Queue Alias

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Applies To: Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server Technical Preview, Windows Vista

A queue alias (introduced in MSMQ 3.0) is an Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) object of the MSMQ-Custom-Recipient class type, which associates an AD DS path and a user-defined string (alias) with a public, private, or direct single-element format name. A queue alias can be used to reference a queue that might not be listed in AD DS. For example, a queue alias can be used to reference a private queue or a URL-named queue within the context of a distribution list. Using queue aliases provides the following benefits:

  • When a queue alias object is deleted, the alias is automatically removed from all distribution lists that reference the alias.

  • The queue referenced by the queue alias can be changed without changing the alias reference. The alias can be used as a constant reference, as in a distribution list, even though the queue it represents may change.

  • Queue aliases can be used to reference a queue that is not listed in the directory service. This includes private queues or queues from another organization.

  • Queue aliases can be used to send HTTP messages by referencing the destination queue using a direct format name.

Queue alias objects have a single attribute that is of significance to Message Queuing: namely a format name that references a queue. Queue aliases can store public, private, and direct single-element format names (note that the format name for the queue cannot exceed 255 characters).

Queue aliases can be created only in the Computers and Domain Controllers containers of domain controllers, which must have MSMQ 3.0 installed. Only domain administrators have permissions to create, modify, or delete queue aliases.

Once the queue alias is stored in AD DS, it can be referenced by its ADs path. The following is an example of the AD DS path to a queue alias.

LDAP://MyLdapServer/CN=MyQueueAlias,OU=Domain Controllers,DC=MyDomain,DC=MyCompany,DC=COM