IBM Web Shpere MQ client for PHP on IBM i platform.

I am designing a log framework for my PHP code on IBM i. As the application will not only log some system level info but also many application level logs, I can expect that the log traffic will be crowed. In this case, I would like to let the app to throw log info into a message queue rather than to directly write into database.

However, I noticed that Zend Framework (v1.10) on IBM i only partially supports ActiveMQ as MQ client. I also find that there are at least two PHP extension in PECL to support IBM Web Sphere MQ: mqseries and SAM . However, as extensions, both of them are wrappers of under native code. So, they might have compiled libraries for Linux or MS Windows. But, there is no compiled package for IBM i platform.

So, we can see that we can not use IBM Web Sphere MQ with PHP on IBM i platform. In my case, I can not use Zend Server for IBM i and IBM Web Sphere together with Zend PHP. Therefore, using ActiveMQ on IBM i with Zend PHP on IBM will be only option (not consider other asynchronous message methods). But, I feel this is funny as I think IBM will not see ActiveMQ, which implements STOMP protocol, is used to replace Web Sphere MQ on IBM i and Zend will not see developer finally adband Zend server for IBM i and go back to linux, where more PHP vendors can compete at. As a developer, it is uncomfortable not to be able to use most nature way to finish project on IBM i.

If possible, we can put PHP engine on a Linux server and install MySQL server and DB2i storage engine on IBM i. then, PHP developer can walk around the DB2 Connect license issue and Web Sphere MQ client issue. However, if this happen, technically speaking, it will be easier for applicaton developer to shift whole application out of IBM i platform. Is this what IBM and Zend want? I guess they will not. So, I think Zend or IBM should release a PHP version Web Sphere MQ client for IBM i platform. I put my thoughts on Zend forum (link). I hope they will see it.