Lotusphere: Many sessions, much still to be digested.
Going through my Lotusphere notes this evening, I realized that I haven't said anything about the Future of Domino (Releases 8.0.1 and 8.5). From what I could discern from my scratchings, here are some highlights (additions/corrections are more than welcome):
Policies:
- Addition of more granularity. You will have four choices for "how to apply this setting:" 1) Don't set value; 2) Set initial value; 3) Set value whenever modified; 4) Set value and prevent change.
- The UI is getting improved and simplified.
- Addition of new policy content. The biggee here is that they will be adding replication settings. They also announced that 95% of the Preferences settings can now be controlled by policies.
- They introduced "Dynamic Policies." Set policies based on groups of users, home mail server, or adding names directly to a policy. These will also move if group membership changes, home mail server changes, etc. Which brings me to:
- A new type of Policy. Currently, you have Organizational and Explicit. They are adding "Explicit with Dynamic Membership."
New for Release 8.5:
- Notes Shared Login. Removes the Notes ID password prompt. Replaces Notes Single Logon. Passwords cannot get out of synch.
- ID Vault. This is Password Recovery the way it ought to be. You will get a new Notes Application that will securely store your User IDs, that will encrypt them. One place to store your IDs as well as provide a mechanism to recover lost passwords. The way I remembered this, you send a request to the ID Vault, and it sends you an e-mail with the ID and the password. Not just anyone can do this, of course. Extremely cool!
- Directory Independence. You will be able to store users and groups in an external directory. Supporting Active Directory first, then LDAP.
- Database Redirection. Markers are created for databases that are moved from one server to another or deleted. Workspace icons, or bookmarks, are replaced or removed on the client. Only available for Notes 8 (and above) clients. No more worrying about how to notify users of a change or sending a button. The Administrator will take care of this for your users.
Two items for improving the messaging portion:
- SMTP Outbound Authentication
- Mail journaling of all recipient names. Journaling will now explode the group names in the addresses.
A couple of cool tools for the Administrator:
- Directory Lint Tool. Will find issues with your Directory like missing group members, bad naming hierarchies, and more.
- Domino Configuration Tuner (DCT). This will be available for download, as a separate tool from IBM. It checks and analyzes your Domino configuration and provides you with solutions. You run it from your client against your Domino servers and it creates reports, with recommendations and links to appropriate TechNotes. Runs only on Release 7 and above servers. This is one tool you will want to add to your toolbox. As soon as it is available.
They are rearchitecting AdminP. Much better and faster.
Document and design compression. This new database property can save you 15-70% of disk space.
So many new things to consider that I find it hard to think that you will stay on Release 6 or 7. Lotus is spending some serious time with the Administration of the Domino server, and there is so much great stuff coming out, that you will have much better control of your environment. And the tools! DCT, from what I saw, will be a must have. Configure ID Vault to get rid of the passable, but unwieldy Password Recovery.
I can't wait for 8.0.1. And I am really forward to 8.5.
Technorati tag: Lotus Domino lotusphere2008
Comment posted by Charles Robinson02/13/2008 09:28:54 AM
Homepage: http://cubert-codepoet.blogspot.com
Thanks for taking the time to write this up. I was mostly focused on app dev stuff and didn't do much on the Domino side. One small correction, though: Database Redirection is available today in Domino 8. It could be getting some enhancements in 8.5, but the base functionality is already here.
I also seem to recall someone talking about how you won't have to use ID files at all, and Sametime can be configured to not use the HTTP password.
Comment posted by Keith Brooks02/13/2008 01:55:40 PM
Homepage: http://www.vanessabrooks.com
I for one am not in favor of the Active Directory being used. I may be in a small minoroty but I see this as a way to marginalize Domino into being some app or mail server that is another addon. In other words this will feed power to MS to show our Directory is not good enough, etc.
If we could at least register people from AD that would be helpful but there are other issues, like multiple naming conventions are different between the 2 systems to name one item.
I know this is about coexistence, and who does NOT run AD these days, but be careful what you wish for because Domino will get pushed aside even easier.
On the plus sidde a bunch of AD people will think they can administer Domino now, ensuring many years of productive opportunities for those of us in need of projects or jobs as an individual or Business Partner.
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