---
title: "Blog · eMBee IT"
description: "Technical writing by Matthias Blomme: IBM App Connect Enterprise, integration, modernization, AI tooling, and the occasional broken thing fixed in public."
author: "Matthias Blomme"
canonical: "https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/"
---

# Blog · eMBee IT

47 posts, newest first. Append `.md` to any post URL for its markdown source.

## [Reporting IBM Champion activity with a custom Bob mode and Claude skill](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ibm-champion-report/ibm-champion-report.md)

2026-06-30 · 16 min · bob, ibm-champion, airtable, claude, automation

A custom Bob mode (and Claude skill) that assembles your IBM Champion act-of-advocacy submission, builds a prefilled form URL, and stops you retyping your Champion ID umpteen times a year.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ibm-champion-report/ibm-champion-report/

## [IBM App Connect and MCP: a field guide as of 13.0.7](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-MCP/ace-mcp-13.0.7-field-guide.md)

2026-06-27 · 14 min · ace, app-connect, mcp, model-context-protocol, ai, integration

What MCP looks like across ACE software and App Connect in containers, where the docs cover it, and where you still have to read the YAML.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-MCP/ace-mcp-13.0.7-field-guide/

## [Opening an IBM ACE support case with a custom Bob mode](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-support-case/ace-support-case.md)

2026-06-25 · 23 min · ace, bob, support, diagnostics, abend, aceDataCollector

A custom Bob mode that walks you through collecting diagnostics for an IBM App Connect Enterprise support case, and how to trigger an abend on purpose to test it.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-support-case/ace-support-case/

## [Setting up MCP on ACE Minikube](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-mcp-minikube/setting_up_mcp_on_ace_minikube.md)

2026-06-24 · 24 min · ace, kubernetes, minikube, mcp, model-context-protocol, ai, integration

Walking through the IBM App Connect Dashboard's MCP server wizard on a Minikube install at operand 13.0.6.2-r1. What works, what doesn't, and what you have to wire up yourself when you're not on OpenShift or IKS.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-mcp-minikube/setting_up_mcp_on_ace_minikube/

## [Exposing a REST API as an MCP tool in App Connect 13.0.7](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-MCP/ace-mcp-runtime-callable-flow.md)

2026-06-22 · 19 min · ace, mcp, model-context-protocol, ai, integration, callable-flow, server.conf.yaml

MCP.Runtime in ACE 13.0.7 turns a deployed REST API into MCP tools. Here is the whole thing end to end, json and all, plus the callable flow workaround at the end.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-MCP/ace-mcp-runtime-callable-flow/

## [Why Your ACE REST Request Node Isn't Sending Basic Auth](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/rest-request-basic-auth/rest-request-basic-auth.md)

2026-06-20 · 13 min · ace, http, security, debugging

Two credential mechanisms, one pre-emptive and one reactive, and the silent "no error, no header" trap. Reproduced on ACE 12 and 13.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/rest-request-basic-auth/rest-request-basic-auth/

## [Keeping stuff stopped in IBM ACE](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/keeping-stuff-stopped/keeping-stuff-stopped.md)

2026-06-17 · 8 min · ace, operations, .stopped, mqsistopmsgflow, IntegrationServer

How to start an IBM ACE integration server without starting everything in it, and how to keep flows stopped across deployments.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/keeping-stuff-stopped/keeping-stuff-stopped/

## [Upgrading ACE on Minikube: from 13.0.4 to 13.0.6.2 (and unlocking MCP)](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-Operator-Minikube/upgrading_ace_minikube.md)

2026-05-30 · 34 min · ace, kubernetes, minikube, helm, operator, upgrade, mcp

A walkthrough of upgrading an existing ACE Operator + Dashboard + IntegrationRuntime install from 13.0.4.x to 13.0.6.2-r1 on Minikube, including the license-ID rebadge that silently blocks the upgrade.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-Operator-Minikube/upgrading_ace_minikube/

## [Two bugs, one MQ CSU: how 9.4.0.21 broke my mqweb (twice)](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/mqweb-upgrade/mqweb-upgrade.md)

2026-05-26 · 11 min · mq, ibm-mq, mqweb, liberty, upgrade, csu, troubleshooting

An MQ 9.4.0.21 cumulative security update killed mqweb in two different ways on the same morning, a broken TEMP path that Liberty refused to claim, and an ltpa.keys file the new JRE wouldn't decrypt. Here's what happened and what went into the runbook.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/mqweb-upgrade/mqweb-upgrade/

## [MCP in IBM App Connect Enterprise 13.0.7: turning the admin server into an MCP host](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-MCP/mcp_in_ace.md)

2026-05-19 · 47 min · ace, mcp, model-context-protocol, ai, integration, server.conf.yaml

Enabling the MCP.Admin block in server.conf.yaml, hooking MCP Inspector up to a standalone ACE 13.0.7 integration server, and walking through every admin tool the runtime exposes , with the real JSON request and response for each.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-MCP/mcp_in_ace/

## [Migrating ACE to v13](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-migration/ace-migration.md)

2026-04-19 · 20 min · ace, migration

A walkthrough of an ACE v13 migration, from Transformation Advisor through Java 17 cleanup to what actually breaks once you flip the switch.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-migration/ace-migration/

## [How to set up the IBM ACE vault from scratch](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/setup-ace-vault/setup-ace-vault.md)

2026-04-17 · 22 min · ace, security, vault, ext-vault, mqsisetdbparms

Replacing mqsisetdbparms with the ACE vault

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/setup-ace-vault/setup-ace-vault/

## [ACE v13 new features (when coming from v12)](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-v13-new-features-overview/v13-new-features.md)

2026-04-07 · 39 min · ace, ibm, v13, migration

A summary of all the new features for ACE v13 up to 13.0.7.0

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-v13-new-features-overview/v13-new-features/

## [mqsirestart](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/mqsirestart/mqsirestart.md)

2026-03-28 · 5 min · ace, mqsistop, mqsistart, mqsirestart

mqsirestart solves all your restart needs!

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/mqsirestart/mqsirestart/

## [IBM Storage Strategy Days 2026](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/storage-days-2026/storage-days-2026.md)

2026-03-27 · 9 min · IBM, AI, Storage, Flash, Ceph, Fusion, London, Waymo

No middleware this time: two days of IBM Storage

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/storage-days-2026/storage-days-2026/

## [Sync Plex watch history to Trakt with PlexTraktSync in Docker](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/plex-trakt/plex-trakt.md)

2026-03-24 · 11 min · docker, plex, trakt, self-hosting

How to run PlexTraktSync in Docker to sync Plex watch history, ratings, and collections to Trakt, including fixes for Google login and Docker networking issues.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/plex-trakt/plex-trakt/

## [How This Blog Works: MkDocs, Python, and GitHub Pages](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/blog-hosting/blog-hosting.md)

2026-03-17 · 15 min · python, mkdocs, github-actions, automation, blogging

A look behind the scenes at how this blog is built and deployed, using MkDocs Material, a custom Python script for metadata generation, and GitHub Actions for automated publishing.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/blog-hosting/blog-hosting/

## [Is that a fish? Part 1: Motion detection](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/visdeurbel-automated-detection/01.visdeurbel-fish-detector.md)

2026-03-13 · 22 min · python, opencv, computer vision, docker, automation, fish

Detecting fish-like movement in the Dutch fish doorbell stream with Python, OpenCV and a mildly unreasonable amount of tuning

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/visdeurbel-automated-detection/01.visdeurbel-fish-detector/

## [Validate a DFDL schema outside the toolkit](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ibm-dfdl-tester/ibm-dfdl-tester.md)

2026-03-10 · 7 min · ace, dfdl, tools, testing

This post shows how to validate a DFDL schema with IBM DFDL outside the Toolkit using a simpler CLI-based flow. It covers the setup and validation scripts I added to ibmDFDLCrossTester, support for ACE 12 and 13, useful trace output for debugging, and a few schema gotchas worth knowing up front.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ibm-dfdl-tester/ibm-dfdl-tester/

## [Containerizing IBM ACE: A Blog Series - Upgrading in Containers](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/06.upgrading-in-containers.md)

2026-02-20 · 12 min · ace, docker, kubernetes, containers, migration

The sixth installment in the Containerizing ACE series, tackling why  upgrades become boring (in a good way) when you containerize

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/06.upgrading-in-containers/

## [PGP SupportPac on ACE 13.0.6.0: a full end-to-end setup](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/pgp-node/pgp-node.md)

2026-02-17 · 12 min · ace, security, pgp, encryption

A practical, field-tested setup of the PGP SupportPac on ACE 13.0.6.0, from key generation to working encryption and decryption flows, including the runtime jar details that tend to get missed.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/pgp-node/pgp-node/

## [Creating a generic log node using context trees](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/generic-log-node/generic-log-node.md)

2026-01-18 · 17 min · ace, logging, esql, v13

Using the Context Tree in a second real life use case, logging

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/generic-log-node/generic-log-node/

## [Running Granite 4.0-1B locally on Android](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/running-granite-llm-on-android/run-granite-on-android.md)

2026-01-16 · 25 min · granite, IBM, llm, nano, ai, android

An LLM that runs locally on your phone, I've got to give that a try

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/running-granite-llm-on-android/run-granite-on-android/

## [Installing ACE 13.x on Minikube: Filling in the Blanks](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-Operator-Minikube/installing_ace_minikube.md)

2025-10-30 · 72 min · ace, kubernetes, minikube, docker, operator

Even though we hardly ever see it, IBM App Connect Enterprise (ACE) is perfectly capable of running on plain Kubernetes.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/Ace-Operator-Minikube/installing_ace_minikube/

## [IBM TechXchange 2025, Orlando. Overwhelming in all the right ways.](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/techxchange-2025/techxchange-2025.md)

2025-10-20 · 11 min · ace, ibm, event, techxchange, orlando

TechXchange 2025, what you missed

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/techxchange-2025/techxchange-2025/

## [Containerizing IBM ACE: A Blog Series - Container Startup Optimization](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/05.ace-startup-optimization.md)

2025-09-26 · 47 min · ace, docker, kubernetes, performance

The fifth installment in the Containerizing ACE series, tackling why do ACE containers take so long to boot?.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/05.ace-startup-optimization/

## [Containerizing IBM ACE: A Blog Series - Scoping your runtimes](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/04.scoping-your-runtime.md)

2025-09-20 · 13 min · ace, docker, kubernetes, containers

The fourth installment in the Containerizing ACE series, tackling a number of ways to determine your container content

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/04.scoping-your-runtime/

## [Containerizing IBM ACE: A Blog Series - Images vs Artifacts](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/02.images-vs-artefacts.md)

2025-09-11 · 10 min · ace, docker, kubernetes, containers

The seconf installment in the Containerizing ACE series, tackling images and artifacts

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/02.images-vs-artefacts/

## [Containerizing IBM ACE: A Blog Series - Things to Consider in Containers](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/03.things-to-consider-in-containers.md)

2025-09-11 · 10 min · ace, docker, kubernetes, containers

The third installment in the Containerizing ACE series, tackling some container concepts to keep in mind

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/03.things-to-consider-in-containers/

## [ACE, AI, and Why You Should've Been in Hursley](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-ai-hursley-2025/ace-ai-hursley.md)

2025-09-05 · 7 min · ace, ibm, event, techxchange, ai, hursley, ibm labs

IBM TechXchange Early eXperience 2025.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-ai-hursley-2025/ace-ai-hursley/

## [Containerizing IBM ACE: A Blog Series - The Basics](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/01.the-basics.md)

2025-09-02 · 9 min · ace, docker, kubernetes, containers

The first installment in the Containerizing ACE series, tackling the basics concepts

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/containerization-series/01.the-basics/

## [Stop Copying Messages into the Environment: Use Context Tree in ACE 13.0.4.0+](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/flow-order-context-tree/Stop-Copying-Messages-into-Environment-Use-Context-Tree.md)

2025-08-29 · 9 min · ace, esql, v13

Using the new context tree in an actual functional use case

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/flow-order-context-tree/Stop-Copying-Messages-into-Environment-Use-Context-Tree/

## [ACE on Windows:  Disable Weak TLS Ciphers and Verify with OpenSSL](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/disable-weak-ciphers-ace/ace_disable_weak_ciphers.md)

2025-08-20 · 17 min · ace, security, tls, windows

Managing your cipher security

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/disable-weak-ciphers-ace/ace_disable_weak_ciphers/

## [Create JSON Arrays in ESQL and Java (Without Losing Your Sanity)](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/creating-json-arrays/creating-json-arrays.md)

2025-08-18 · 29 min · ace, esql, json, java

How can we properly create clean JSON arrays

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/creating-json-arrays/creating-json-arrays/

## [The EventLogMonitor](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/eventlogmonitor/eventlogmonitor.md)

2025-07-31 · 3 min · ace, monitoring, windows, tools

Hyping the EventLogMonitor tool

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/eventlogmonitor/eventlogmonitor/

## [The Case of the Missing Query Parameters](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/missing-query-param/missing-query-param.md)

2025-07-31 · 10 min · ace, debugging, http

Aka "The Blog That Reads like an Agatha Christie Story" or "The Overly Dramatic Description of a Simple Problem".

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/missing-query-param/missing-query-param/

## [Select The Row](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/select-the-row/select-the-row.md)

2025-04-04 · 16 min · ace, esql

Let's talk about SELECT in ESQL — and I don't mean database queries (although they are rather similar)

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/select-the-row/select-the-row/

## [Automating and Standardizing IBM ACE Installation with PowerShell](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/automating-standardizing-ace-install-powershell/automating-standardizing-ace-install-powershell.md)

2024-11-21 · 10 min · ace, powershell, automation, windows

Automating windows installations of ACE through scripting

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/automating-standardizing-ace-install-powershell/automating-standardizing-ace-install-powershell/

## [Running Unit Tests in IBM App Connect Toolkit Using a Custom Integration Server Setup](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/toolkit-unit-testing-custom-runtime/toolkit-unit-testing-custom-runtime.md)

2024-10-04 · 8 min · ace, testing, toolkit

When working with IBM App Connect Toolkit, running unit tests on integration flows with custom configurations can be quite challenging.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/toolkit-unit-testing-custom-runtime/toolkit-unit-testing-custom-runtime/

## [How to Customize the IBM App Connect Enterprise Palette: A Quick Guide](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/customize-ace-palette/customize-ace-palette.md)

2024-08-06 · 4 min · ace, toolkit

Keeping a clean workspace

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/customize-ace-palette/customize-ace-palette/

## [Ignoring fields in ACE integration testing: a guide](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/unit-test-ignore/unit-test-ignore.md)

2024-08-06 · 4 min · ace, testing, toolkit

Making unit testing work for you, how to ignore specific data

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/unit-test-ignore/unit-test-ignore/

## [A Week at IBM TechXchange Early eXperience Program in Hursley](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-hursley-2024/ace-hursley-2024.md)

2024-08-01 · 3 min · ace, ibm, event, techxchange, hursley, ibm labs

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the IBM TechXchange early eXperience program for IBM App Connect Enterprise (ACE) at the historic Hursley House

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/ace-hursley-2024/ace-hursley-2024/

## [ACE Log Node tips and tricks – default values](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/log-nodes-tips-tricks/log-node-tips-tricks.md)

2024-07-22 · 5 min · ace, logging, jsonata

Utilizing JSONata in the new Log Node

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/log-nodes-tips-tricks/log-node-tips-tricks/

## [Logging ACE's ExceptionList Inserts (in the Activity log with the Log node)](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/logging-ace-exceptionlist/logging-ace-exceptionlist.md)

2024-07-22 · 6 min · ace, logging, jsonata, error-handling

Properly handing and parsing the ACE Exception list to retreive the most usefull information (with JSONata)

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/logging-ace-exceptionlist/logging-ace-exceptionlist/

## [Transformation Advisor: helpful sidekick or noisy backseat driver?](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/tad/tad.md)

2023-09-01 · 5 min · ace, migration, tools, iib

Prepare your ACE migration

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/tad/tad/

## [Business Transaction Monitoring](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/btm/btm.md)

2023-05-23 · 16 min · ace, monitoring, btm

I wanted to try the new (re-introduced in 12.0.2.0) ACE Business Transaction Monitoring to see what the added value could be for a company/team/environment that.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/btm/btm/

## [Bar Build Commands: Unraveling the Differences](https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/create-vs-package-bar/create-vs-pacakage-bar.md)

2023-05-23 · 16 min · ace, cicd, automation, bar

Today automated builds and deployments are a must to support business demands. IBM App Connect Enterprise (ace) offers strong capabilities to automate build and.

HTML: https://embee.matthiashomeportal.be/blog/create-vs-package-bar/create-vs-pacakage-bar/