Sample program for Connection Endpoint Lookup (CEPL)

Introduction

Configure a global repository, for example, an LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) directory, to store client connection definitions to aid maintenance and administration. Use an IBM MQ client application to establish a connection to a queue manager via a Client Connection Definition Table (CCDT).

The CCDT is created through the standard IBM MQ MQSC Administration interface. The user must be connected to a queue manager in order to create client connection definitions, even though the data contained within the definition is not restricted to the queue manager. The CCDT file generated must be manually distributed among client machines and applications.

The CCDT file must be distributed to each IBM MQ client. Where thousands of clients can exist either locally or globally, it would soon become difficult to maintain and administer. A more flexible approach is needed to help ensure that each client has the correct client definitions available to them.

One such approach is to store the client connection definitions in a global repository such as an LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) directory. An LDAP directory can also provide additional security, indexing, and search facilities, thereby allowing each client access to only those connection definitions pertaining to them.

The LDAP directory can be configured so that only specific definitions are available to certain user groups. For example, the Test Clients can access both Queue Manager #1 and #2, whereas the Development Clients can access Queue Manager #2 only.

The exit module can look up an LDAP repository, for example, IBM Tivoli Directory Server, to retrieve channel definitions. Using those connection definitions, an IBM MQ client application can establish connection to a queue manager.

The exit module is a pre-connect exit module which enables channel definition to be obtained during the MQCONN/MQCONNX call from an LDAP repository.

The exit module and schema might be implemented by:

• Customers who have already built a skill base using the existing CCDT file based technology and want to ease the administration and distribution costs.
• Existing customers who already employ their own propriety technology for distributing client connection definitions.
• New or existing customers who currently do not employ any type of client connection solution and want to use the features offered by IBM MQ.
• New or existing customers who want to directly use or tune their messaging model inline with any current LDAP business architecture.

Supported environments