Architecture and Components

This diagram illustrates how WebSphere MQ Adapter interfaces with a WebSphere MQ system using the WebSphere MQ libraries. Following the diagram are descriptions of the different architectural pieces involved in the integration process.

For a more detailed description of the runtime data flow for the different types of WebSphere MQ Adapter services, see Adapter Services.

webMethods Integration Server. WebSphere MQ Adapter is installed and runs on Integration Server.

WmART Package. The WmART package provides a common framework for webMethods Product Suite 6.0 and later adapters to use Integration Server functionality, making Integration Server the runtime environment for WebSphere MQ Adapter. The WmART package is installed with Integration Server.

WebSphere MQ Adapter. WebSphere MQ Adapter is delivered as a single package called WmMQAdapter.

Integration Server Administrator that enable you to configure and manage adapter connections, listeners, and notifications.

Software AG Designer that enable you to configure and manage adapter services, listeners, and notifications.

Adapter Service Templates. Adapter services enable WebSphere MQ Adapter to implement the WebSphere MQ client libraries to perform operations on WebSphere MQ queues. WebSphere MQ Adapter provides adapter service templates that enable you to configure services to put, get, peek, and request/reply messages.

For example, a Get service enables you to retrieve messages from a WebSphere MQ queue that are then sent to another application such as a purchase order entry system.

The WebSphere MQ Adapter's adapter service templates are available in Designer. For a detailed description of adapter services, see Adapter Services.

Adapter Connection Templates. Adapter connections enable WebSphere MQ Adapter to connect to WebSphere MQ systems. You must configure an adapter connection before you can configure adapter services.

The adapter provides a template for adapter connections in Integration Server. For a detailed description of adapter connections, see Adapter Connections.

Adapter Listener Template. An adapter listener monitors the queue for messages and passes the messages to a listener notification. For example, an adapter listener could listen for specific messages on a queue that contains a Group ID of 24. The adapter listener monitors the queue for all messages that contain this Group ID, retrieves the messages from the queue, and then passes them to the adapter listener notification for further processing.

You must configure adapter listeners before you can configure adapter notifications. WebSphere MQ Adapter provides adapter listener templates that enable you to configure listeners, which monitor a queue for messages.

Adapter Notification Template. A notification waits for an adapter listener to pass a listener notification a message. A listener notification then passes a message to Integration Server.

WebSphere MQ Adapter provides adapter notification templates that enable you to configure notifications, which process the message either synchronously or asynchronously.

WebSphere MQ Libraries. WebSphere MQ Adapter requires WebSphere MQ-supplied library files.

Queue Manager. The queue manager acts as an intermediary between the programs that want to exchange information, and it also functions as a server, controlling the flow of information in and out of a set of queues. WebSphere MQ Adapter requires that you specify the queue manager name when you configure transactional or non-transactional connections. For detailed instructions on how to configure connections, see Configuring WebSphere MQ Adapter Connections. For more information about queue managers, see Queue Manager.

Queue. The queue acts as an "inbox" to receive messages from the adapter services and to hold messages until other adapter services retrieve them. The WebSphere MQ Adapter requires that you specify the queue name when you configure transactional or non-transactional connections. For detailed instructions on how to configure connections, see Configuring WebSphere MQ Adapter Connections. For more information about queues, see Queuing.

The following diagram illustrates the use of WebSphere MQ Adapter and Integration Server in a business-process integration.