Multiple installations

On UNIX, Linux®, and Windows, it is possible to have more than one copy of IBM® WebSphere® MQ on a system.

You can choose where each copy of IBM WebSphere MQ is installed, but each copy must be in a separate installation location. A maximum of 128 installations of IBM WebSphere MQ can exist on a single machine at a time. One installation can be an installation of IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 at fix pack 6, or later. You now have a choice:
  • Keep the simplicity of maintaining and managing a single installation of IBM WebSphere MQ on a machine.
  • Take advantage of the flexibility offered by enabling multiple IBM WebSphere MQ installations.
Before you install multiple copies of IBM WebSphere MQ, you must make several decisions:

  • Will you have a copy of IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 on the system?

    When IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 at fix pack 6, or later, is installed on the system, there are a number of restrictions to consider:
    • On UNIX and Linux systems, IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 must be installed in the default location.
    • IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 must be the first installation on a system. You cannot install IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 after installing version 7.1, or later. If you uninstall version 7.0.1, it cannot be reinstalled while a later version of WebSphere MQ is installed.
    • IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 is automatically the primary installation. You cannot select another installation as the primary installation while IBM WebSphere MQ Version 7.0.1 is installed.

  • Where will you install each copy of IBM WebSphere MQ?

    You can choose the installation location for your installations at version 7.1, or later. For more information, see Choosing an installation location.

  • Do you need a primary installation?

    A primary installation is an installation to which system-wide locations refer. For more information, see Choosing a primary installation.

  • How will your applications connect?

    You need to consider how your applications locate the appropriate IBM WebSphere MQ libraries. For more information, see Connecting applications in a multiple installation environment, and Connecting .NET applications in a multiple installation environment.

  • Do your existing exits need changing?

    If IBM WebSphere MQ is not installed in the default location, your exits need to be updated. For more information, see Writing and compiling exits and installable services .

  • Which queue manager will be associated with which installation?

    Each queue manager is associated with a particular installation. The installation that a queue manager is associated with limits that queue manager so that it can be administered only by commands from that installation. For more information, see Associating a queue manager with an installation.

  • How will you set up your environment to work with each installation?

    With multiple installations on a system, you need to consider how you will work with particular installations, and how you will issue commands from that installation. You can either specify the full path to the command, or you can use the setmqenv or crtmqenv command to set environment variables. Setting the environment variables allows you to omit the path to the commands for that installation. For more information, see setmqenv, and crtmqenv.

When you have answered these questions, you can install IBM WebSphere MQ using the steps provided in Installing IBM WebSphere MQ.

If you have existing installations of IBM WebSphere MQ and you want to use the multiple installation capability to migrate from one version of IBM WebSphere MQ to another version, see Multi-installation queue manager coexistence on UNIX, Linux, and Windows .

The IBM message service client for .NET support pack and multiple installations

For multiple version support, the Java and .NET Messaging and Web Services feature must be installed with the IBM WebSphere MQ product. This feature contains all the functionality included in the IBM Message Service Client for .NET support pack (IA9H). If the support pack is installed on the system, multiple versions are not supported. You must uninstall the support pack before installing IBM WebSphere MQ. For more information about installing the .NET feature, see Installing WebSphere MQ classes for .NET.