The Connect:Direct bridge

From Version 7.0.4 of WebSphere® MQ File Transfer Edition, you can transfer files to and from an existing IBM® Sterling Connect:Direct® network. Use the Connect:Direct bridge, which is a component of WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition, to transfer files between WMQFTE and IBM Sterling Connect:Direct.

This diagram shows two departments: the B2B IT department, which uses Connect:Direct, and the Application Integration IT department, which uses WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition. A Connect:Direct bridge is on the boundary between these two departments. This Connect:Direct bridge comprises a Connect:Direct node, which communicates with two Connect:Direct nodes in the B2B IT department, and a WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition Connect:Direct bridge agent, which in turn communicates with two WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition agents in the Application Integration IT department.
The diagram shows a WMQFTE Connect:Direct bridge between two departments, the B2B IT department and the Application Integration IT department. The B2B IT department uses Connect:Direct to transfer files to and from the company's business partners. The Application Integration IT department uses WebSphere MQ as its messaging infrastructure and so has recently chosen WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition as its file transfer solution.

Using the WMQFTE Connect:Direct bridge, the two departments can transfer files between the Connect:Direct network in the B2B IT department and the WMQFTE network in the Application Integration IT department. The Connect:Direct bridge is a component of WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition, which includes a WMQFTE agent that communicates with a Connect:Direct node. The WMQFTE agent is dedicated to transfers with the Connect:Direct node, and is known as the Connect:Direct bridge agent.

The Connect:Direct bridge is available as part of the Server and Client components of WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition, and can be used for the following tasks:
  1. Use WMQFTE commands to initiate a transfer of a file, or multiple files, from a WMQFTE agent to a Connect:Direct node.
  2. Use WMQFTE commands to initiate a transfer of a file, or multiple files, from a Connect:Direct node to a WMQFTE agent.
  3. Use WMQFTE commands to initiate a file transfer that starts a user-defined Connect:Direct process.
  4. Use Connect:Direct process to submit a WMQFTE file transfer request.
A Connect:Direct bridge can transfer files to or from only Connect:Direct nodes. The Connect:Direct bridge can transfer files to or from its local file system only as part of a transfer submitted by a Connect:Direct process.

You can use the Connect:Direct bridge to transfer to or from a data set that is located on a Connect:Direct node on a z/OS® system. There are some differences in behavior compared to data set transfers that only involve WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition agents. For more information, see Transferring data sets to and from Connect:Direct nodes.

Supported platforms

The Connect:Direct bridge is made up of a WMQFTE Connect:Direct bridge agent and a Connect:Direct node. The agent is supported on Windows and Linux for System x. The node is supported on the platforms that are supported for IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for Windows and IBM Sterling Connect:Direct for UNIX. For instructions on creating the Connect:Direct bridge agent and configuring a Connect:Direct node for the agent to communicate with, see Configuring the Connect:Direct bridge.

The Connect:Direct bridge can transfer files to and from Connect:Direct nodes that are running as part of a Connect:Direct for Windows, Connect:Direct for UNIX, or Connect:Direct for z/OS server installation. For details of the versions of Connect:Direct that are supported, see the web page WebSphere MQ File Transfer Edition System Requirements.

The agent and node that make up the Connect:Direct bridge must be on the same system, or have access to the same file system, for example through a shared NFS mount. This file system is used to temporarily store files during file transfers that involve the Connect:Direct bridge, in a directory defined by the cdTmpDir parameter. The Connect:Direct bridge agent and the Connect:Direct bridge node must be able to address this directory using the same path name. For example, if the agent and node are on separate Windows systems, the systems must use the same drive letter to mount the shared file system. The following configurations allow the agent and the node to use the same path name:
  • The agent and node are on the same system, which is either running Windows or Linux for System x
  • The agent is on Linux for System x, and the node is on UNIX
  • The agent is on one Windows system, and the node is on another Windows system
The following configurations do not allow the agent and the node to use the same path name:
  • The agent is on Linux for System x, and the node is on Windows
  • The agent is on Windows, and the node is on UNIX
Consider this restriction when planning your installation of the Connect:Direct bridge.

Concept Concept

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Timestamp icon Last updated: Tuesday, 30 January 2018
http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEP7X_7.0.4/com.ibm.wmqfte.doc/cd_bridge_overview.htm