WebSphere MQ supports client-server configurations for its applications.
A WebSphere MQ client is a component that allows an application running on a system to issue MQI calls to a queue manager running on another system. The output from the call is sent back to the client, which passes it back to the application.
A WebSphere MQ server is a queue manager that provides queuing services to one or more clients. All the WebSphere MQ objects, for example queues, exist only on the queue manager machine (the WebSphere MQ server machine), and not on the client. A WebSphere MQ server can also support local WebSphere MQ applications.
The difference between a WebSphere MQ server and an ordinary queue manager is that a server has a dedicated communications link with each client. For more information about creating channels for clients and servers, see WebSphere MQ Intercommunication.
For information about client support in general, see WebSphere MQ Clients.
When linked to a server, client WebSphere MQ applications can issue most MQI calls in the same way as local applications. The client application issues an MQCONN call to connect to a specified queue manager. Any additional MQI calls that specify the connection handle returned from the connect request are then processed by this queue manager.
You must link your applications to the appropriate client libraries. See the WebSphere MQ Clients book for further information.