Lotus Domino 4.5 Server and Notes 4.5 Client

No overview of collaborative computing technologies is complete without a discussion of the latest developments in groupware. Groupware issoftware that helps individuals and teams work together by enhancingcommunications and information-sharing across organizations. Groupware istypically integrated with the operating system it runs on and providescapabilities such as email, document management, calendaring and scheduling, application development, workflow management, and centralized directory services. Many updated groupware products also provide capabilities for Web development and browsing.

A leader among groupware products is Lotus Development's enterprise-class system: Domino 4.5 Server and Notes 4.5 Client. This overview of Domino/Notes will provide background information about the products for readers who have never used Lotus Notes, readers who want to upgrade from an earlier version of Notes, and readers who want to migrate to the Lotus Domino/Notes system from other products that provide groupware capabilities. I'll describe the different versions of Domino 4.5 Server and Notes 4.5 Client that Lotus offers, and I'll delineate the differences between Domino 4.5 Server and Notes 4.5 Client.

Background Information
At the end of last year, Lotus reorganized its trademark Notes product,which gives end-users a platform for communication, project collaboration, and workflow coordination, and gives systems administrators centralized systemsmanagement and administration. With version 4.5, Lotus has increased thefunctionality of the Notes server product with an integrated Web server forimproved messaging, collaboration, and application development. Lotus calls thenew Notes server product with extended services and solutions for the InternetLotus Domino 4.5 Server, Powered by Notes. The client product in version4.5 is Lotus Notes 4.5 Client.

The Domino/Notes software combination is an enterprise-level managementtool that consolidates many of the functions available through Microsoft'sExchange Server and Internet Information Server (IIS). Lotus promotes Domino/Notesas an alternative to these Microsoft server options by offering a rich setof functions in one package. Highlights of the Domino feature set includeintegration with Windows NT (e.g., you can run Domino as an NT service, monitorDomino statistics via Performance Monitor, direct Domino events to NT eventlogs, and give users a single logon) a secure Web server, services to buildinteractive applications for the Internet and intranets, a messaging service,database collaboration, flexible security, and Simple Network ManagementProtocol (SNMP) management tools.

Domino Server's Three Flavors
You can choose among three flavors of Domino 4.5 Server: Domino 4.5 Serverfor single processor systems, Domino 4.5 Server for multiprocessor systems, andDomino Advanced Services. The first flavor targets single-processor machines inworkgroups and departments. The multiprocessor version takes advantage ofsymmetric multiprocessing machines (SMP) for overall increased capability.Domino Advanced Services lets you add clustering for failover and loadbalancing, server partitioning for turning one server into six servers, andserver usage tracking and billing for network information monitoring. AdvancedServices requires an additional license agreement. You select Advanced Serviceswhen you install Domino 4.5 Server, as shown in Screen 1.

Available with each flavor of Domino 4.5 Server is Mail Access, which youlicense for each registered user. Mail Access lets Notes 4.5 Client users andnon-Notes mail clients use mail services for sending and receiving mail from theDomino Server. Screen 2 shows a typical client address book with directories andtoolbar options.

Planning for Domino/Notes
Because of Domino/Notes enterprise capabilities, planning for a first-timeimplementation of Domino/Notes or a migration to Domino/Notes from othergroupware products is not simple. You must clearly define system usage,applications, databases, and network topology before implementing the Lotusgroupware.

The Lotus interface is unique, and users unfamiliar with earlier Lotusreleases may experience a long learning curve to master the product. The Domino4.5 Server interface is a command prompt window. The Notes Client interface is aGUI.

New Domino/Notes users can expect to dive through a mountain ofdocumentation: release notes, installation guides, a migration guide, adeployment guide, an administrator's guide, an application developer's guide, aprogrammer's guide, a database manager's guide, a network configuration guide,and an Internet guide. Clearly, unless you are upgrading from a previous versionof Notes, the magnitude of the installation and configuration of Domino/Notesis equivalent to building an enterprise network from scratch.

Network in a Box
Lotus positions the Domino/Notes software combination as a system fordeveloping and deploying both client and server applications that structureinformation flow in an enterprise. One box's label reads Lotus Notes:Groupware and E-Mail for the Net; the other box's label is Groupware andE-Mail for the Net: .domino, Powered by Notes. A closer look reveals Clienton the former label, and Server on the latter.

Domino 4.5 Server
You can run Domino Server on both Inteland Alpha systems. You can also use Domino with IBM OS/2, AIX, HP-UX, SunSolaris, Novell NetWare, and Windows 95.

Domino 4.5 Server and Notes 4.5 Client are on the same installation CD-ROM,which Lotus includes in each package. The Domino package includes an extraCD-ROM labeled SMTP/MIME MTA, release 1.05. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol(SMTP) is used to transfer email between networks on the Internet. MIME supportsmail messages that contain graphics, video, and audio attachments. MessagingTransfer Agent (MTA) is the software that lets Domino and workstations exchangemail over the Internet. You must purchase one copy of the Domino 4.5 Serversoftware for each server you install it on.

Notes 4.5 Client
As with Domino Server, you can run Notes4.5 Client on a variety of platforms: Intel and Alpha NT systems, Win95, Windows3.x, IBM OS/2, AIX, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, and Mac OS.

Notes ships with more than a dozen templates that let you createpersonalized forms and databases. For example, the Approval Cycle template letsyou route a document or customized form to a list of people. Another commontemplate is the Discussion template, which you can use like an intranet bulletinboard for informally storing and sharing information. The most commonly usedtemplate is the customizable Personal Address Book template.

Lotus provides client licensing options for Notes 4.5 Client, Notes 4.5Desktop Client, and Notes 4.5 Mail Client. These licensing options differ inwhich databases and templates the user can access. The Notes 4.5 Client licenselets the user access all built-in templates and databases, create blanktemplates, design custom applications, and register new Notes users. The Desktoplicense does not permit access to administrative and design features. The Maillicense is more restrictive, but it allows the use of mail, communication, anddocumentation databases. Licensing requires one copy of the client software foreach user.

Besides the installation CD-ROMs, the Notes 4.5 Client package also comeswith CD-ROMs for Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). Lotusprovides both Netscape and IE to let customers control the mix of browsers foraccessing the Internet or intranets.

Domino/Notes Partnership
How does Domino 4.5 Server compare with Notes 4.5 Client? Each part needsthe other to function fully. Domino 4.5 Server provides an integrated serverplatform for building and deploying interactive applications on corporateintranets and the Internet. Browsers, including non-Notes clients, can accessserver-based data and applications. Domino 4.5 Server features include editing,search engines, Web attachments, authentication, user and Web site directories,HTML service, and HTTP support. Domino 4.5 Server also boasts an advancedmessaging service for a variety of mail clients (SMTP/MIME MTA), with a built-incalendar and scheduling capability. Domino 4.5 Server contains networkadministrative tools such as database management, directory assistance, NT logonand user management, custom installations, and automatic database replicationand synchronization. Enhancements under the Advance Services option includeclustering, billing, and partitioned servers.

Notes 4.5 Client provides integration with the Web, browser integration,information control and management, application capabilities, data encryption,the Personal Web browser for offline surfing, support for Netscape plug-ins,HTML 3.2 support, Java execution, and the calendar and scheduling feature. Lotusfocuses the Notes 4.5 Client capabilities on improving group productivity andpersonal time management.

Domino/Notes Scenarios
For an excellent description of product usability, read "Domino/NotesRelease 4.5 Reviewer's Guide," at http://www2.lotus.com/domino.nsf?opendatabase.You access the guide by selecting product info,reviewer's guide. This guide includes excellent examples of the power of Lotus'groupware product.

In one example, an employee uses Domino/Notes' Internet capabilities toresearch a subject. Then, she uses the messaging functions to forwardinformation to her coworkers, and she uses the scheduling resources for herpresentation. With the Web tools, she adds graphics and links and constructs acorporate intranet Web page for all users, whether they have Notes clients orWeb browsers.

In another example, an employee develops an interactive Web page so that acustomer can query product shipments. Queries access backend databases withenabled security features. This example shows how a company can free employeesfrom handling telephone inquiries.

The last example illustrates the Domino/Notes Internet applications, whichlet any Notes client or authorized Web browser create a site. The productsincludes application frameworks that let the user simply fill in the blanks forhome pages, policies and procedures, discussions, document libraries, FAQ's,white paper databases, and so forth.

The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that Domino/Notes is an enterprise groupware package withnumerous and powerful capabilities. I highly recommend that you gather as muchinformation as possible and be prepared to redesign your system's networkresources. As with any major project, implementing Domino/Notes requires you tocomplete the real work up front; the rest is just routine maintenance.