Apache ActiveMQ is an open-source message broker that supports multiple messaging protocols and provides high-performance, multi-protocol messaging for applications. In this guide, we will walk you through how to install Apache ActiveMQ on Debian 10. Whether you're using a Windows VPS UK or another hosting service, ActiveMQ can be easily deployed to manage messaging between applications.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• A Debian 10 server, which could be hosted on a UK Windows VPS, Windows Virtual Private Servers, or another Windows VPS Hosting UK solution.
• Root or sudo privileges on your server.
• A working installation of Java (ActiveMQ requires Java to run).

Step 1: Update Your System

As always, start by updating your system to ensure all packages are up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Java

Apache ActiveMQ requires Java to run. You can install OpenJDK, the open-source version of Java, with the following command:

sudo apt install openjdk-11-jdk -y

Verify the installation of Java by running:

java -version

You should see output showing that Java 11 is installed.

Step 3: Download Apache ActiveMQ

Go to the official Apache ActiveMQ website and download the latest stable version of ActiveMQ. Alternatively, use the following wget command to download the latest version:

wget https://downloads.apache.org/activemq/5.16.3/apache-activemq-5.16.3-bin.tar.gz

Once the download is complete, extract the tarball:

tar -xvzf apache-activemq-5.16.3-bin.tar.gz

Move the extracted files to a more permanent directory:

sudo mv apache-activemq-5.16.3 /opt/activemq

Step 4: Configure Apache ActiveMQ

To configure ActiveMQ, you need to create a systemd service file so that ActiveMQ can run as a service. Create the file with the following command:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/activemq.service

Add the following content to the file:

[Unit]
Description=Apache ActiveMQ
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=forking
ExecStart=/opt/activemq/bin/activemq start
ExecStop=/opt/activemq/bin/activemq stop
User=root
Group=root
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save and close the file, then reload the systemd manager to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Start the ActiveMQ service and enable it to start on boot:

sudo systemctl start activemq
sudo systemctl enable activemq

Step 5: Access the ActiveMQ Web Console

By default, the ActiveMQ web console runs on port 8161. Open your browser and navigate to http://your-server-ip:8161/admin. The default credentials are:

• Username: admin
• Password: admin

It is recommended to change the default credentials for security purposes.

Step 6: Secure Apache ActiveMQ with a Firewall

For security, it is recommended to restrict access to the ActiveMQ web interface. You can configure your firewall (such as UFW) to allow only trusted IP addresses to access port 8161. For example, to allow only specific IPs, use:

sudo ufw allow from your-trusted-ip to any port 8161

Be sure to adjust the firewall settings based on your requirements.

Step 7: (Optional) Enable SSL for ActiveMQ

If you want to secure communication with ActiveMQ using SSL, you'll need to configure SSL in the activemq.xml configuration file. Generate or obtain an SSL certificate and follow the instructions on the official Apache ActiveMQ security page for detailed SSL setup.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully installed and configured Apache ActiveMQ on Debian 10. Whether you're hosting on a Windows VPS UK, Windows VPS Italy, or another Windows Virtual Private Server Hosting solution, ActiveMQ provides a reliable messaging broker for managing communications between distributed systems.