- 8 minutes to read

IBM MQ Monitoring Configuration

Unlock secure, proactive monitoring for all your IBM MQ resources with Nodinite. On this page, you will learn how to:

✅ Configure the IBM MQ Monitoring Agent for queues, topics, channels, and listeners
✅ Enable SSL for secure communication and compliance
✅ Set global and specific thresholds for proactive alerting
✅ Use remote configuration and actions for rapid management
✅ Group and filter resources for streamlined operations

Note

Before you can monitor and remotely configure IBM MQ, install the Nodinite IBM MQ Monitoring Agent and create a Monitoring Agent Configuration. Start here if you are a first-time user.

Remote Configuration

As a Nodinite Administrator, click the 'Configuration' button to open a modal and configure the agent:

Remote Configuration
The Configuration button appears in the Monitoring Agent Configuration administration page.

Adjust configurations on the Resource by using the Action button if the Monitor View has the Remote Actions feature enabled.

The system groups Resources per host by Application and then by Category using the value from the Name text field. Read more about Applications here:

Filter by Application

The system groups all resources for one Queue Manager by the user-friendly Display Name you set in the next step.

Configuring the connection

Click the Save button to persist your changes. Nodinite will reflect changes after the user-defined synchronization interval.

Add IBM MQ broker

From the IBM MQ tab, manage any number of IBM MQ brokers, each with its own set of properties.
To monitor and control one or more IBM MQ brokers, provide basic connection details.
Add Broker

Click the Add button to add an IBM MQ Queue Manager to monitor. Repeat as needed.
One accordion per entry

Expand the Accordion to configure the connection.
Basic tab (6.1.0.0)

  • Connection - Repeat for each Queue Manager
    • Enabled - Set this flag to enable monitoring for this configuration
    • Display Name - Enter a user-friendly name for the IBM MQ queue manager (This also becomes the Application name)
    • Server Name - Enter the server host-name or IP address
    • Manager - Enter the name of the queue manager
    • Port - Specify the TCP port to use (channel specific)
    • Channel - Enter the name of the service channel for IBM MQ Service communication

SSL

To use SSL, check the Use SSL checkbox.

SSL Configuration (6.1.0.0)

  • Use SSL - When checked, the system encrypts communication with the Channel New 5.4.1.6
    • CipherSpec - Enter the name of the CipherSpec for this configuration
    • SSL Key Repository Path - Enter the full path to the certificate files, e.g., c:\MQ\KeyDB\key
    • SSL Peer Name Property - Accept only certificates with Distinguished Names matching these values
    • SSL Certificate Label - Enter the label name of the SSL Certificate (usually in lowercase)

Remove IBM MQ broker

Click the Remove button to delete the configuration for monitoring the IBM MQ broker and its queue Resources.
Remove broker button
The 'Remove' button deletes the IBM MQ broker configuration from monitoring.

If you want to keep your configuration but stop monitoring, disable the Monitoring instead of removing the broker.

Enable IBM MQ broker

The system marks a disabled Monitoring Configuration with a ban sign. You can only enable disabled brokers.
Disabled IBM MQ Broker
A disabled IBM MQ broker displays a ban sign.

Check the box to re-enable monitoring of IBM MQ broker Resources.
Enable IBM MQ Monitoring
The system enables IBM MQ broker Monitoring when you check the box.

Disable IBM MQ broker

You can stop monitoring the IBM MQ broker without removing the configuration by disabling the selected configuration. An enabled Monitoring Configuration does not display the ban sign. You can only disable enabled IBM MQ brokers.
Enabled IBM MQ Broker
Enabled IBM MQ brokers do not display a ban sign.

Uncheck the box to disable monitoring of IBM MQ broker Resources.

Filter

Use the Filter tab to manage filters for unwanted IBM MQ artifacts. You can toggle each filter between Enabled and Disabled.

The filter applies to:

  • Queues
  • Topics
  • Channels
  • Listeners

Filter

Exclusions filter

Exclude Resources using a RegEx-based filter. This setting applies to ALL resources, including queues, channels, listeners, and more.

Example #1: Remove all Resources that start with the letter '_'

^[_].*

Filter Example 1
Example 1: Removes all entries starting with the letter '_'.

Example #2: Remove all entries that do not contain the letters '.BO'

^((?!\.BO).)*$

Filter Example 2
Example 2: Removes all entries matching the '.BO' name.

Example 3 - Include example

Apply the following expression to include queues with .BACKOUT in the name and exclude all others.

^((?!\.BACKOUT).)*$

This example uses a negative lookahead.

Tip

Read about negative lookahead here

Manage Queue thresholds

Set queue settings as either global or override them with specific settings.

The system uses global settings to evaluate queues unless you set specific settings.

  • Queue thresholds:
    • Time-based evaluation
    • Number-based evaluation
      • Count Evaluation Type
      • None
      • Fixed
      • Percent
      • Which comes first (both)

Queue thresholds

Time-based evaluation

The system always evaluates time-based thresholds. If you do not want to evaluate based on time, set long enough thresholds.

State Name Data Type Description
Warning TimeSpan Timespan 00:05:00 (5 minutes) Triggers a Warning alert when the age of the first message on the queue exceeds this value
Error TimeSpan Timespan 01:10:00 (1 hour 10 minutes) Triggers an Error alert when the age of the first message on the queue exceeds this value

Count based evaluation

Count Evaluation Type
The Count Evaluation Type example.

None

Select None for Count Evaluation Type to avoid monitoring based on the number of messages in the queue.

Fixed

Select Fixed for Count Evaluation Type to monitor based on the number of messages in the queue.

State Name Data Type Description
Warning Count integer Triggers a Warning alert when the number of messages on the queue exceeds this value
Error Count integer Triggers an Error alert when the number of messages on the queue exceeds this value
Percent

Select Percent for Count Evaluation Type to monitor based on the quota set for the queue.

State Name Data Type Description
Warning Count Limit % integer Triggers a Warning alert when the percentage of the queue quota exceeds this value
Error Count Limit % integer Triggers an Error alert when the percentage of the queue quota exceeds this value
Which comes first (both)

Select Which comes first (both) for Count Evaluation Type to monitor based on both Fixed and Percent.

Specific queue settings

Set specific thresholds for named service bus queues in each subscription.
Specific queue thresholds
Add one or more named queues to provide specific settings.

Identify each specific queue by its queue name. You can also add a user-friendly description.
Specific queue configuration

All other properties match those described in the global configuration.

Tip

Perform specific configurations more easily using the Edit threshold menu item on the Actions button in the list of queues (Resources) with Monitor Views and Remote Actions Option enabled.

Authentication

  • Use Authentication - When checked, the system authenticates this connection using the provided credentials.
    • User name - Enter the user name
    • Password - Enter the password for the user

Authentication tab

Save

Click 'Save' or 'Save and close' to persist your changes. The system evaluates new settings/thresholds on the next synchronization.
Save and Close buttons
The Save options example.

Note

The delay in presenting the new evaluated state depends on the synchronization interval set for the monitoring agent. Click the Sync Now button to force an immediate synchronization.

Save and close saves and closes the dialogue.
Cancel closes the dialogue without saving any changes.

Note

Changes to configuration appear in Web Client after the 'Polling Interval' delay. Click the Sync Now button to force Nodinite to synchronize with the agent immediately.

Settings tab

Within the Settings tab, provide details that determine how the IBM MQ Monitoring Agent operates.

Settings tab

Environment

Set the name of the target environment (for example, TEST, QA, PROD). This feature is standard for all Monitoring Agents.

Debug

Enable or disable the Debug flag for additional file logging as needed. The system leaves this unchecked by default. This feature is standard for all Monitoring Agents.

Culture Information

The Culture Information setting controls how the agent presents time-based data in the Web Client/Web API.

Add IBM MQ Monitoring Agent Configuration

After you install the IBM MQ Monitoring Agent, provide Nodinite with connection details so the Monitoring Service can detect the new agent.

No one can monitor or configure the IBM MQ Monitoring Agent until you complete the steps below.

Configuration Steps

  1. Add and configure a new Monitoring Agent Configuration

    • Find connection information in the README.txt file in the installation folder

  2. Use the Remote Configuration feature to configure the agent. See the beginning of this user guide for details.

  3. Create one or more self-service enabled Monitor Views that include the selected Resources provided by the IBM MQ Monitoring Agent according to your business needs.

  4. Fine-tune specific settings directly on Resources using Remote Actions

Frequently asked questions

Use the troubleshooting guide to find the FAQ and answers to known problems.

Next Step

Add or manage a Monitoring Agent Configuration
Add or manage Monitor View

Install IBM MQ Monitoring Agent
Update
Monitoring Agents
Applications