BizTalk Server: MQSeries and MQSeries Client (MQSC) adapters
Summary
When using Microsoft BizTalk Server with IBM WebSphere MQ, there are two options available:
- MQSeries Client (MQSC) Adapter
- MQSeries Adapter
This article provides more detailed information on these adapters, including the following:
- Differences between the MQSeries Client (MQSC) and the MQSeries adapters
- Supportability with different versions of BizTalk and IBM WebSphere MQ
MQSeries Client (MQSC) Adapter
The MQSC adapter is a light-weight component of MQ that does not require the MQSeries Queue Manager run-time code to reside on a client system. The MQSC adapter is available in the BizTalk Adapters for Host Systems installation that is part of Host Integration Server (HIS). This adapter can connect to an IBM WebSphere Queue Manager on Windows or non-Windows. It can also support transactional and non-transactional messaging.
To be non-transactional, the following are required:
- The IBM WebSphere MQ Client (Base) must be downloaded (possibly from IBM) and installed on the BizTalk server.
- The Transaction Supported property in the MQSC adapter transport properties must be set to No.
To be transactional, the following are required:
- The IBM WebSphere MQ Extended Transactional Client package must be purchased (possibly from IBM) and then installed on the BizTalk server.
- The Transaction Supported property in the MQSC adapter transport properties must be set to Yes.
The complete transactional steps are listed in the following link:
MQSC Adapter Sample Configuration
If the goal is to use two servers, your setup would be the following:
Non-Transactional
| Server 1 | Server 2 |
| Windows | Windows or Non-Windows |
| BizTalk Server | WebSphere MQ |
| MQSC adapter | |
| WebSphere MQ Client (available from IBM) |
Transactional
| Server 1 | Server 2 |
| Windows | Windows or Non-Windows |
| BizTalk Server | WebSphere MQ |
| MQSC adapter | |
| WebSphere MQ Extended Transactional Client (available from IBM) |
For more information on the WebSphere MQ V7.0 Client, visit the following site:
For more information on the WebSphere MQ Extended Transactional Client, visit the following IBM sites:
- Installing a WebSphere MQ client and server system
- Configuring WebSphere MQ Extended Transactional Client with IBM TXSeries
MQSeries Adapter
The MQSeries adapter is available with the BizTalk Server installation. It can support transactional and non-transactional messaging by setting the Transaction Supported property in the MQSeries adapter transport properties.
The MQSeries adapter uses the MQSAgent2 COM+ application to put/get messages into the IBM WebSphere Queue Manager. MQSAgent is installed by running MQSConfigWiz.exe, which is available in the BizTalk Server installation folder (drive:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft BizTalk Server 20xx).
The MQSeries adapter requires IBM’s MQSeries Server for Windows to reside on the client system to communicate with an IBM WebSphere Queue Manager running on Windows or non-Windows. MQSeries Server for Windows is not a Microsoft program and must be obtained with your IBM WebSphere MQ program.
To use the MQSeries adapter available with BizTalk Server, the following are required:
- The MQSAgent2 COM+ application must be installed on the BizTalk server or another server acting as a middle-tier.
- The MQSeries Server for Windows package may be required. MQSeries Server for Windows is the client provided by WebSphere MQ. If it’s needed, it must be purchased (possibly from IBM) and then installed on the same server as the MQSAgent2 COM+ application.
When WebSphere MQ is installed on Windows, the MQSAgent2 COM+ application can also be installed on the WebSphere MQ server. In this scenario, MQSeries Server for Windows is not needed.
MQSeries Adapter Sample Configuration
If the goal is to use one server, your setup would be the following:
| Server 1 |
| Windows |
| BizTalk Server |
| MQSeries adapter |
| MQSAgent2 COM+ application |
| WebSphere MQ |
Note In this scenario, MQSeries Server for Windows is not needed because WebSphere MQ is installed on Windows.
If the goal is to use two servers, your setup would be the following:
| Server 1 | Server 2 |
| Windows | Windows or Non-Windows |
| BizTalk Server | WebSphere MQ |
| MQSeries adapter | |
| MQSAgent2 COM+ application | |
| MQSeries Server for Windows (available from IBM) |
OR
| Server 1 | Server 2 |
| Windows | Windows |
| BizTalk Server | MQSAgent2 COM+ application |
| MQSeries adapter | WebSphere MQ |
Note In this scenario, MQSeries Server for Windows is not needed because WebSphere MQ is installed on Windows.
If the goal is to use three servers by separating the MQSAgent2 COM+ application, your setup would be the following:
| Server 1 | Server 2 | Server 3 |
| Windows | Windows | Windows or Non-Windows |
| BizTalk Server | MQSAgent2 COM+ application | WebSphere MQ |
| MQSeries adapter | MQSeries Server for Windows (available from IBM) |
Adapter Online Information
The following link provides a chart that compares the MQSeries and MQSC adapters:
The following link provides more information on the MQSAgent COM+ Configuration Wizard, including configuration:
The following link provides more specific details on the MQSeries adapter structure:
Supportability
Supported IBM WebSphere MQ versions
'Yes' means it's supported. 'No' means it is not supported. When "No", that version may still work.
| WebSphere MQ 8 | WebSphere MQ 7.5 | WebSphere MQ 7.1 | WebSphere MQ 7.0 | WebSphere MQ 6.0 | WebSphere MQ 5.3 | |
| MQSeries (BizTalk 2013 R2) | Yes - 8.0.0.2 and later | Yes - 7.5.0.3 and later | Yes - 7.1.0.5 and later | Yes - 7.0.1.9 and later | Yes - 6.0.2.12 and later | No |
| MQSeries (BizTalk 2013) | Yes - 8.0.0.2 and later | Yes - 7.5.0.3 and later | Yes - 7.1.0.5 and later | Yes - 7.0.1.9 and later | Yes - 6.0.2.12 and later | No |
| MQSeries (BizTalk 2010) | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| MQSeries (BizTalk 2009) | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| MQSeries (BizTalk 2006 R2) | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| MQSeries (BizTalk 2006) | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| MQSC (HIS 2013) | Yes, with HIS CU3 | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| MQSC (HIS 2010) | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| MQSC (HIS 2009) | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| MQSC (HIS 2006) | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
WebSphere MQ Client minimum requirements:
- IBM WebSphere MQ Client 5.3 with Fix Pack 5.0.1.0 or higher
- IBM WebSphere MQ Client 6.0 with Fix Pack 6.0.1.1 or higher
- IBM WebSphere MQ Client 7.0 with Fix Pack 7.0.0.1 (required for 64-bit)
- IBM WebSphere MQ Extended Transactional Client 6.0 with Fix Pack 6.0.1.1 (for transactional support)
- IBM WebSphere MQ Extended Transactional Client 7.0 with Fix Pack 7.0.0.1 (for transactional support)
32-bit/64-bit support of the MQSC adapter, MQSeries adapter and MQSAgent2 COM+ application
'Yes' means it's supported. 'No' means it is not supported. When "No", that version may still work.
| 64-bit (Native) | 32-bit (WOW64) | 32-bit (Native) | |
| MQSeries adapter (BizTalk 2013) | Yes | No | Yes |
| MQSeries adapter (BizTalk 2010) | Yes | No | Yes |
| MQSeries adapter (BizTalk 2009) | Yes | No | Yes |
| MQSeries adapter (BizTalk 2006 R2) | Yes | No | Yes |
| MQSeries adapter (BizTalk 2006) | No | No | Yes |
| MQSAgent2 COM+ application (BizTalk 2013) | No | Yes | Yes |
| MQSAgent2 COM+ application (BizTalk 2010) | No | Yes | Yes |
| MQSAgent2 COM+ application (BizTalk 2009) | No | Yes | Yes |
| MQSAgent2 COM+ application (BizTalk 2006 R2) | No | No | Yes |
| MQSAgent2 COM+ application (BizTalk 2006) | No | No | Yes |
| MQSC adapter (HIS 2013) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MQSC adapter (HIS 2010) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MQSC adapter (HIS 2009) * | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MQSC adapter (HIS 2006) ** | No | Yes | Yes |
* The HIS 2009 version of the MQSC adapter installs successfully on a 32-bit server but when attempting to use the MQSC transport, the following error may occur:
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: BizTalk Server 2009
Event Category: (1)
Event ID: 5740
Description:The adapter "MQSC" raised an error message. Details "Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.BizTalk.Adapter.Mqsc.ImqWrapperCommon, Version=7.0.2300.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.".
To use the HIS 2009 version of the MQSC adapter on a 64-bit server, install the HIS 2009 update in KB article 939202. This update allows the MQSC adapter to run in a 32-bit host on a 64-bit BizTalk server:
An update is available that enables you to install the client-based BizTalk Adapter for WebSphere MQ on 64-bit versions of Windows
** The MQSC adapter available with HIS 2006 is only supported on a 32-bit server. To use the HIS 2006 version of the MQSC adapter on a 64-bit server, install the HIS 2006 update in KB article 939202. This update allows the MQSC adapter to run in 32-bit host on a 64-bit BizTalk server:
WOW64 support was added in WebSphere MQ 6.0.2.1 and later. Native 64-bit support was added in WebSphere MQ 7.0 and later. The following links provide more specific information on the WebSphere MQ system requirements:
- System Requirements for WebSphere MQ V7.0/7.0.1 on Windows
- System Requirements for WebSphere MQ on 6.0 Windows
Supported versions of the MQSC Adapter with BizTalk Server:
'Yes' means it's supported. 'No' means it is not supported. When "No", that version may still work.
| MQSC (HIS 2013) | MQSC (HIS 2010) | MQSC (HIS 2009) | MQSC (HIS 2006) | |
| BizTalk Server 2013 R2 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| BizTalk Server 2013 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| BizTalk Server 2010 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| BizTalk Server 2009 | No | No | Yes | No |
| BizTalk Server 2006 R2 | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| BizTalk Server 2006 | No | No | No | Yes |
See Also
Another important place to find a huge amount of BizTalk related articles is the TechNet Wiki itself. The best entry point is BizTalk Server Resources on the TechNet Wiki.