Extending queue manager facilities
You can extend queue manager facilities by using user exits, API exits, or installable services.
User exits
- Channel exits
- These exits change the way that channels operate. Channel exits are described in Channel-exit programs for messaging channels.
- Data conversion exits
- These exits create source code fragments that can be put into application programs to convert data from one format to another. Data conversion exits are described in the Writing data-conversion exits .
- The cluster workload exit
- The function performed by this exit is defined by the provider of the exit. Call definition information is given in MQ_CLUSTER_WORKLOAD_EXIT - Call description.
API exits
API exits let you write code that changes the behavior of WebSphere® MQ API calls, such as MQPUT and MQGET, and then insert that code immediately before or immediately after those calls. The insertion is automatic; the queue manager drives the exit code at the registered points. For more information about API exits, see Using and writing API exits.
Installable services
Installable services have formalized interfaces (an API) with multiple entry points.
An implementation of an installable service is called a service component. You can use the components supplied with WebSphere MQ, or you can write your own component to perform the functions that you require.
- Authorization service
- The authorization service allows you
to build your own security facility.
The default service component that implements the service is the object authority manager (OAM). By default, the OAM is active, and you do not have to do anything to configure it. You can use the authorization service interface to create other components to replace or augment the OAM. For more information about the OAM, see Setting up security on UNIX, UNIX and Linux® systems.
- Name service
- The name service enables applications to share queues
by identifying remote queues as though they were local queues.
You can write your own name service component. You might want to do this if you intend to use the name service with IBM® WebSphere MQ, for example. To use the name service you must have either a component that is either user-written, or supplied by a different software vendor. By default, the name service is inactive.