Configuring uniform clusters - appliance-specific considerations

You can configure uniform clusters on the appliance, but there are some considerations specific to the appliance.

For a full description of IBM® MQ uniform clusters and how to set them up, see Configuring a uniform cluster in the IBM MQ documentation.

Both the initial creation of a uniform cluster and subsequently keeping the configuration between the uniform cluster members identical can be simplified by using the automatic configuration and automatic clustering support. When using this capability, one configuration file describes the cluster and another represents the MQSC configuration to apply to all queue managers in the uniform cluster. On each queue manager restart, the configuration is reapplied and the cluster automatically forms. Full instructions for creating these files are provided in Creating a uniform cluster in the IBM MQ documentation.

On the appliance both the auto-cluster file (with the .ini suffix) and the auto-config file (with the .mqsc suffix) must be located in the mqbackup: directory on the appliance.

You specify these files when you use the crtmqm command to create a uniform cluster queue manager.

If you are deploying a uniform cluster on a high availability (HA) or disaster recovery (DR) configuration, then you must take steps to ensure that all the nodes have the same auto-config and auto-cluster files in their mqbackup: directory.

When you back up uniform cluster queue managers from your appliance, you must take explicit steps to back up the auto-config and auto-cluster files from the mqbackup: directory.

For information about moving files to and from the appliance, see Managing files by using the IBM MQ Appliance web UI and Managing files by using the REST management interface.