DAKORONIAS
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Running MQ Explorer into Eclispe issues

    Posted 04/11/20 01:54 AM

    Hi Rab and Nick,

    "MQMon/MO71 is more functionally rich than MQ explorer and hence a slightly larger learning curve. Similar setup to MQ explorer, has a config file with the list of queue manager in it. As I mentioned it doesn't cost much, in comparison to Truesight Middleware Monitor it is pocket change.  Even if you have other tools I would always have MQMon too.  Morag Hughson is probably best person to ask about it."

    If you need any more information about MO71, I am happy for you to contact me on this site, or by the email addresses on our website https://www.mqgem.com/mo71.html. If you want to try out MO71, for example to help with your research on which IBM MQ administration tools to use, please don't hesitate to get in touch and we can set you up with a free, no obligation trial.

    Cheers,
    Morag



    ------------------------------
    Morag Hughson
    MQ Technical Education Specialist
    MQGem Software Limited
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Running MQ Explorer into Eclispe issues

    Posted 04/11/20 04:36 AM
    Thanks Morag for your advise.

    I will ask customer and keep you posted accordingly.
    I will keep it in mind in any case.

    Cheers Nick.

    ------------------------------
    NICK DAKORONIAS
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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