See information about the latest product version
Applying service to the Broker component
Apply maintenance updates and program fixes to the Broker component.
Before you apply service, check that you have backed up all associated resources. You might also choose to back up installation and work path directories. For details of this task, see Backing up resources.
You can download maintenance updates for all components of WebSphere Message Broker from a website, in the form of a Program Temporary Fix (PTF), also known as a fix pack. Fix packs are cumulative; therefore, if multiple fix packs are available, you do not have to install a previous fix pack before you install the latest available. However, you must first purchase the GA (general availability) code to ensure that you comply with your license agreement. You can find the latest information about current fixes by following the link Recommended fixes in the Download section of the WebSphere Message Broker support web page.
In some circumstances, fix packs are also provided as a media refresh; CDs and DVDs are re-created, and electronic images on IBM® Passport Advantage® are replaced. Check with your IBM representative if you want a media refresh.
Fix packs for WebSphere Message Broker are installed by using the same technology as the GA release. Therefore, product files are consistently tracked and updated appropriately. For information about the default directories for a typical installation, see Coexistence and migration.
If you have applied one or more interim fixes to your existing installation, contact your IBM Service representative for instructions and possible updated interim fixes for the fix pack level that you are installing.
Because you can install more than one copy of the Broker component on a single computer, you can choose how to apply service:
- Apply service to an existing installation.
When you apply the fix pack, the new level of the product overwrites the existing level. The installer prohibits you from installing a previous modification or fix pack over a more recent one. You must stop all brokers before you apply service. All the brokers and resources that you have defined are retained. When the fix pack is successfully installed, restart the brokers.
Note: By default, the fix pack installer offers a new location for the installation with a directory name based on the fix pack level. To apply the fix pack to an existing installation, you must select the directory name of your existing installation when you are prompted for the target location. - Install the fix pack level of the product at a new location.
Fix packs are supplied as complete installations. You can install the product in a new location on your computer by using the fix pack packages. You can install only within the terms of your license:
- You must have purchased a GA level of the product on this computer.
- You must conform to the license restrictions for the number of installations on a single computer; your license might permit you to install more than one copy of the product, but allow you to run only one installation at a time.
This option provides several advantages:
- You do not have to stop brokers to complete the installation.
- You can choose which broker runs at which service level by running the appropriate mqsiprofile before you start the component.
- You can back out a broker to the previous service level by using the mqsiprofile from the older code level, and restarting the broker.
If you already have more than one installation on the computer, read the additional information in Applying service on computers with multiple installations.
- Install the fix pack level of the product without having a previous installation
Fix packs are supplied as complete installations, so it is possible to install a fix pack on a computer that does not have a previous installation of the product. You can only within the terms of your license and specifically, you must have purchased a GA level of the product on the target computer.
Service is not affected by the operation mode in which you broker is working.
Applying service to an existing installation
On Windows, the ODBC driver names for the supplied DataDirect drivers might have changed with the new fix pack install. Any defined ODBC data sources using these drivers are still usable by the Broker. If you need to reconfigure them using the ODBC Data Source Administrator tool, you must first update the driver name for the defined data source entries in the ODBC.INI folder in the Windows registry.
Downloading a fix pack
Download the latest fix pack from the WebSphere Message Broker support web page:
Applying service on computers with multiple installations
If you have installed the Broker component more than once on a single computer, you can choose to apply service to one or more of these installations in any order. You might therefore choose to install a service level on one instance initially, and complete some tests, before you apply the fixes to additional installations.
You must ensure that you comply with the terms of your license at all circumstances.
- Distributed systems
You specify which installation you want a broker to work with by running the mqsiprofile command that is associated with that installation. Any resources that you have defined are associated with the installation for which you have run mqsiprofile. When the mqsiprofile command has completed, restart the broker.
If you decide to return to a previous level, stop the broker, run the mqsiprofile command that is associated with the installation at the previous service level, and restart the broker.
For more information about working with multiple installations, see Command environment: Windows systems and Command environment: Linux and UNIX systems.
- z/OS systems
- You can create component profiles to work with one of
multiple installations. Details are provided in Installing service on z/OS.
For more information about components, see z/OS customization overview.
If you have a single installation on a computer, and you want to apply service, you must stop all brokers, apply service, and restart the brokers. The service is applied to the product code, and you can start the brokers immediately to run against the new service level.