Lotus Nut

 This is definitely an age-old recommendation, but it is something that most customers have problems with. OS-level Antivirus. IBM has finally published a technote (1417504) Recommendations for exclusions when running Operation (sic) System Antivirus. This will definitely be handy to be able to show a customer direct instructions from IBM and not "just" recommendations from a third party (who sees this all the time). Also, you need to disable any specific Lotus Notes scanning on your desktop AV software if it's enabled.

First of all, not setting the exclusions will cause performance issues as the AV software has to scan/check the database/application prior to letting Domino use it. Your disk I/O will be abysmal. Trust me. Secondly, it can cause other random problems (see below) or database corruption.

If you are running a Domino server that also has AV for the OS, you need to get this technote to your Security Administrators and make sure they enable these exclusions! And also, don't just get *.nsf excluded. This technote is very timely because I just had a customer today with some exclusions in place who didn't just have the entire data directory excluded. When a 16GB mail db was going through a copy-style compact, the *.tmp file that was created for the compact couldn't get renamed back to the proper *.nsf file because the AV software had a lock on the tmp file. I just searched for this while writing this blog post (so that you could see how compact -c works in general) and there is also a technote from IBM (1102756) on a similar scenario when running AV software for Domino.

In a nutshell, if you are running OS-level AV on your Domino servers, you need to exclude the following from being scanned:

• Domino Data directory
• View rebuild directory
• Transaction Log directory
• DAOS directory
• Directory links
  

One of the nice tricks with the Domino Administrator Client Files tab is the ability to update ACL's and properties for all databases in a folder and sub-folders. To do this, just right-click the folder and choose from the list of available options. Such as Access Control > Manage:
 
At which point you will receive this window where you can see that all 87 databases are selected and you can Add, Modify, or Remove entries from the ACL of all databases (applications). Note, if you're Adding entries you may have to go back in a second time and also Modify that entry in case the entry previously was listed with a different level of access.


This can also work for Advanced Properties for databases. The trick to this window is that if you choose something in the "Select" column and leave the "Enable or disable" option blank, then it will set that property to OFF for all of the databases. If you check the option to enable, then it will turn it ON. Remember this and don't assume that if you just select it that it will enable it. If you don't select an option, it will not be touched. Note the properties I'm selecting below and that many of them can also be done via the Compact task. But this is a nice UI way to do this.


Also note that any of the options in the right-click list that are not greyed-out are available for this - such as compact, quotas, etc...

And completely unrelated, but if you're a Star Wars geek, try to telnet to towel.blinkenlights.nl...

Earlier today I was renewing the SSL certificate for BleedYellow's IHS server. But I ran into a slight issue in that the IBM SSL Key Management utility (ikeyman) was only giving me the choice of 512 or 1024 bit key length. But now, 2 years later (wow, time flies!), GoDaddy requires 2048 or 4096 bit requests and does not accept a 1024 bit request. This is good to know, for sure! After a quick use of my google-fu, I was able to find this technote and after installing the Java SDK 1.5 SR6 Cumulative Fix for WebSphere Application Server I was immediately able to create the 2048 bit request. Happy SSL'ing!

For Domino 8.5 + there is a new notes.ini setting to create i/o optimized transaction logs for platforms with a block size different than the default 512 bytes.

The notes.ini variable is: Create_R85_Log=1. With notes.ini variables, also make sure you're using the Configuration Document to set these instead of directly in the notes.ini.

Just a quick note that we are planning some Connections server maintenance the morning of September 24 (tomorrow).

In the meantime, feel free to read over this. :)

In response to: Google-proof Domino Trivia!

Wondering if anyone else wants to give this a whirl? I had never noticed this until David pointed it out to me. Try your hand at his Domino Trivia! Beuller? Beuller?

I was working on an ODBC/DECS/DB2 integration and was Googling for an error. Turns out I got a big chuckle at this technote.

Question After upgrading your server to DB2 UDB Version 8.1 FixPak 10 (also known as Version 8.2 FixPak 3), you will encounter...

I think that's all you need to read. Does anything stand out to you?? So are DB2 8.1 FP10 and DB2 8.2 FP3 the same release?? That's hilarious! And I thought there was confusion sometimes with Domino... ;)

After the release of Notes and Domino 8.5 Fixpack 1, there has been some concern expressed over customers and partners not being able to see the fixes at the devWorks fixlist site. If you go there currently, you can see the following releases listed:



Notice that there are not any SPR's listed as fixed for 8.0.2 FP1, 8.0.2 FP2, 8.0.2 IFR1, 8.5 FP1, or 8.5 IFR1. But there is a way to see what you need for your upgrade planning. You need to navigate to a somewhat hidden "notices" view at this URL: http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/r5fixlist.nsf/Notices?OpenView (and also via the Notes Client here). From here you can see this listing:



Clicking through, you can get the SPR's fixed in 8.5 FP1 here. Actually, this information was relayed to us via a devWorks article that was updated in January. This release notice document for 8.5 FP1 is very helpful to me. I tend to prefer this better than navigating through an old view design and having multiple click-throughs to get to what I need to see. This release notice details all of the SPR's fixed in FP1 and many of them have links to a technote detailing the issue. All in one place! I do hope that the fixes are loaded into the main view so that searching for fixes is a little more managable, but I really like this method.

Another great addition for Notes Client usability is an easier way for users to create hyperlinks! Finally there is a quick way to do this! Previously, you would have to go through several menu levels or remember ALT+C+H+L and then fill in a properties box that may be confusing for the casual user. But in 8.5.1, this should be easier to accomplish.

After selecting the text you would like to use for the link, you can either choose the Create > Hyperlink menu item:

Or you can choose a toolbar option:

This will then bring you the following dialog when you're creating a new memo:

This will be a welcome improvement for Lotus Notes users!!

Disclaimer: Notes 8.5.1 is still in Beta and therefore subject to change between now and its ship date.

There are two quick things I would like to highlight with the Lotus Notes 8.5.1 Client that's currently in beta.

First of all is the ability to resize table columns from the rich text editor. I love using the "Copy Selected as Table" from within views and then pasting the table into a new memo. Then I like to do some formatting - which would always involve resizing the columns. With 8.5.0 and earlier, when I would want to do this I would have to open the Table Properties and then resize each cell width. Lotus Notes 8.5.1 now allows you to just click on the column separator and resize it via dragging. Very cool!!

The second thing is related to view navigation. How many of you have ever had calls from users who say "MY EMAIL HAS DISAPPEARED! THE SKY IS FALLING!!!" Only to find out they just inadvertently pressed the "end" key and it navigated the view all the way to the right past the visible text. With Lotus Notes 8.5.1, the home and end keys (currently) will navigate to the top and bottom of the view (this is to be more consistent with other Windows navigation behavior).

Disclaimer: Notes 8.5.1 is still in Beta and therefore subject to change between now and its ship date.

A little known ECL setting for Domino is "<ECLOwner>". Adding this in as an entry to the ECL will allow you to control exactly what the workstation user can do with code signed as himself and running on the workstation. More information can be found here. Recently I have seen where -Default- has allowed all of the methods (please, do NOT have your ECL configured this way!!!) and when it was previously removed in testing the users were prompted to add ECL entries for themselves when opening folders (or doing other such things). The solution is to grant <ECLOwner> the proper rights first and then to begin the process of revoking rights for -Default- and "No Signature".

And if you haven't looked in a while, please go review your ECL (carefully, don't just go revoking people and make sure the account you use has access to modify the ECL within the ECL so that you don't have users receiving those prompts!)

This blog post from the Notes Design Blog by Mary Beth Raven states that unread marks will now work for iNotes folders with 8.5.1 (along with automatic inbox refreshing)! This is something that I've been wanting to see since I first used iNotes in Domino 6.0. Actually, back at both Lotusphere 2003 and 2004 the company I was working for was told by IBM that this would be coming with DWA 7. I even posted an idea for this.

Thanks to IBM for finally enabling this. I can say that this was one of the reasons that iNotes wasn't rolled out as the only mail option for many people at that time. This will be a big success as now iNotes users can get the most out of their email and use rules more effectively since they will now know in which folder that new email lives. :)

At his blog today, Ben Langhinrichs posted some concerns with the registration system at BleedYellow. I have replied at his blog but would also like other users of this site to see those answers as well.

Following is my reply at his site (his questions are italicized).

All, on the main www.bleedyellow.com website there is a link for you to click if you "Forgot your password".



1) Most web based systems that require a login to comment tell you so near the "Add a Comment" rather than simply leaving it inactive.  I clicked on "Add a Comment" on Scott Hook's blog and it didn't work, so I came to the erroneous conclusion that comments were blocked.  There should be a parenthetical (You must be logged in) or something like that.

1 - We have asked IBM since December, 2007 to allow unauthenticated comments for Lotus Connections. We're with you on this.

2) Many web based systems that require a login have a dual Register/Log In page.  When you go to log in with Connections (because I am fairly sure this part is generic Connections), there is no option to register.

2 - We have a "Register" link at the top of EVERY Lotus Connections page on the site. We want people to register and we want it to be simple to register. But we could look into adding a registration link on the login pages. (see 4 below)

3) When I went to register and it found my name, there was no option to simply log in with it.  This is less common, but very useful.

3 - We request that you use your email address. It's how pretty much all websites these days work (like Facebook, LinkedIn), so that's what we figure is the best way to do this.

4) This is the most annoying issue.  When you attempt to log in, and your password doesn't work, there should be some indication about how to either retrieve or reset your password.

4 - Thank you for the suggestion. That would require modifications to some Lotus Connections js files that we haven't done.

5) Finally, when I go back to the BleedYellow confirmation, and follow the original link, instead of a link directly to my profile, there is a long to a search place from which I can search for my profile.  Why?  You know my profile name, so why would you want me to search for it again?

5 - Not sure I'm following you - I believe the older registration emails took you to where you are supposed to login to "My Profile". The registration system had some changes in the past and it doesn't do that any longer.

6) Back to the confirmation letter, which has the line "You MUST login with the e-mail address that you provided at registration." which seems to contradict the registration page, which clearly says "Your username will be composed of your First Name + Middle Initial (if entered) + Last name."  The first seems to indicate I should use my email address as my username, but the second that I should use "Ben Langhinrichs"

6 - The registration page states that "You will login with this email address." All of these changes were in prior to Lotusphere 2009.

We don't check for duplicate email addresses at this point. I believe the registration probably went through but now the system is confused because there are two accounts with the same email address. We will take this into consideration. Feel free to post a request at http://wisdom.bleedyellow.com.

In response to: What does Notes 8.5 Fixpack 1 fix?

Notes and Domino 8.5.0.1 (8.5 FP1) is supposed to be released this week. A preliminary fixlist has been available here for around two months now. I noticed it several weeks ago when searching for what would be in the fixpack. Gab Davis also blogged about this fixlist earlier this week. As Gab stated - there are many exciting fixes coming in this fixpack!

Tomorrow evening (Wednesday, June 24, 2009) we will have some downtime on almost all of the BleedYellow servers. This includes the Connections and Sametime servers. It's a planned, routine maintenance outage to load some fixes, etc...

Thanks!