Request-reply messaging using a WebSphere MQ server

You can provide a reply-to destination in a message sent to a destination that is assigned to a WebSphere® MQ server bus member. If the reply comes from a WebSphere MQ application, for example a WebSphere MQ JMS application, some restrictions apply to the reply-to destination. You must also configure a WebSphere MQ link over which the reply can flow.

When a message with a reply-to destination is sent to a destination that is assigned to a WebSphere MQ server bus member, the reply-to destination is represented by the following WebSphere MQ message descriptor fields:
  • Queue name: this is set to the name of the service integration destination that has been specified as a reply-to queue.
  • Queue manager name: this is set either to the name of the service integration bus from which the message was sent or to the virtual queue manager name specified in the bus member configuration for the MQ server.
Queue names and queue manager names that are not recognized by WebSphere MQ are truncated at the first character that is not a valid WebSphere MQ character, or at the WebSphere MQ limit on the field length.
When you send a message from service integration using a WebSphere MQ server, a WebSphere MQ JMS application can only reply to the reply-to destination in the message when you meet these conditions:
  • The reply-to destination name must be a valid WebSphere MQ queue name.
  • The reply-to destination must be on a service integration bus that has a name that is a valid WebSphere MQ queue manager name, or the virtual queue manager name specified in the bus member configuration for the MQ server must be a valid WebSphere MQ queue manager name.
  • The reply-to destination must be on the same service integration bus as the bus where the message originated.
  • You must configure a WebSphere MQ link over which the reply can flow between the service integration bus and the WebSphere MQ network.
  • The virtual queue manager name that you allocate to the WebSphere MQ link must match the queue manager name specified for the reply-to destination, which can be either the name of the service integration bus to which the WebSphere MQ link points, or the virtual queue manager name specified in the bus member configuration for the MQ server.