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| Vitor |
 Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:31 am Post subject: |
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Grand High Poobah
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 26093
Location: Texas, USA
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| Vitor wrote: |
| Also if you've not reviewed the IR360 product from not allowed Software you should. It's a queue manager admn & view tool that runs server side for which you only need a web browser to use. |
Ok, I know we typically are cautious about mentioning commercial products here (hence the rather paranoid disclaimer) but now you can't even mention the contact admin names? 
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| zpat |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:31 am Post subject: |
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Jedi Council
Joined: 19 May 2001
Posts: 5849
Location: UK
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I would have thought there were a number of ways that a web page can bring information from several backend URLs together - e.g. using frames or Javascript.
I can see pros/cons of client based and host-based options, or indeed a mixture. Hoever it's fairly inconvenient to run a MO71 windows server just for this purpose. |
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| abhijit_mishra |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:42 am Post subject: |
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Apprentice
Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 35
Location: India
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This is basically how it works
1: This tools runs on the MQ server. So no client conn is required.
2: It's HTTP server listens on a specific port(1096).
3: On receiving any HTTP request, it parses the HTTP request URL.
4: Extracts the required MQ related sections from it
5: Calls HTML to MQ interface
6: MQ interface interacts with MQ (QMGRS/Q/chl/lstr etc)
7: returns output to MQ to HTML interface
8: This gets converted to HTML and written as HTTP output back to browser.
Here is a sample flow diagram
http://s24.postimg.org/4ddvwi61h/Basic_Interface_Diagram.jpg
Cheers,
Abhijit
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| abhijit_mishra |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:19 am Post subject: |
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Apprentice
Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 35
Location: India
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It does not need to run for each QMGR but it handles all MQ in that MQ server. Check the indexpage link (http://s2.postimg.org/5vsnit1p5/index_Page.jpg).
Also it does not need any code or installation.
Yes, I have not figured out yet how to restrict access to a particular object for a specific user. It was never my intention to do before.
But I can club qmgrs details(in a page) running on the same server together in a single view (using js/frames). But again it would be requirement specific.
I totally understand there are many commercial tool which might do extra things than this simple tool. That' why I'm offering it for free. 
Cheers,
Abhijit
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| Vitor |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:24 am Post subject: |
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Grand High Poobah
Joined: 11 Nov 2005
Posts: 26093
Location: Texas, USA
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| abhijit_mishra wrote: |
| It does not need to run for each QMGR but it handles all MQ in that MQ server. |
This site, like many, has 1 queue manager to a server.
| abhijit_mishra wrote: |
| I totally understand there are many commercial tool which might do extra things than this simple tool. That' why I'm offering it for free. |
No criticism was intended. You mentioned going to IBM earlier in this thread so I thought I'd highlight things they might mention.
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| abhijit_mishra |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:31 am Post subject: |
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Apprentice
Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 35
Location: India
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@Vitor : Yes, So this tool will only display 1 qmgr detail.
Got your point. I didn't take your view as criticism. In fact I felt good when you compared this application to a commercial tool. 
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| ramires |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:21 am Post subject: |
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Knight
Joined: 24 Jun 2001
Posts: 523
Location: Portugal - Lisboa
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| abhijit_mishra |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:46 am Post subject: |
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Apprentice
Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 35
Location: India
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@ramires : These are we can say were predecessors to current Eclipse based MQExplorer.
My tool is totally opposite in nature even though it serves the same purpose. Unlike these old tools the end user need not have any tool or s/w except a web browser to view MQ on a remote server.
But thanks for linking me to these tools. I can always refer them when needed.
Cheers,
Abhijit
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| RogerLacroix |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Jedi Knight
Joined: 15 May 2001
Posts: 3253
Location: London, ON Canada
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Hi,
Interesting tool. I've been in the MQ space since the beginning. I used to be a traveling consultant spreading the MQ philosophy to companies in the US mid-west and east coast and for the last 12 years been creating/selling MQ related products, so I have seen a lot of different MQ environments in my time.
A long time ago, most servers had 1 or 2 queue managers running on it. Then companies decided that shared infrastructure was the "in" thing and they started running dedicated MQ servers with 7-10 queue managers on them. Now VM images are the "in" thing and the VM image will have only 1 or 2 queue managers.
Most companies have roughly 30-50 queue managers running. Of course, some companies only have a few queue managers and some companies will have hundreds of queue managers running.
So, what is my point?
You will drive MQAdmins or MQ users crazy if they have to have 20, 30, 40, etc.. domain names/IP addresses for all of these running instances of your tool.
You need to rethink your approach if you want people to use it (or buy) it if they more than a few queue managers.
You are implementing half of a twin-set. Configuration and monitoring go together.
Right now, you have read-only ability for configuration. Is this tool only for MQ users? How often do MQ users really need to look at the queue attributes?
What about MQAdmins? MQAdmins want a tool to create/update/delete MQ objects and of course, monitor their queue managers.
Food for thought.
Regards,
Roger Lacroix
Capitalware Inc.
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| abhijit_mishra |
| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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Apprentice
Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 35
Location: India
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@Roger : The MQ users might not refer all 50-60 qmgrs all the time. They would be barely be interested in the qmgrs which they are immediately using for their testing (max ~10 as far as I have seen).
But I really cant deny if they (or we [mq admins]) are going to refer 40-50 qmgr, switching between tabs would be difficult.
I was thinking of adding a page which can list all QMGRs. So users need not open multiple tabs to see different qmgrs (unless they want to compare things side-by-side). Also to make it possible adding new qmgr details dynamically , I can also add a conf file( which I always tried avoiding intentionally).
The other thing: Configuration
I had 2 versions of this tool. The other version can do configurations (start/stop, browse/clear etc).
But I stopped working on it. It looked like I'm re-creating MO71. I just wanted users to "see" MQ and not alter it. So I never gave out the other version which really can create/update/delete MQ objects.
Also you would know how often middleware team is blamed . It's always put as a "the middleware issue" during any testing. So this tool can be effectively used by testers/app teams to view their MQ details during testing (ofcourse with a little training). For MQ admins, they need not login/run mqsc. They just need to hit 'F5' on their browser. Also you can share this tool with them as a prove that MQ is fine.
Really appreciate your thoughts
Cheers,
Abhijit
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| RogerLacroix |
| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 8:38 am Post subject: |
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Jedi Knight
Joined: 15 May 2001
Posts: 3253
Location: London, ON Canada
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If you are writing an MQ tool for yourself - have at it and enjoy the fruits of your hard work. If you are building an MQ tool for "MQ users" then you need to better understand your target market. Have you ever watch "Shark Tank or "Dragons Den" TV shows?
To say your MQ tool is for MQ users is REALLY a bad concept that will led you to the land of misery. Saying "MQ users" is like saying "MQ people". It is meaningless. Be more specific:
- MQAdmins
- MQ developers/programmers
- MQ Testers
- MQ Support people
Each group above have different needs, hence, require different information from their MQ tools.
- MQAdmins deal with MQ objects and their attributes & monitoring of their MQ environment
- MQ developers are concerned with message data/payload (sometimes about queue attributes)
- MQ Testers are concerned about plug-and-play message "sets" or message cycles
- MQ Support people need MQ tools to resolve 2AM problems which could be queue attribute issue or message data issue
You need to clearly define who your MQ tool is for, then build the best MQ tool for that particular customer base.
| abhijit_mishra wrote: |
| But I really cant deny if they (or we [mq admins]) are going to refer 40-50 qmgr, switching between tabs would be difficult. |
Now that's an understatement.
| abhijit_mishra wrote: |
| But I stopped working on it. It looked like I'm re-creating MO71. I just wanted users to "see" MQ and not alter it. So I never gave out the other version which really can create/update/delete MQ objects. |
If you want to build a better mouse trap, then please do. Secondly, Paul Clarke, author of SupportPac MO71, left IBM last year and the SupportPacs he created are now in limbo and will probably never see another update. Really sad, given there are tens of thousands of people using MO71!!!
Sooooooooooooooo, wake up and smell the coffee and built the better mouse trap. Opportunity is knocking.
Regards,
Roger Lacroix
Capitalware Inc.
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| PeterPotkay |
| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 9:27 am Post subject: |
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Poobah
Joined: 15 May 2001
Posts: 7716
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| abhijit_mishra wrote: |
The other thing: Configuration
I had 2 versions of this tool. The other version can do configurations (start/stop, browse/clear etc).
But I stopped working on it. It looked like I'm re-creating MO71. I just wanted users to "see" MQ and not alter it. So I never gave out the other version which really can create/update/delete MQ objects.
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Read only access can be given to MO71. It can be used to see MQ but not alter MQ.
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| mqjeff |
| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 9:30 am Post subject: |
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Grand Master
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 17447
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| PeterPotkay wrote: |
| abhijit_mishra wrote: |
The other thing: Configuration
I had 2 versions of this tool. The other version can do configurations (start/stop, browse/clear etc).
But I stopped working on it. It looked like I'm re-creating MO71. I just wanted users to "see" MQ and not alter it. So I never gave out the other version which really can create/update/delete MQ objects.
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Read only access can be given to MO71. It can be used to see MQ but not alter MQ. |
Read only access can be given to MQExplorer...  |
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| zpat |
| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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Jedi Council
Joined: 19 May 2001
Posts: 5849
Location: UK
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Paul Clarke's new site
http://www.mqgem.com
Maybe we should start a petition to ask IBM to maintain (or open source) MO71. |
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| abhijit_mishra |
| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 1:12 am Post subject: |
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Apprentice
Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 35
Location: India
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When I say "MQ Users", I mostly refer to
- MQ Developers or application support team (non-prod)
- MQ testers
But this wont stop MQ admins to view basic MQ details effortlessly.
MO71 would use a client conn which I don't want to spend/use from MQ.
And MQGEM is cool. Check out their MQSCX. A wonder tool for mqsc. 
Cheers,
Abhijit
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