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

Configuring a JMS activation specification for MDBs used by the default messaging provider

A JMS activation specification is a configurable resource that enables a message-driven bean (MDB) to communicate with the default messaging provider.

Why and when to perform this task

The JMS activation specification is based on the Java Connector Architecture (JCA) 1.5 standard, and provides Java connectivity between application servers such as WebSphere Application Server, and enterprise information systems. It provides a standardized way of integrating JMS providers with J2EE application servers, and provides a framework for exchanging data with enterprise systems, where data is transferred in the form of messages.

For earlier versions of WebSphere Application Server, the interface between an MDB and its destination is the listener port. A listener port is a messaging component that can be manually started and stopped by the administrator. When a listener port stopped, the MDB associated with it can no longer process messages. If an MDB fails to process a message several times, the listener port is automatically stopped by the application server. Listener ports are used with the MQ Client Link (the WebSphere Application Server Version 5 provider), and with WebSphere MQ when used as an external JMS provider.

With WebSphere Application Server Version 6, the interface between an MDB and its destination is the JMS activation specification. Because a JMS activation specification is a group of messaging configuration properties not a component, it cannot be manually started and stopped. For this reason, to prevent an MDB from processing messages, you must complete the following tasks:

It is possible to share a single JMS activation specification with multiple MDBs. This simplifies administration because it is only necessary to provide a single set of messaging configuration properties.

Note: Although it is not possible to use the listener port configuration settings with the WebSphere Application Server Version 6 default messaging provider, listener ports can still be configured for earlier messaging providers, for example the WebSphere MQ messaging provider.
The following guidelines show which scenarios use activation specifications or listener ports:

To configure a JMS activation specification for the default messaging provider, you use the administrative console to complete the following steps. This task contains an optional step for creating a new JMS activation specification:

Steps for this task

  1. Display the default messaging provider. In the navigation pane, expand Resources > JMS > JMS Providers.
  2. Select the default provider for which you want to configure an activation specification.
  3. Optional: Change the Scope check box to the scope level at which the activation specification is to be visible to applications, according to your needs.
  4. In the content pane, under the Additional properties heading, click Activation specifications. This lists any existing JMS activation specifications for the default messaging provider in the content pane.
  5. Display the properties of the JMS activation specification. If you want to display an existing JMS Activation Specifications, click one of the names listed.
    Alternatively, if you want to create a new JMS activation specification, click New, then specify the following required properties:
    Name
    Type the name by which the activation specification is known for administrative purposes.
    JNDI name
    Type the JNDI name that is used to bind the activation specification into the JNDI name space.
    Destination type
    Whether the message-driven bean uses a queue or topic destination.
    Destination JNDI name
    Type the JNDI name that the message-driven bean uses to look up the JMS destination in the JNDI name space.

    Select the type of destination on the Destination type property.

    Bus name
    The name of the bus to connect to.

    Specify the name of the service integration bus to which connections are made. This must be the name of the bus on which the bus destination identified by the Destination JNDI name property is defined. The server to which associated message-driven beans are deployed must be a member of this bus.

    You can either select an existing bus or type the name of another bus. If you type the name of a bus that does not exist, you must create and configure that bus before the activation specification can be used.

  6. Specify properties for the JMS activation specification, according to your needs.
  7. Optional: Specify custom properties of the JMS activation specification, as J2C activation specification custom properties.
  8. Click OK.
  9. Save your changes to the master configuration.
Related information
JMS activation specification settings

Task topic

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Last updated: 15 Mar 2007
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