Interoperability Using Messaging Technologies

Asynchronous communication between business entities is achieved using messaging technologies such as Microsoft Message Queueing (MSMQ), WebSphere Message Queueing (WebSphere MQ), and the Java Messaging Service API (JMS).

The System.Messaging namespace in .NET allows for integration with MSMQ. It provides classes that allow individual queues to be accessed, messages to be composed and retrieved, and many other message queue functions. It also provides formatters to define the message format, and similar to .NET Remoting, provides a binary formatter and an XML formatter. Interoperability with MSMQ to Java clients may be achieved by using the .NET framework to build a Web service that wraps the System.Messaging functions and allows them to be called asynchronously as just shown, through SRMP (Soap Reliable Messaging Protocol), which provides an HTTP-based channel for MSMQ messages or using COM and a Java to COM bridge.

To access IBM WebSphere message queueing, IBM has released a .NET assembly that encapsulates the IBM.WMQ [IBM1] namespace that allows WebSphere message queues to be consumed in .NET. Should the Java-based applications run on WebSphere and require interoperability with .NET based clients, this provides an easy-to-use methodology.