WebSphere WebSphere Application Server Express, Version 6.0.x Operating Systems: AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows

Configuring connection to a non-default bootstrap server

Use this task to configure a JMS connection factory so that applications can use a bootstrap server with a non-default endpoint address.

Why and when to perform this task

To use JMS destinations of the default messaging provider, an application connects to a messaging engine on the target service integration bus to which the destinations are assigned. For example, a JMS queue is assigned to a queue destination on a service integration bus.

Applications running in a server that is a member of a bus can locate a messaging engine in that bus. Client applications running outside of an application server - for example, running in a client container or outside the WebSphere Application Server environment - cannot locate directly a suitable messaging engine to connect to in the target bus. Similarly, an application running on a server in one cell to connect to a target bus in another cell cannot locate directly a suitable messaging engine to connect to in the target bus.

In these scenarios, the clients (or servers in another bus) must complete a bootstrap process through a bootstrap server that is a member of the target bus. A bootstrap server is an application server running the SIB Service, but does not need to be running any messaging engines. The bootstrap server selects a messaging engine that is running in an application server that supports the desired target transport chain. For the bootstrap process to be possible, you must configure one or more provider end points in the connection factory used by the client.

Figure 1. Connection to an messaging engine - Applications running outside an application server. This figure shows a client application running outside an application server. To connect to a messaging engine, the application connects first to a bootstrap server. The bootstrap server selects a messaging engine then tells the client application to connect to that messaging engine.This figure shows a client application running outside an application server. To connect to a messaging engine, the application connects first to a bootstrap server. The bootstrap server selects a messaging engine then instructs the client application to connect to that messaging engine.

A bootstrap server uses a specific port and bootstrap transport chain. The port is the SIB_ENDPOINT_ADDRESS (or SIB_ENDPOINT_SECURE_ADDRESS if security is enabled), of the messaging engine hosting the remote end of the link. Together with host name, these form the endpoint address of the bootstrap server.

The properties of a JMS connection factory used by an application control the selection of a suitable messaging engine and how the application connects to the selected messaging engine. By default, a connection factory tries to use a bootstrap server that has an endpoint address of localhost:7276:BootstrapBasicMessaging. That is, by default, applications try to use a bootstrap server on the same host as the client, and using port 7276 and the predefined bootstrap transport chain called BootstrapBasicMessaging.

If you want an application to use a bootstrap server with a different endpoint address, you need to specify the required endpoint address on the Provider endpoints property of the JMS connection factories that the client application uses. You can specify one or more endpoint addresses of bootstrap servers.

The endpoint addresses for bootstrap servers must be specified in every JMS connection factory that is used by applications outside of an application server. To avoid having to specify a long list of bootstrap servers, you can provide a few highly-available servers as dedicated bootstrap servers. Then you only need to specify a short list of bootstrap servers on each connection factory.

This task is based on an application that uses a unified JMS connection factory. You can use the same task to configure a JMS queue connection factory or JMS topic connection factory, but during the task would need to select the appropriate type of connection factory instead of JMS connection factory.

For an application to use a bootstrap server with a non-default endpoint address, complete the following steps.

Steps for this task

  1. Identify the endpoint address of the application server that you want to use as the bootstrap server. The endpoint address has the form host_name:port_number:chain_name where:
    host_name
    is the name of the host on which the server runs. It can be an IP address. In the case of an IPv6 address, put square braces ([]) around host_name as shown in the example below:
    [2002:914:fc12:179:9:20:141:42]:7276:BootstrapBasicMessaging
    . If a value is not specified, the default is localhost.
    port_number
    where specified, is one of the following addresses of the messaging engine hosting the remote end of the link:
    • SIB_ENDPOINT_ADDRESS if security is not enabled
    • For secure connections, SIB_ENDPOINT_SECURE_ADDRESS if security is enabled.

    If port_number is not specified, the default is 7276.

    To find either of these values using the WebSphere administrative console, complete the following steps:
    1. In the navigation pane, click Servers > Application Servers
    2. In the content pane click the name of the server.
    3. Under Communications, click Ports
    chain_name
    is the name of a predefined bootstrap transport chain used to connect to the bootstrap server. If not specified, the default is BootstrapBasicMessaging.

    The following predefined bootstrap transport chains are provided:

    BootstrapBasicMessaging
    This corresponds to the server transport chain InboundBasicMessaging (JFAP-TCP/IP)
    BootstrapSecureMessaging
    This corresponds to the server transport chain InboundSecureMessaging (JFAP-SSL-TCP/IP)
    BootstrapTunneledMessaging
    Before you can use this bootstrap transport chain, you must define a corresponding server transport chain on the bootstrap server. (See Servers > Application servers > server_name > Messaging engine inbound transports.) This transport chain tunnels JFAP using HTTP wrappers.
    BootstrapTunneledSecureMessaging
    Before you can use this bootstrap transport chain, you must define a corresponding server transport chain on the bootstrap server. (See Servers > Application servers > server_name > Messaging engine inbound transports.) This transport chain tunnels JFAP using HTTP wrappers.

    If you want to provide more than one bootstrap server, identify all the required endpoint addresses.

    You should be able to specify the endpoint address for each bootstrap server; for example: for a server assigned non-secure port 7278, on host boothost1, and using the default transport chain BootstrapBasicMessaging:
    boothost1:7278:BootstrapBasicMessaging
    or 
    boothost1:7278
    and for a server assigned secure port 7289, on host boothost2, and using the predefined transport chain BootstrapTunneledSecureMessaging:
    boothost2:7289:BootstrapTunneledSecureMessaging
  2. Configure the endpoint address of the bootstrap server on the Provider endpoint property of the connection factory.
    Option Description
    If the client application uses a JMS connection factory in the client container, use the Client Resource Configuration tool (ACRCT):
    1. Start the tool and open the EAR file for which you want to configure the JMS connection factory. The EAR file contents are displayed in a tree view.
    2. From the tree, select the JAR file in which you want to configure the JMS connection factory.
    3. Expand the JAR file to view its contents.
    4. Expand Messaging Providers > Default Provider > Connection Factories.
    5. Display the general properties of the connection factory:
    6. On the General tab, ensure that the Provider Endpoints property includes the provider endpoint address for each bootstrap server. Type the value as a comma-separated list of endpoint addresses; for example:
      boothost1:7278,boothost2:7289:BootstrapTunneledSecureMessaging
    7. Click OK.
    8. To save your changes, click File > Save.
    If the client application uses a JMS connection factory on the server, use the WebSphere administrative console:
    1. Start the WebSphere administrative console.
    2. Display the default messaging provider. In the navigation pane, expand Resources > JMS Providers > Default messaging.

      This displays in the content pane a table of properties for the default messaging provider, including links to the types of JMS resources that it provides.

    3. Change the Scope check box to set the level at which the connection factory is to be visible, according to your needs.
    4. In the content pane, under Additional Properties, click JMS connection factory. This displays any existing connection factories in the content pane.
    5. Display the general properties of the connection factory:
    6. Ensure that the Provider Endpoints property includes the provider endpoint address for each bootstrap server. Type the value as a comma-separated list of endpoint addresses; for example:
      boothost1:7278,boothost2:7289:BootstrapTunneledSecureMessaging
    7. Click OK.
    8. Save your changes to the master configuration.
Related concepts
Connecting applications to a service integration bus
Using a JNDI namespace to connect to different JMS provider environments
Related tasks
Configuring a unified JMS connection factory for the default messaging provider
Configuring a JMS queue connection factory, default messaging provider
Configuring a JMS topic connection factory, default messaging provider
Related reference
Port number settings in WebSphere Application Server versions

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Last updated: 2 Aug 2005
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