MQ is now an integrated part of almost all mainframe installations, but it is my impression that parts of the product remains hidden away. One of these parts is the MQ CICS transaction CKQC. This transaction makes it possible to monitor and control the interface between MQ and CICS.

First step in executing CKQC is of course the blank CICS user interface screen. The next step is to be authorised to execute it. In a production environment CKQC must be properly protected by RACF. In test environments I see no reason to protect the transaction even though it is possible to stop the MQ interface using CKQC.

The first screen consists only of a menu bar which you navigate by using the tab key and activates using the Enter key. I will only explain the monitor screens as I do not se any reasons for stopping or starting the interface as it should keep running as long as the CICS region is running. The most informative screen is located in menu choice Connection. On this screen you may monitor several informations like the name of the MQ manager that the CICS region is connected to and the name of the socalled initiation queue which is used by MQ to start CICS transactions when messages are put onto MQ queues. There are more statistical information like the the number of calls to different MQ services. These numbers may be used for debugging and tracing.

The other display screens show information about currently executing tasks which has been or is executing MQ services. There is not a lot of information on these screens but they may help tracing problems anyway.