Configure an exporter¶

Both installers generate UTF-8 JSON that IBM's YAML reader accepts. Keep JSON syntax when editing managed config.json; the instance identity check does not accept free-form YAML.

Queue selection¶

Use --queues 'APP.*,!SYSTEM.*' on Linux or -Queues 'APP.*,!SYSTEM.*' on Windows. Quote exclusions so the shell preserves the leading !. Empty-effective queue patterns are rejected. Check the resulting queue names in your monitoring system; a healthy MQ connection does not establish queue coverage.

The upstream non-durable subscription admission calculation is 30 + 5N handles for N monitored queues. MAXHANDS=256 admits 45 queues under that check. Narrowing queueSubscriptionSelector does not reduce the calculation. Durable subscriptions require two distinct pre-existing QLOCAL reply queues as well as durableSubPrefix. The installer does not change MAXHANDS or create MQ objects.

Authentication and private files¶

Use --user and --password-file on Linux, or -MQUser and -PasswordFile on Windows. Keep password files and CCDTs in protected locations readable by the service account. Never place credentials in source control or command lines.

On Linux, ProtectHome=true prevents service access to home directories even when Unix file permissions permit reading. Use a protected configuration directory outside home and temporary directories. Local bindings mode uses shared host IPC; do not enable PrivateTmp without validating MQ access.

On Windows, the installation ACL gives the service account read/execute access to binaries and configuration, and write access to its logs. Use the service identity when checking access to external credentials or certificate files.

Listener and receiver¶

Prometheus listens on 127.0.0.1 by default. Set the listener and TLS deliberately for a remote scraper; the installer changes neither firewall rules nor TLS policy. Each Prometheus instance needs a port from 1 to 65535.

OpenTelemetry has no listener port. Configure its destination with --otlp-endpoint or -OTLPEndpoint. Read the OTel guide for protocol, TLS and authentication limits.

Preserve or replace configuration¶

Updates preserve existing configuration. Use --replace-config / -ReplaceConfig only when you intend to regenerate it. Changing exporter, queue manager or connection identity also requires --repoint / -Repoint; a separate instance is often clearer when you need both configurations.

The matching mq-config-check checks the file through the selected exporter's upstream reader before installation. Successful parsing does not prove MQ access or metrics delivery.