Application Messaging

The Application Messaging Interface includes three sets of CALL routines that enable you to incorporate messaging services into your SAS programs. The interfaces support asynchronous message queuing through the use of the following messaging software: IBM WebSphere MQ (formerly called MQSeries); Microsoft Message Queuing Services (MSMQ), which are part of the Windows NT® Server product; and TIBCO TIB/Rendezvous.

Application messaging enables two or more applications to communicate with one another indirectly and asynchronously using message queues. The applications do not have to be running at the same time or even in the same operating environment. An application can communicate with another application by sending a message to a queue. The receiving application retrieves the message when it is ready.

SAS Integration Technologies provides three messaging interfaces: the WebSphere MQ Functional Interface, the MSMQ Functional Interface, and the Common Messaging Interface.

In addition to the messaging interfaces, SAS Integration Technologies provides the JMS file access method. The SAS JMS file access method allows SAS programs to read and write records to and from any message-oriented middleware that supports a JMS provider.

For complete documentation of the SAS application messaging interfaces and the JMS file access method, see Application Messaging with SAS.

With the SAS interface to IBM WebSphere MQ (formerly called MQSeries), SAS programs can create new WebSphere MQ message queues or take advantage of existing ones that are available throughout the enterprise. This interface was designed to be as similar as possible to the WebSphere message queuing interface (MQI).

With the SAS interface to Microsoft MSMQ, SAS programs can create new MSMQ message queues or take advantage of existing ones that are available throughout the enterprise. The CALL routines in this interface interact directly with the MSMQ application programming interface (API).

The SAS Common Messaging Interface provides a seamless environment for writing SAS programs that access message queues of the IBM WebSphere MQ, Microsoft MSMQ, and TIBCO TIB/Rendezvous transports. The CALL routines in this interface enable programs to interact in a consistent manner that is independent of the application messaging transport being used.

The Common Messaging Interface also includes CALL routines that enable your SAS program to use the local SAS registry or a distributed LDAP repository to store and retrieve messaging information.