Customize the RabbitMQ Environment

If you need to customize names or locations, it is easiest to configure environment variables in the Windows dialogue: Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Environment Variables. Then create or edit the system variable name and value.

Note: For environment changes to take effect on Windows, the service must be re-installed. It is not sufficient to restart the service.

Add Environmental Variables

Add the following environmental variable:

1. Set up ERLANG_HOME environment variable so it actually points to your Erlang installation, e.g. C:\Program Files\erlx.x.x (full path). The RabbitMQ batch files expect to execute %ERLANG_HOME%\bin\erl.exe.
2. Set up RABBIT_BASE env variable- this will decide where your RabbitMQ data, and configuration resides.



Figure 1 - The New System Variable dialog

Name	Default value	Suggested value
RABBITMQ_BASE	%APPDATA%\RabbitMQ	E:\Confirmit\RabbitMQ (Suggested path, try to avoid keeping RabbitMQ data on system drive)

3. Set up the ERLANG Cookie

Set the same cookie value in the file called erlang.cookie in the following locations:

C:\Users\%USERNAME%

C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile

Note: This file is read only by default, and must be changed in file properties if it is to be written to. Also, this value must be the same on all servers and all variables.

Configuration File

1. Create the RABBITMQ_BASE folder (E:\Confirmit\RabbitMQ or the same value as in the previous step).
2. Create a file called enabled_plugins inside the folder with the following content:

[rabbitmq_management,rabbitmq_management_agent,rabbitmq_shovel,rabbitmq_shovel_management,rabbitmq_tracing].

For more information on these plugins, read https://www.rabbitmq.com/plugins.html.

Remove and Reinstall the RabbitMQ Service

The following commands must be run in the command prompt or powershell, running with administrator permissions.

Note: If you have not added the rabbitmq.sbin folder to your Path variable, you need to CD into the sbin folder to access the "rabbitmq-service" command line tool.

rabbitmq-service remove

rabbitmq-service install

Wait for 30 seconds before executing next command.

rabbitmq-service start