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Configuring IBM MQ Monitoring

Configure the Nodinite IBM MQ Monitoring Agent to monitor queue managers, queues, topics, channels, and listeners for proactive alerting and business continuity.

✅ Monitor queues (depth, age, inhibition state) for backlog detection
✅ Track channels (running/stopped/retrying) for connectivity issues
✅ Monitor listeners for inbound connection availability
✅ Set global and per-queue thresholds for custom alert logic
✅ Enable SSL for secure queue manager communication
✅ Apply regex filters to focus on business-critical resources

Note

This page covers monitoring configuration for real-time state evaluation. For logging configuration (IBM Integration Bus events), see Configuration - Logging.

Remote Configuration

As a Nodinite Administrator, click the 'Configuration' button from the Monitoring Agent Configuration administration page to open the remote configuration modal.

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

You can also adjust configurations on individual Resources 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 Display Name field.

Filter by Application

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

Monitoring Tab

From the Monitoring tab, manage any number of IBM MQ queue managers, each with its own monitoring settings.

Update Source Interval

Set the Update Source Interval (seconds) to control how frequently the agent polls all IBM MQ Queue Managers for status updates. The default value is 30 seconds.

  • Update Source Interval (seconds) - Global polling interval for all IBM MQ Queue Managers (default: 30)

Lower values provide more frequent updates but increase system load. Higher values reduce load but delay status visibility.

Add IBM MQ Queue Manager

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

Add Broker
Example: Add IBM MQ Queue Managers to monitor.

One accordion per entry
Example: One Accordion per IBM MQ Queue Manager entry.

Expand the Accordion to configure the connection.

Basic Tab

Basic tab
Example: Basic tab for IBM MQ Queue Manager configuration.

  • Enable IBM MQ monitoring - When checked, monitor the specified IBM MQ queue manager
  • Display Name - Display name for the configuration of the specified Queue Manager (This also becomes the Application name)
  • Description - Optional description for this configuration
  • Server - Address of the Queue Manager (hostname or IP address)
  • Manager - Name of the Queue Manager
  • Port - Set the Port number to use, the default is 1414
  • Channel - Channel name for IBM MQ Service communication

SSL Configuration

To use SSL, check the Use SSL checkbox on the Basic tab.

SSL Configuration
Example: SSL Configuration for IBM MQ Queue Manager.

  • Use SSL - When checked, the active channel requires a TLS/SSL connection
  • SSL CipherSpec - Select the CipherSpec to use in the SSL conversation
  • SSL Key Repository - Specify the Windows Certificate Store to use: '*SYSTEM' for system-wide store or '*USER' for current user store
  • SSL Peer Name Property - Accept only certificates with Distinguished Names matching these values
  • SSL Certificate Label - The certificate's 'Friendly Name' from the Windows Certificate Store (e.g., 'ibmwebspheremq')

SSL Certificate Requirements

IBM MQ SSL authentication requires properly configured certificates on both Queue Manager (server) and Nodinite agent (client) sides.

Certificate Storage:

The IBM MQ Monitoring Agent uses the Windows Certificate Store for SSL certificates. Specify either:

  • *SYSTEM - System-wide certificate store (all users)
  • *USER - Current user certificate store

Certificate Purpose Requirements:

Side Required EKU Purpose
Queue Manager Server Authentication (1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.1) Authenticates Queue Manager to agent
Nodinite Agent Client Authentication (1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.2) Authenticates agent to Queue Manager (mutual TLS)

Tip

Certificate Setup Guidance: See FAQ: IBM MQ SSL Certificate Configuration for detailed instructions on certificate conversion, keystore configuration, and troubleshooting SSL handshake errors.

Note

The SSL Certificate Label must match the certificate's "Friendly Name" property in the Windows Certificate Store. Use the Certificates MMC snap-in to verify the correct friendly name.

Filters Tab

Use the Filters tab to control which IBM MQ resources to monitor and exclude from discovery.

Filter
Example: Filters tab for IBM MQ Queue Manager configuration.

Resource Type Selection

Control which types of IBM MQ resources the agent monitors:

  • Filter System Queues, Topics, Listeners and Channels - When checked, exclude items starting with 'SYSTEM.' (usually for internal use only)
  • Include Local Queues - When checked, monitor local queues (queues that physically exist on this queue manager)
  • Include Remote Queues - When checked, monitor remote queue definitions (pointers to queues on other queue managers)
  • Include Model Queues - When checked, monitor model queues (templates used to create dynamic queues)
  • Include Alias Queues - When checked, monitor alias queues (alternative names that point to queues or topics)
  • Include Cluster Queues (requires Local Queues) - When checked, monitor cluster queues (local queues that participate in a queue manager cluster). NOTE: Cluster queues ARE local queues with cluster membership, so 'Include Local Queues' must also be enabled for this to work.
  • Include Channels - When checked, monitor IBM MQ channels (communication links between queue managers or clients)
  • Include Listeners - When checked, monitor IBM MQ listeners (processes that listen for incoming connections)
  • Include Topics - When checked, monitor IBM MQ topics (publish/subscribe topic definitions)

Performance Options

  • Enable message age monitoring - When checked, track the oldest message in each queue. WARNING: This can significantly impact performance with large queue counts (50+ queues). Message age queries may double total query time.

Custom Filter Expressions

Use the Filters section to define RegEx patterns that filter resources. By default, patterns EXCLUDE matching items. Prefix with '!' to INCLUDE only matching items (e.g., '!^PROD' includes only items starting with PROD). Case insensitive.

Click the Add button to add a new filter pattern. Each filter entry has:

  • Enabled - When checked, this filter entry is active
  • Filter expression - RegEx pattern for filtering resources

Example #1: Exclude resources that do not contain '.BO'

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

Filter Example 1
Example 1: Removes all entries that do not match the '.BO' name pattern using negative lookahead.

Example #2: Exclude resources starting with underscore

^[_].*

Filter Example 2
Example 2: Removes all entries starting with the underscore character '_'.

Example #3: Include only PROD resources

!^PROD

Example 3: Uses the '!' prefix to include only items starting with 'PROD', excluding all others.

Example #4: Exclude SYSTEM resources

^SYSTEM\.

Example 4: Excludes items starting with 'SYSTEM.' (typically IBM MQ internal resources).

Tip

Learn more about Regular Expression Lookaround Assertions in Microsoft's .NET documentation.

Thresholds Tab

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
Example: Queue thresholds tab for IBM MQ Queue Manager configuration.

Global Threshold Settings

Configure time-based and count-based thresholds that apply to all queues unless overridden by specific settings.

Time-based Thresholds

The system always evaluates time-based thresholds based on the age of the oldest message in the queue.

  • Warning Time Span - The longest allowed timespan for first message on queue (days:hours:minutes:seconds e.g 7.12:30:59)
  • Error Time Span - The longest allowed timespan for first message on queue (days:hours:minutes:seconds e.g 7.12:30:59)
Queue Depth Evaluation Type

Select how to evaluate queue depth monitoring:

  • None - Disable queue depth monitoring
  • Fixed - Monitor based on absolute message count
  • Percent - Monitor based on percentage of queue quota
  • Which comes first (both) - Monitor using both Fixed and Percent, triggering on whichever threshold is reached first
Count-based Thresholds (Fixed)

When using Fixed or Which comes first (both) evaluation:

  • Warning Count - Set the threshold for maximum number of messages (disable by setting < 0)
  • Error Count - Set the threshold for maximum number of messages (disable by setting < 0)
Percentage-based Thresholds

When using Percent or Which comes first (both) evaluation:

  • Warning Limit % - Set the threshold quota value in percentage (0-100)
  • Error Limit % - Set the threshold quota value in percentage (0-100)

Specific Queue Settings

Options for overriding global/default values on specific queues.

Set specific thresholds for named queues to override global configuration.

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.

Advanced Tab

Configure advanced performance settings for the IBM MQ Monitoring Agent.

Advanced tab
Example: Advanced tab for IBM MQ Queue Manager configuration.

Poll Timeout

  • Poll Timeout - The number of seconds to wait before timing out PCF queries to this Queue Manager. Increase this value (e.g., 300-600) for environments with 10,000+ queues. Default: 110 seconds

Authentication Tab

Control authentication for the IBM MQ Queue Manager connection.

Authentication tab
Example: Authentication tab for IBM MQ Queue Manager configuration.

  • Use authentication - When checked, authenticate connection using the provided credentials
  • User name - The name of the 'User' account with proper access rights
  • Password - The password for the user

Note

Leave Use authentication unchecked if the IBM MQ Queue Manager is configured for anonymous access or uses operating system credentials.

Remove IBM MQ Queue Manager

Click the Remove button to delete the configuration for monitoring the IBM MQ queue manager and its Resources.

Remove broker button
The 'Remove' button deletes the IBM MQ queue manager configuration from monitoring.

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

Enable IBM MQ Queue Manager

The system marks a disabled Monitoring Configuration with a ban sign. You can only enable disabled queue managers.

Disabled IBM MQ Broker
A disabled IBM MQ queue manager displays a ban sign.

Check the box to re-enable monitoring of IBM MQ queue manager Resources.

Enable IBM MQ Monitoring
The system enables IBM MQ queue manager Monitoring when you check the box.

Disable IBM MQ Queue Manager

You can stop monitoring the IBM MQ queue manager 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 queue managers.

Enabled IBM MQ Broker
Enabled IBM MQ queue managers do not display a ban sign.

Uncheck the box to disable monitoring of IBM MQ queue manager Resources.

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.

Next Step

Monitoring IBM MQ – Understand queue state evaluation, threshold logic, and alert generation
Managing IBM MQ – Learn how to purge queues, browse messages, and perform remote management operations
Add or manage a Monitoring Agent Configuration
Add or manage Monitor View

IBM MQ Agent Configuration Hub – Overview of Settings, Monitoring, and Logging
Configuration - Logging – Set up logging for IIB/ACE workflows
Install IBM MQ Monitoring Agent
Update
Monitoring Agents
Applications