Message Queuing Installation Options for Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003

There are various installation configurations that are available for Message Queuing with varying capabilities. This article describes the configuration options that are available for Microsoft Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003. These configuration options are based on a Windows XP or a Windows Server 2003 installation environment.

Note On a Windows XP-based computer or a Windows Server 2003-based computer, Message Queuing no longer requires a Message Queuing server to function unless you install it as a dependent client.

Configurations

Configuration 1: Existing Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Message Queuing 1.0 Enterprise

If Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003 is installed in a Windows 2000 or Windows .NET-based forest, you cannot use the GUI to install an independent client. In this type of an environment, you need to use an unattended install or an answer file, because a Windows XP client or a Windows Server 2003 client recognizes the Active Directory during Setup and tries to install itself against it.

However, if a Windows XP client or a Windows Server 2003 client is installed on a Windows NT 4.0-based domain, you can use the Add/Remove Programs GUI to install an independent client, and then specify the name of the PEC or PSC during Setup.

For example, the following sample code installs Message Queuing as an independent client by using a Windows NT 4.0-based Message Queuing primary enterprise controller that is named NORTHPOLE:
To run an unattended installation of Message Queuing, save the previous file to C:\msmq.txt, and then run the following at a command prompt:

Note The installation of Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Message Queuing requires two hotfixes on the Windows NT 4.0-based server.

For additional information about how to apply the required hotfixes, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Note The following configuration is possible, but it is not supported by Microsoft.

It is possible to install Message Queuing against a Windows NT 4.0-based primary enterprise controller (with the Windows NT Service Pack 6a installed), primary site controller, or routing server as a dependent client; however, this configuration is:

• Not supported.
  
  -and-
• All dependent client limitations apply and service packs or hotfixes to Windows NT 4.0, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003 may cause unpredictable results.

Setup Recommendation:

A recommended option in this case is to clear the Active Directory Integration setting during Setup and leave all of the other options selected. By doing so, this places the Message Queuing installation into Workgroup mode. This mode restricts Message Queuing to private queues and to the use of direct format names.

Configuration 2: Existing Windows 2000 Message Queuing 2.0 Environment with Active Directory

In this configuration, the installation of Message Queuing on Windows XP Professional or on Windows Server 2003 can operate as an independent client without any special requirements; therefore, you do not need to install Message Queuing on the Windows 2000 Advanced Server-based domain controller that is housing Active Directory because a Message Queuing 3.0 client can manage its own objects in this environment without the need of a Message Queuing server.

Workgroup mode is also an option for Message Queuing 3.0 clients in this configuration; however, you still have to take the normal Workgroup mode constraints into consideration.

Setup Recommendation:

In this environment, it is recommended that you install Message Queuing 3.0 with all options selected.

Configuration 3: Existing Windows 2000 Message Queuing 2.0 Environment Without Active Directory or Windows NT 4.0 Message Queuing 1.0 Enterprise

The only option in this environment is to install Message Queuing 3.0 in Workgroup mode.

The versions of Message Queuing, since its first release in Windows NT 4.0 Enterprise Edition, vary in many ways. For example, the directory services infrastructure that houses public queue and enterprise information migrated from Microsoft SQL Server to Active Directory for versions 2.0 and 3.0. Due to these changes, you may not know whether a Message Queuing 2.0 or 3.0 client can interact in a Message Queuing 1.0 environment (in addition to other configurations). Use the following rules as guidelines:

• All versions of Message Queuing can exchange messages.
• You can only install each version of Message Queuing on its respective operating system:

     MESSAGE QUEUING VERSION        OPERATING SYSTEM
     =======================        ================ 
     Message Queuing 3.0            Windows XP or Windows Server 2003
  
     Message Queuing 2.0            Windows 2000
  
     Message Queuing 1.0            Windows NT 4
                                    Windows 95
                                    Windows 98, 98 Second Edition (SE)
                                    Windows Millennium Edition (Me)
  					

• There is no required Message Queuing server for Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Message Queuing. In an Active Directory configuration, Message Queuing 3.0 independent clients can manage their Active Directory components through direct LDAP calls to the Active Directory server.
• It is recommended that you perform the installation in Workgroup mode whenever possible to avoid configuring a Message Queuing server in a Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0 environment to handle different Message Queuing client versions. Workgroup mode improves performance and the availability of Message Queuing because you are required to send messages using direct format names.

Version Differences

The terms that are used in association with Message Queuing may vary between the different versions. In the following sections, the various terms are clarified based on the version.

Windows NT 4.0 Message Queuing Version 1.0

There were two types of Message Queuing 1.0 servers in Message Queuing 1.0. All servers that are installed on Windows NT 4.0 Enterprise Edition have full Message Queuing functionality, including the ability to:

• Host connector applications.
• Serve as supporting servers for dependent clients.
• Serve as message forwarding or concentration points.

Servers that are installed on Windows NT 4.0 Standard Edition have certain restrictions in regards to:

• Connector support.
• Limited client connections.
  
  -and-
• Other restrictions that are documented in the Message Queuing release notes in Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack.

Message Queuing 1.0 Controller Servers:

Message Queuing controller servers host a copy of the Message Queue Information Store (MQIS) in an SQL database. The MQIS contains Message Queuing objects with information about the Message Queuing Enterprise architecture for routing, queue information for lookups, and security permissions for those objects. There are three types of Message Queuing controller servers:

• primary enterprise controller
• primary site controller
• backup site controller

Message Queuing 1.0 Routing Server:

Routing servers do not host an MQIS but provide all other routing-based functionality.

Message Queuing 1.0 Clients:

• An independent client can send messages offline while it is disconnected from the enterprise.
• A dependent client must be connected to a Message Queuing server (primary enterprise controller, primary site controller, backup site controller, or routing server) to send or receive messages. A dependent client has no queues or local message storage and therefore it uses the Message Queuing service on its Message Queuing server to send or receive messages.

Windows 2000 Message Queuing Version 2.0

Message Queuing 2.0 Servers:

In version 2.0, the terminology changes may be confusing in regards to the Message Queuing Server configurations. A Message Queuing 1.0 independent client was explicitly selected for installation on Windows NT 4.0 Server. On Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server, this is the default functionality and it is not explicitly stated as an independent client.

When you install Message Queuing on Windows 2000, there is a check box to include Message Queuing Routing Services. If you do not select the check box (on a non-domain controller), the result is a Message Queuing server that has the functionality of an independent client. If you select the Routing Services (on a non-domain controller), the result is a Message Queuing server that has the functionality of the Message Queuing 1.0 routing server.

Both of these are referred to as Message Queuing Servers. The term independent client now applies only to Message Queuing on Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Professional, and Windows Server 2003. You can find additional information on this topic in Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2000 Advanced Server Help under the topic "Upgrade Overview for Message Queuing."

Message Queuing 2.0 Clients:

Dependent clients are another installation option for Message Queuing 2.0. This installation type provides you with the same functionality as a dependent client in Message Queuing 1.0. Note: Message Queuing 2.0 Dependents clients and not supported against a Message Queue Server (MSMQ) 1.0 Supporting Server and should be installed against an MSMQ 1.0 server.

The Workgroup mode installation is an option that is available in Message Queuing 2.0. To select this option during the installation, click Manually Select our access mode to active directory, and then click Not participate in a Directory Service. The combination of these two settings places the computer into Message Queuing Workgroup mode. This mode has the regular Workgroup mode constraints.

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Message Queuing Version 3.0

Message Queuing 3.0 Servers:

The following settings are available in Message Queuing 3.0:

• Down Level Support: This is not selected by default. This setting, which provides support for earlier versions, is available when you install it on a Windows .NET-based domain controller.
• Routing Support
• Active Directory Integration and Core functionality: This is selected by default. This setting provides a consistent installation for Message Queuing on a Windows Server of an independent client functionality, regardless of whether the server is a domain controller.

Message Queuing 3.0 Clients:

Dependent clients still exist as an option when you are installing Message Queuing 3.0. This installation provides you with the same functionality as a dependent client in Message Queuing 1.0 or 2.0, but you have to install it against a Message Queuing 2.0 or 3.0 server.

Independent client installations can send messages offline while they are disconnected from the enterprise. In addition, they manage their own objects in Active Directory.

Workgroup Mode:

Message Queuing Workgroup mode installations are still an option in Message Queuing 3.0 with the same constraints that exist in Windows 2000 Workgroup mode. To use the Workgroup mode, during Setup, clear the Active Directory support check box.