Just like in DB2 it is possible to group more queue managers into one MQ group. Such a group has a name and when you know this name you do not have to worry about the name of the actual queue manager on the MVS system you are connected to.

Knowing the group name is an even bigger advantage when using the administration tool MQM (TSO MQM). It will give you access to information about all queue managers in the group no matter what MVS you are logged on to. If you know the name of a queue manager connected to a group you can determine the MQ group name by using the tip week 38/2009. The field is called Queue Sharing Group and if you are using MQINQ the field is called mqca_qsg_name.

Now you are ready to use a MQ group name in TSO MQM. Imagine a group name of MQGR and fill in the entry panel like this:

                    IBM WebSphere MQ for z/OS - Main Menu

Complete fields. Then press Enter.

Action  . . . . . . . . . . 1     0. List with filter   4. Manage
                                  1. List or Display    5. Perform
                                  2. Define like        6. Start
                                  3. Alter              7. Stop
Object type . . . . . . . . MANAGER      +
Name  . . . . . . . . . . . *
Disposition . . . . . . . . A  Q=Qmgr, C=Copy, P=Private, G=Group,
                               S=Shared, A=All

Connect name  . . . . . . . MQGR  - local queue manager or group
Target queue manager  . . . MQGR
           - connected or remote queue manager for command input
Action queue manager  . . . *     - command scope in group
Response wait time  . . . . 30    5 - 999 seconds

The group name must be supplied in fields Connect name and Target queue manager. * in Action queue manager meand that you want to view definitions across all queue managers of the MQ sharing group. You can use any kind of Object type, and Name is specified just as usual. Please use A as disposition as it allows you to view all definitions. When you press Enter the following popup appears:

                  IBM WebSphere MQ for z/OS - Main Menu
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Queue Manager Names

Check the queue manager names to be used, and change them if necessary.
Press Enter to continue, or F12 to cancel.

 Connect name  . . . . : MQGR  - local queue manager or group

 Queue managers
    Connected to . . . : MQ01 - local queue manager
    Target . . . . . . . MQGR
               - connected or remote queue manager for command input
    Action . . . . . . . *     - command scope in group

This popup appears because you entered a group name in field Connect name. MQM tells you on this popup which queue manager it will connect to, in this case MQ01. Now you just press Enter. Uisng my example the next panel will look like this:

                         List Queue Managers - MQGR

Type action codes, then press Enter.
 1=Display   3=Alter   5=Perform   6=Start  7=Stop

    Name                  Object type
<>  *                     MANAGER       MQGR
    MQ01                  MANAGER
    MQ02                  MANAGER
    MQ03                  MANAGER
    MQ04                  MANAGER
                     ******** End of list ********

As you can see the MQ sharing group MQGR consists of four MQ managers called MQ01, MQ02, MQ03 and MQ04. From here on you can use all the different action codes and view information about queue managers residing on a different MVS than the MVS you are running on. Your life viewing MQ definitions simply gets a lot easier. Please remember that this works for all MQ object types, not just the MANAGER object type.