Quickr FixPack 47 Came Out

Look at that, a new fix pack. #47, we long ago passed the #42 and are heading to the magic #50 but first things first.

IBM would like you to know the following:

2015/06/15 - Quickr for Domino Migration 8.5.1 to IBM Connections Content Manager 5.0 CR1

Please find the updated instructions for migration on the IBM Connections Wiki in the Best Practices section:

http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/lcwiki.nsf/dx/Migrating_Quickr_Domino_to_Connections_CCM

You of course would like to know where to get this, over at Fix Central.

No, IBM did not update the latest fixes update technote yet, so I have no info on what is inside this one.

See here: http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg24029024

More details for you, the 2015 editions:

FP 8.5.1.47
06/15/2015	GAKI9P3H88 LO81999	Cannot edit a member on the Member’s Page.
FP 8.5.1.46
03/24/2015	No SPR	In customer specific place, cannot remove members from a the Member Page.
03/24/2015	CERM9MHSL8 LO81461	Crash when running qptool changememeber.
03/24/2015	YYYY9V8CCC	Cannot view a folder in Connectors when certain Chinese characters are used.
FP 8.5.1.45
03/03/2015	RBJA9SYT8P LO83523	Under certain circumstances, unable to restore a folder from Trash.
03/03/2015	GAKI9RNHC8 LO83110	The login count is displayed incorrectly for certain places in a clustered environment.
01/05/2015	TMAI9MJFEE LO81444	Attaching an Image File to a custom Form and then insert an image in the Rich Text Editor, the Attachments tab shows 2 files.
01/05/2015	TMAI92WAZQ LO73082	Issue with sending a Task Notification
01/05/2015	LCAE9RVSDN LO83185	With themes lower than the 8.5 theme, a user sending a notification from a Room has the option to select all members, even though those members may not have access to the room.
01/05/2015	FMCA9QUCTC FMCA9R7T6B	Fixes for issues dealing with groups when migrating to Connections.

This post has been graciously sponsored by the Author on behalf of his excellent Quickr for Domino Administration Book found on Amazon.

Losing My Certification and Unlimited Free Exams at Connect 2014

That was just a dream

Just a dream

Just a dream, dream - REM, Losing My Religion

I was notified that 2 of my certifications are ending in the next 90 days. 

For those that had them you will be losing:

Sametime 8.0 Admin

Quickr 8.1 Admin

Bad news

Before you start looking into what else you can get certified for Quickr, note that the Quickr 8.5 exam found on this page http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/tests/ovrL914.shtml states quite clearly:

Note: This test will be withdrawn on Nov 30 2013.

Quickr has reached the end of life period sadly, see this page: http://www-01.ibm.com/software/support/lifecycleapp/PLCDetail.wss?psynkey=J489493Q50480I91&synkey=I741570Q02880I82&synkey=O917987F42949E19&synkey=U661911Z58490I09&from=spf

Good news:

Sametime lives on and you will be offered the new Sametime 9.0 Admin exams, hopefully by Connect 2014.

And according to Deborah Cole and this Connect 2014 webpage we will once again get the benefit of taking free exam tests at Connect 2014. Now unlimited!

One of the biggest draws at this event has always been the certification testing and prep labs. IBM is pleased to announce, for the very first time, that unlimited complimentary IBM Collaboration Solutions exams will be available for all registered attendees for the duration of the conference. All other Software Group exams will be available for 50% off the regular price.
As in previous years, testing will take place in the Lark room of the Swan Hotel. Since IBM is switching testing vendors in the New Year from Prometric to Pearson Vue, the certification team is asking candidates to create a profile in advance of testing using your existing candidate ID. This can be done at www.pearsonvue.com/ibmThough the physical prep lab will be located in the Peacock room of the Swan Hotel, the Virtual Prep Lab sponsored by Avnet will be available 24/7 for the duration of the conference.

If you want to see what tests still exist for ICS/Lotus go here: http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/tests/test_index_bd_sw.shtml#IBM Collaboration Solutions

A New IBM Redbook is out on CCM

Happy to announce that after a few months of effort, our Redbook is available for everyone.

Making the move to IBM Connections 4.5 and IBM Connections Content Manager

Our leader, Whei-Jen Chen deserves the credit for getting us all to finish on time and stick to her plan.

Hopefully it will help you in your quest to migrate from Lotus Quickr and into the IBM Connections.

Thank you to everyone that took part in it, including the IBM team behind CCM who answered our numerous questions around what was still in beta code when we were writing this Redbook.

I am also pointing everyone to Luis Benitez who provided these two great blog posts:

Demo: Deep Dive of IBM Connections Content Manager 4.5

A Little About IBM Connections Content Manager 4.5

My Quickr Session at The View Admin 2011 Conference

I showed a qpconfig.xml file that was broken up by sub topics in a word document and it was nearly 60 pages!

The interest in having a doc like this was pretty high so I am making this available for everyone.

I may have some posts in the future discussing each sub section but no promises.

Everyone that came to the session were great Quickr people, one lucky person got a copy of my Packt book too.

One person commented that he ONLY came to the show because of this session and I hope I did not disappoint him. The nice thing about the Yellowverse is every one helps each other. Thanks everyone again for coming and to your management for investing in your future so you can invest in your companies future.

There are about 30 subsections. I have tried to clean up the details to be in synch but not everything formats well, but it is good enough.

Get the version in .doc or .odt

The doc version is 8x larger than the odt file.

Moving Quickr sites/places? J2EE or Domino?

Notes from Lotus Support just posted this on their blog.

The article is titled "The article, "Moving IBM Lotus Quickr places between server environments". Very nice...but it's for Quickr J2EE! I know so many of you out there have been asking this and they wrote a nice article.

However, nearly all of our clients are on the Lotus Quickr for Domino, so go check this page out which is the same idea, but for Domino.

Titled "Moving places and other items in IBM® Lotus® Quickr™ services for Domino"

Funny I was just asking a few people about this, guess even bloggers can't keep up with all the great information coming out of IBM these days.

SSL and Quickr Using Network Solutions

Edit Update 7:30PM 9/15/2008:
IBM Support replied to my questions and I wanted to share it with you.

"You're correct in that the order of installation of the certificates is important and can be confusing if (a) the CA uses multiple trusted root certificates and (b) the CA does not document well which order the certificates need to be installed.

Regarding your blog entry on Domino's selection of which CA's trusted root certificates are included, I spoke with our L3 team about this issue. They stated that they regularly check which CA's are the most popular ones among both our customers and the public in general and use this information when deciding upon which CA's trusted root certificates will be automatically included with Domino. As you know, Network Solutions' trusted root certificates are not currently included in the creation of new SSL keyring files in Domino. Because of this, I have created SPR TJOR7JHSQL to request that its trusted root certificates be included in future releases of Domino as an enhancement."

Thanks team IBM and Lotus Support for helping on this and saving me one less headache, hopefully in R8.5 and beyond.
==========

What would normally be a simple SSL set up turned into a couple of hours of pain, for me, the client is happy of course.

I will not rewrite the help docs on how to setup SSL, but the problem stems from using a vendor not listed in the certsrv.nsf file.

Why, after all these years, hasn't Lotus included some more main stream vendors I can't tell you, but they have quite a few listed, evidently Network Solutions (NS) just doesn't come up much.

Requested the certs from NS and then the problem started. Never seen 4 certificates returned. 1 is the domain, easy enough. The other 3? Who knows what order or if they are all needed.

Bottom line is phone support from NS resolved it, online documentation was not very good which is why this post is out there. I could save it for SnTT but no, I want to help people sooner, rather than later with this one.

The proper order to install the certs is:
AddTrustExternalCARoot.crt
UTNAddTrustServer_CA.crt
NetworkSolutions_CA.crt
yourdomain.com.crt

Name the first 3 as you add them, individually, Network Solutions #1,#2 and #3.
The Domain gets added as the last one in Step 4 of the certsrv file.

Reload HTTP and it should be fine. If you have already set everything up according to the documentation.

And lest I forget, contrary to what you think, you must select anonymous under the SSL to enable the ability to see the Quickr logo files found in the /qphtml/html/login directory on the Login page.

Lotus Collaboration Game?! on Linkedin!

IBM has a submlimnal ad which looks like this on the Linkedin pages.

It will takle you over to this page where bless their heart they want people to register on the IBM.com site. BUT they also include a link for those who don't want to register. That's cool!
Unfortunately it lied. The next screen asks you to fill in all this information, now granted most of us already have an IBM ID.
Follow the path and it's different from the other things we have seen lately. Aimed at Connections, Quickr, Sametime and Domino so a nice one, could do without the British guy(cardiff perhaps?) narrating though.

Lotus Quickr HF19 and read the instructions, for help

Like many of us we appreciate it when our administrative life is made easier by the vendor. Lotus has put out a recent update to Quickr and it has an automated installer. Excellent, right?
Well, let's just say my server failed 2 of the 3 prerequisites.

Currently the Lotus Quickr hotfix installer will only run on Win32 based systems, for other systems, please refer to IBM’s Fix Central website.

Prerequisites:
Win32 based system, Check!
Java 1.5 or above must be installed on the Domino Quickr server. Thought it was updtaed, oops!
The Domino program directory (eg: c:\Program Files\IBM\Domino) must be in the System PATH variable. One would think this is done by defualt these days when you install Domino, evidently this is not the case. OOPS!

So, got the file, try to run it and nothing.

EDITED 8/20/2008: I resolved this error below. It was in the qpconfig.xml file. I had messed up some syntax. DOH!

PS forgot to ask, if anyone knows what this is referring to:
08/17/2008 08:47:22 PM Start IConfig::ReadLtpaConfig( )
08/17/2008 08:47:22 PM End IConfig::ReadLtpaConfig( )
08/17/2008 08:47:26 PM JVM: Java Virtual Machine initialized.
08/17/2008 08:47:26 PM Agent error: [Fatal Error] :1495:2: The markup in the document preceding the root element must be well-formed.
08/17/2008 08:47:26 PM org.xml.sax.SAXParseException: The markup in the document preceding the root element must be well-formed.
08/17/2008 08:47:28 PM Event Monitor started

This is the startup on the server after I changed the OS name to match the DNS name.
went from fred1 to efred the rest stayed the same.
A Quickr qptool update maybe is needed?
Read file, maybe path is wrong, edited path looks ok.
Java isn't up to date. Normally one of the first things I do when building a server is get all the updates on OS, Java, Domino, addons, etc. Guess this one slipped through.

Now to go finish the conector updates too.

Domino.Doc Migration to Quickr

Apologies to Jelan H. and the other IBMers working on Domino.Doc's future, my client can't wait any longer. If you have an update, let me know.

As those who follow my Twitter path know the last 2 weeks I have been building Lotus Quickr servers. One for a client, one for a client migrating from Domino.Doc.

The migration is being helped by Content Integrator which is a really cool tool which can also help move your Sharepoint data to Quickr. Anyone that needs it, email me and we can discuss the project.

One downside to the tool is you need to think like a developer, which for us Admins is never easy. However it comes with some examples and I was able to run a test finally that made sense. But when I ran it on a live cabinet it did nothing.
But I am close and just need to play with it some more.

Sad to see .Doc go, been with it since Beta and taught many IBMers how to install and manage it in it's early days, but without a version that runs on R8 among other items, it is time to go wholly into Quickr. We love Quickr, especially now that automated hotfix's are coming out. And quickr integrates so well into Sametime, Notes 8, Windows Explorer, MS Office that it's a wonder anyone using Quickplace hasn't upgraded yet.

Closing in on our 6th major Quickr upgrade/Install and more work to be found. One client we put on Quickplace last year is going to ugrade soon and that is excellent!

Exchange your Exchange Server or Sharepoint

Yes, I know, crazy words. No one would think of dumping Exchange these days.
After all Microsoft invesnted email don't you know.
They also invented spresadsheets and the infamous blue screen of death, my personal favorite, which was substituted in XP and Vista as a frozen machine.

You write and complain in magazines, blogs, websites, newsletters, pubs and doctor offices that your technology executives don't get it.

Yet, what do you do to change this scenario?

When was the last time you really looked into a product and thought, we could use it, it meets security standards, comes in multiple languages, has a small memory footprint, we shoudl try it.

Well? Anyone?

In every company I worked with I was always able to appropriate an extra PC or laptop or even a server for testing of other software and ideas.

There is nothing stopping you from doing the same. Become friends with the IT guys or help desk, if you are not an IT person and, trust me on this, they have stacks of machines available. Formally you may need to sign for it or somehting but informally, its available.

Doesn't matter what you play with as long as there is a meaning for your company with it.
Naturally I prefer to hear you are tryingt Lotus Foundation Server as your OS or Lotus Symphony or Lotus Notes/Domino or Quickr. But I know you only have so much time on your hands given all the twittering you do.

Series P Brought to you by the letters A..I..X

As some know, my mission for the last few months was to upgrade a P series/AIX box to Domino R801. I will refer to it as an AIX box because that's how old it is.
And I think P series was a lousy name for a product which excellent brand recognition.

What you may not know is I am not a Unix person, sure I have installed Domino all over on everything, but one really needs to use this everyday to remember it all. If you must know I prefer AS/400's and Mainframes but bread and butter is Windows.

So I put it off while looking into more details. We did move the files there and install it, but it never took.

So as our machine comes to a halt figured it was time to do it again.

First stop? OS. Seems it is not the latest version and Domino threw a warning that we needed to update it.
Fine, go to IBM's site, locate a download spot for AIX, fill in the version, and it gives me what I need.

1.5GB of download updates.

Yes, 1.5GB, so let it run, then when done need to ftp it to the AIX box.

After some miscommunication with passwords of the root user I was able to install all 315 or so patches.

Decided I was too tired to install Domino now. Will do it tomorrow.
I have now relearned more about AIX than I remember and you know what, it feels good to do something different for a change.

Next up, Sametime integration with Quickr after rebuilding the Sametime cluster.
The fun never ends.

Try, Try, Try to Understand

Really, put yourself in someone else's shoes/mind/laptop.
What do you see/hear or know?
Sometimes nothing, you just don't "get" the problem.
It's not unusual, one can't expect to see everything from all angles.
But what if you covered all angles and still don't get it?

So in essence, when someone says they love their Microsoft Sharepoint Server I really do wonder, what do they love? SOme questions I have for you:

Is it the ease which it is installed?
Simplicity of the UI?
It's limitations on the size of files and/or folders(which even Microsoft admits)?
Perhaps the integration to their network?
Could it be the availability to save/move or access the Sharepoint site from their IM client like one can do for Lotus Quickr via Sametime?
Maybe the admins enjoy keeping not one but 2 versions of Sharpeoint running since the 2007 version did not migrate data from the ealrier version?

Does your CFO know you have it and pay for it probably anywhere from 2-4 times, at least, in your Software Assurance and various Microsoft agreements?

It's that last point that may surprise you. I look forward to future discussions about this issue.

BES and R8

Still waiting for the updated code from RIM? Never mind that, just go get their updated version, last was posted as 4.1.4MR3. MR is their way of saying FixPack.
I have now installed/upgraded a few servers to Domino R8 and the latest BES versions and aside from the known anomalies posted at RIM and IBM, so far no one is complaining.

I admit, I was put off by it, but when I looked into it further found the issues were something we could live with and we now run, internally, all R8 servers in production areas. We still have a mix for testing, development and clients but we are good to go for R8.

Now I await the Quickr 8.0.1 version, along with Domino 8.0.1 so I can get that fully updated properly.

No more excuses, just do it and start the year off with a bang!

Happy Holidays, Lotus Style

2007 started out so well,
Lotusphere in Orlando was swell.
R8 was brought out and it was good,
Mobile, internet based and free,
and a new spreadsheet for you and me.

So whether or not you used SSL, VPN, POP3, LDAP, IMAP, IPv6 or a (i)phone,
Make sure to finish the year right and use Sametime8 mobile client when away from home.

So onwards Notes, Domino, Sametime, Quickr, Connections, Forms, Symphony and Doc,
We have many more clients to bring good cheer and luck.

See you in 2008, Lotusphere's gonna be great!

Groups were meant for forming

Linkedin is now accepting invitations for groups. I have requested one for Lotus Professionals.
Figured might as well try to expand our horizon right?

I like it, created a Yahoo! group for it. Why not a Quickplace?
well there are some issues on my side(hosting, equipment, space, resources) and Yahoo! just makes it easy as pie. I would like to move it and other groups to Quickr and am working on building a box with it on it.

But this item is about evangelising other ways to communicate. So I am branching out to other spaces. Will I do a facebook entry(a bunch already exist so no). Myspace? Not likely either.
Second Life? Only if I get more than 25 people asking for it. I have yet to find 25 people who use it.
I have an avatar in world and it is stuck at the Lotus compound :-)
Got the shirt too, in world.

So please let me know where/what else can i do to promote/grow Lotus Evangelism from your perpsective.

Sharepoint or how a rolling stone gathers MOSS 3.0

So I attended a microsoft Connections event this morning because one of my clients wants to review sharepoint and CRM 3.0.

Let's stick to Sharpeoint as it is much more interesting.
First of all, how many people know what is involved to install this application?

The presenter, Jeffrey Lin did an excellent job. Even answered some hard questions. Did a great demo. Now the part he didn't mention, although I asked one piece of it.

You need Exchange, SQL and (I love this one) Windows Sharepoint Server 2.0!
WHAT!? Some upgrade.

Now those of you in Lotus la la land who have let Sharepoint in to your organization now have a huge fight. Exchange is now available to anyone who wants it and you can see where that leads.

All because you did not want to push the Domino products? Quickplace was/is a great product, Quickr is even better. No limitations, no giant message store.

Now I can see Sharepoint looks smoother and more professional than Quickplace but functionality, out of the box, is what is important. Anyone can pay a development house to make your site prettier.
Microsoft goes out of their way to integrate it to Outlook/Exchange and use SQL as its repository. And then there is Live messenger added to if you want presence/IM.

So again you have to add all five pieces(Exchange/SQL/WSS 2.0/MOSS 3.0/Live) and services to get what comes in 1 Domino servers with a Sametime added on one and a Quickr server.

Now here is something from a report dated March 2006 done by the great state of North Dakota. Page 5

"In addition, the cost of providing access to SharePoint sites outside of State government is
prohibitive, so it is recommended that SharePoint be available only from within the
State’s firewall, thus VPN access would be required for external users, who would also
need an AD account and the associated AD CAL.

SharePoint’s history of upgrades has not been smooth. Each new version of the product
has been a wholesale redesign without an automated migration path, and each site would
be manually duplicated after a version update."

I could not have said it better. While this is from a year and half ago, some of this has not changed. There still is not path to upgrade well. But they got the repository in SQL so that is at least better news.
WSS 2.0 was like an odd file server the way it worked.

And hey, try attaching a few 100+MB files into your MOSS and see if it stays healthy.