# VM queues and persistent queues by deployment

*MuleSoft Platform Integration Architect Study Guide · Designing integration solutions to meet persistence requirements · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/mulesoft-platform-integration-architect/designing-integration-solutions-to-meet-persistence-requirements/vm-queues-and-persistent-queues-by-deployment*

How VM Connector queues and operations behave, where a persistent VM queue actually keeps its messages on a standalone runtime, a cluster, CloudHub 1.0, CloudHub 2.0 and Runtime Fabric, and what to use when a VM queue cannot give the durability a design needs.

- Certification: Salesforce MuleSoft Platform Integration Architect
- Exam section: Designing integration solutions to meet persistence requirements
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/mulesoft-platform-integration-architect

**Official exam objective:**

> Design Mule applications using Virtual Machine (VM) queues and the Anypoint VM Connector in all deployment options.

## What the exam expects

- Choose between transient and persistent VM queues, and design VM Connector configurations and queue names that an application or domain can use.
- Select the VM operation (Publish, Consume, Publish Consume, Listener) that matches a one-way handoff or a request that waits for a reply.
- State where a persistent VM queue keeps messages on a single runtime, in a customer-hosted cluster, on CloudHub 1.0, on CloudHub 2.0 and on Runtime Fabric.
- Recognize the CloudHub 1.0 Persistent queues behaviors that change a design: retention, delivery guarantees, latency, encryption and batch interaction.
- Pick a durable replacement (Anypoint MQ or an external JMS broker) where VM queues cannot meet the requirement.

**VM Connector:** intra-app and inter-app communication through asynchronous queues. **Transient queue:** faster, but not reliable if the system crashes. **Persistent queue:** slower but reliable ([VM Connector](https://docs.mulesoft.com/vm-connector/latest/)). **CloudHub persistent queues:** a per-application CloudHub 1.0 setting that stores VM queue messages externally ([Compare CloudHub and CloudHub 2.0](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub-2/ch2-migration-comparison)). **Memory grid:** the shared memory a cluster uses for VM queue and Object Store data ([HA cluster overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/on-premises/4.6/mule-high-availability-ha-clusters)).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Default queue type | TRANSIENT | [Configure VM Connector in Studio](https://docs.mulesoft.com/vm-connector/latest/vm-studio-configuration) |
| Operation timeout default | 5 SECONDS | [VM Connector Reference](https://docs.mulesoft.com/vm-connector/latest/vm-reference) |
| Cluster VM queues | Memory grid; JMS where data must outlive the whole cluster | [HA cluster overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/on-premises/4.6/mule-high-availability-ha-clusters) |
| Performance profile | Local queues, no object store backups | [HA cluster overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/on-premises/4.6/mule-high-availability-ha-clusters) |
| CloudHub 1.0 persistent queues scope | All VM, Batch and SEDA queues | [Manage Queues](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub/managing-queues) |
| CloudHub 1.0 retention | Up to 4 days | [CloudHub HA features](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub/cloudhub-fabric) |
| CloudHub 1.0 delivery | Duplicates possible, not one-time-only | [CloudHub HA features](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub/cloudhub-fabric) |
| Encryption toggle | Disabling makes earlier encrypted messages unreadable | [Manage Queues](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub/managing-queues) |
| Batch visibility | 70 s default; `persistent.queue.min.timeout` max 43000000 ms | [Manage Queues](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub/managing-queues) |
| CloudHub 2.0 VM queues | Ephemeral; use Anypoint MQ | [Compare CloudHub and CloudHub 2.0](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub-2/ch2-migration-comparison) |
| Runtime Fabric | Persistent VM queues unavailable | [VM Connector](https://docs.mulesoft.com/vm-connector/latest/) |
| Domains | Not supported on CloudHub | [On-premises deployment model](https://docs.mulesoft.com/on-premises/latest/mule-deployment-model) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't two VM Connector configurations in one application each declare a queue with the same name?
- When Persistent queues is selected for a CloudHub 1.0 application that is already running, what must happen before the setting takes effect?
- In which region does a CloudHub 1.0 worker's persistent queue live?
- How often do the Queued and In-Flight columns on the Queues tab refresh?

## Sources

- [VM Connector](https://docs.mulesoft.com/vm-connector/latest/)
- [VM Connector Reference](https://docs.mulesoft.com/vm-connector/latest/vm-reference)
- [Using Anypoint Studio to Configure VM Connector 2.0](https://docs.mulesoft.com/vm-connector/latest/vm-studio-configuration)
- [Manage Queues](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub/managing-queues)
- [CloudHub High Availability Features](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub/cloudhub-fabric)
- [Compare CloudHub and CloudHub 2.0](https://docs.mulesoft.com/cloudhub-2/ch2-migration-comparison)
- [On-Premises Mule Runtime High Availability Cluster Overview](https://docs.mulesoft.com/on-premises/4.6/mule-high-availability-ha-clusters)
- [On-Premises Mule Runtime Deployment Model](https://docs.mulesoft.com/on-premises/latest/mule-deployment-model)
- [Deployment Options](https://docs.mulesoft.com/runtime-manager/deployment-strategies)
- [Configuring Persistence Gateway with Runtime Fabric](https://docs.mulesoft.com/runtime-fabric/latest/persistence-gateway)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 11 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the MuleSoft Platform Integration Architect pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams