Send message using MSMQ between two EC2 instances

Question

I have two Amazon EC2 instances and I want to send a message from one server to the MSMQ on the other. Normally, in other test environments, this would be on a domain so wouldn't be a problem, but these EC2 instances are workgroup computers and not on a domain. Therefore, trying to send to a public queue on that machine isn't possible. I've therefore created a private queue on the second server, but can't see how to get the message to appear. I've tried the following:

[machinename][queuename] eg ServerB\\testqueue

FormatName:direct=[machinename]\\private$[queuename] eg FormatName:direct=ServerB\\private$\\testqueue

DIRECT=[machinename]\\PRIVATE$[queuename] eg DIRECT=ServerB\\private$\\testqueue

FormatName:direct=os:[machinename]\\PRIVATE$[queuename] eg FormatName:direct=os:ServerB\\private$\\testqueue

Note: I have host file entries for both servers listing the workgroup/netbios names against the relevant fixed EC2 IP addresses

Using the two FormatName: entries, I do not get any errors but the messages never arrive. Using the others give me an error regarding the format name. On the private queues I have given 'everyone' full control.

Can anyone advise on how I can send a message from one EC2 windows server to a private queue (not on a domain) on another?

Thanks

Answer 1

On the private queues I have given 'everyone' full control.

This catches out a lot of people. "Everyone" does not mean everyone anymore - that was changed years ago. "Everyone" means all the accounts that the local security system has access to. An account on a different workgroup machine is unknown to it and so you need to add "Anonymous Logon" to really get everyone.

Using the two FormatName: entries, I do not get any errors but the messages never arrive

To see errors, you need to enable negative source journaling and check the dead letter queue for the information.

Answer 2

This should not be the 'accepted answer' - but if you fail to find your way you can use AWS hosted queue implementation - SQS . It is not 1-1 compatible with MSMQ but it is a valid fallback strategy (and 1 thing less to manage).