Components on z/OS

A component is a set of runtime processes that perform a specific set of functions, and can be a broker, a Configuration Manager, or a User Name Server.

A broker processes messages, a Configuration Manager acts as an interface between the configuration repository and the set of brokers in the domain, and a User Name Server extracts information from a security product and makes it available to brokers and the workbench.

A broker that is running has a control address space and one additional address space for each deployed execution group. When the control address space is started, the broker component is started automatically. This behavior can be changed by an optional start parameter in the started task.

A Configuration Manager and User Name Server each have a single address space. When the address space is started, the components are started automatically. This behavior can be changed by an optional start parameter in the started task.

The component name is the external name of the component and is used, for example, in the WebSphere Message Broker workbench.

Each component requires a name, which is usually the name of the started task that runs the component. This is typically the queue manager name with a suffix of the facility; for example:

You only need a User Name Server if you are using publish/subscribe security. This User Name Server can exist anywhere in the network, including z/OS.

Each component has its own runtime environment in UNIX System Services and needs its own WebSphere MQ queue manager, although a broker, Configuration Manager, and User Name Server can share a single queue manager. A broker component also needs access to a database.

Related concepts
z/OS customization overview
Component directory on z/OS