How does MSMQ manage messages?

Question

It seems that MSMQ doesn't use any Database management system to manage messages. How does MSMQ manage messages? Does it store the messages in flat file?

I'm trying to implement a messages management system. It's my exercise.

Answer 1

it stores them as files on the disk.

If you wanna manage them use the System.Messaging API

Good luck

Answer 2

MSMQ uses flat files located in %windir%\system32\msmq.

If you want to implement your own queueing, I suggest you take a look at Ayende's blog post on queueing

Answer 3

MSMQ's use of files is covered in more depth here:

174307 Interpreting file names in the Storage directory in Microsoft Message Queue Server and in Microsoft Message Queuing

Cheers John Breakwell (MSFT)