Configuring Message Queuing with a Proxy Server

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista

Configuring Message Queuing with a proxy server

Most organizations connect to the Internet using a proxy server for dispatching outgoing messages and a perimeter network protected by firewalls for routing incoming messages. A proxy server acts as a liaison between the intranet and the Internet. It creates a protected channel for passing information between the private network and the Internet and provides caching. Message Queuing uses an HTTP proxy to connect to URL addresses for delivering HTTP messages. Message Queuing thus needs to know the name of the proxy server and the applicable port to which it must connect. At the same time, there may be a list of target names for which the proxy connection is bypassed; that is, URL addresses that do not need to be accessed through the proxy server. An attempt is made to establish a direct connection with such targets. A Message Queuing application can only send messages through a proxy server over HTTP. No other type of Message Queuing messages can be sent.

You can use the netsh.exe tool to configure a proxy server. To configure a proxy server, type the following command at the command prompt:

netsh winhttp set proxy ProxyServerName:PortNumber BypassedTargets

Note that wildcards can be used to define a list of bypassed targets.

For more information about the set proxy command, type the following command at the command prompt:

netsh winhttp set proxy /?

The proxy server configuration is read whenever an outgoing queue is created to send messages to a new URL, so you do not need to stop and restart the Message Queuing service for new proxy settings to take affect. However, if you change the proxy server configuration using the netsh tool and you want an active outgoing queue to use the new settings, you must pause and resume that outgoing queue.

All of the information regarding proxy servers is stored in the registry, at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Connections\WinHttpSettings.

See Also

Concepts

Netsh Commands for Windows Hypertext Transfer Protocol (WINHTTP)