Join this session and learn how you can take the worst Notes client deployments (simulated multi-user, copied data directories, outdated templates, misconfigured workspace folders, dramatically grown data directories, very slow clients, clients with crashes, etc.) and clean it, upgrade it and deliver it without disruption! No matter how much you try, you will always find Notes clients out there that do not behave or participate! Gain access to the best and latest Notes client management knowledge, combined with more than 16 years of experience with Notes client upgrades to get the fastest and most stable HCL Notes 11.0.1 FP1 client ever.
3. Christoph Adler - Senior Consultant at panagenda
19+ years of Lotus / IBM / HCL Digital Solutions experience
Focused on
• Notes Client Management (incl. HCL Nomad)
• Analysis and Optimization of Notes/Domino infrastructures
• Application Modernization
• Cloud Migrations
Good to know
• Obviously German (accent)
• Bass player & geek
• Loves music, football (soccer) and beer
10. What we see out there in Notes deployments
• Lack of visibility and control
• Many different versions and many different installation types
• Uncontrolled configurations (Data Dirs, Locations, Connections, Settings, Eclipse
preferences, …)
• Not secure (JVM vulnerabilities, Code Signers, Non-existing ECL Management)
• Mixed functionality – things don’t work!
• The same end-user problems occur again and again (and again)
11. What we see out there in Notes deployments (2)
• Reluctance to upgrade
• Software deployment teams have little/no knowledge or “care factor” about
Notes
• Administrators lack time and skill to utilize all available tools to effectively
manage the Notes client
• Perception → it's too difficult and/or expensive / too risky for the business
due to disruptions
12. Know your current environment
• It’s fundamentally important that you know the details about your current
Notes Client Infrastructure to be able to make smart decisions for future
deployments
– Which exact versions are deployed?
– Which Installation types and modes are used?
– Locations of Program-, Data- and SharedData-Dir?
– Usage of Laptops, Desktops, Citrix and VDI in numbers/percentage?
– Which OS incl. version is used?
– Usage of Notes addons → Connections plugins, CTI, … ?
• If you can’t answer the questions above 100% correctly, the following four
slides will help you a lot!
13. MarvelClient Essentials – included in HCL Notes/Domino
• Makes it easier, faster and cheaper to upgrade to HCL Notes 11.0.1
• Provides valuable insights into Notes client landscapes for Notes 8.5/9.x and
beyond
• Helps reduce helpdesk tickets, support, client maintenance and upgrade efforts
• Runs on all Notes client platforms supported by HCL (Intel Mac 64 bit, Windows,
Citrix and VDI)
• Runs on all Domino platforms supported by HCL
• Best of all: it’s FREE and included in Notes and Domino 10.0.1 and higher
• If you are not on Notes and/or Domino 10.0.1 (or higher) now, you can get
MarvelClient Essentials here:
https://www.panagenda.com/essentials/
14. MarvelClient Essentials – included in HCL Notes/Domino
• Getting Started with MarvelClient Essentials
https://support.hcltechsw.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0076827
19. Define target (version and more …)
• Version → 11.0.1 FP1
• Which Client Package?
– Standard, Basic and/or HCL CAA (HCL Client Application Access)
• Which Installation type?
– Single or MultiUser
20. Define target (version and more …) (cont.)
• Adding languages using MUI-Pack installation(s)
– Multilingual User Interface Pack
– Group 1
• Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Spanish,
Traditional Chinese
– Group 2
• Arabic, Czech, Russian, Polish, Swedish, Dutch
21. Define target (version and more …) (cont.)
• Where to deploy?
– Laptops, Desktops, Citrix and/or VDI
– Windows7, Windows8.x, Windows10 (which build), macOS 10.13 – 10.15 (16)
• See HCL Notes system requirements
22. Define target (version and more …) (cont.)
• Adding other functions/packages?
– Sametime embedded → not needed anymore with 11.0.1
– JVMPatch → updates will be shipped with the Notes- and Fix Pack-Installer
– SwiftFile → is included in the Notes-Installer
− HCL Connections Plugins for HCL Notes → get this on HCL FlexNet
− Programs/Applications who interacts/communicates with HCL Notes
CTI, Instant Messengers, …
23. Define target (version and more …) (cont.)
• Let’s assume (for this session) you want to Upgrade from Notes 9.0.1 FPx IFx to
the following components:
– HCL Notes 11.0.1 Standard → MultiUser Installation on Windows10 64Bit (version 2004)
– Add French and Japanese languages
– Fix Pack 1
– Use of default paths for
Program directory
C:Program Files(x86)HCLNotes
Shared data directory
C:ProgramDataHCLNotesDatashared
Data directory
C:Users%USERNAME%AppDataLocalHCLNotesData
24. Choose Upgrade/Deployment Tool – Third-Party-Solutions
• (HCL) Notes Auto Update
• Third-Party-Solution for Notes → e. g. Marvel Client Upgrade
• Third-Party-Solutions for Windows, like
– SCCM
– Empirum
– LanDesk
– DSM
– others
25. Create Upgrade Package
• No need to make changes to MSI package(s)
– Scripts can help here
– Differentiation between package and configuration (notes.ini, ConfigFile, etc.)
– That will help you a lot when it comes to package changes, new versions and testing
• Always include an Uninstall part in your package
– In-place upgrades are not recommended!
– You can use the package also in cases of a new or re-install
26. Create Upgrade Package (cont.)
Installation order
a) Uninstall current version
• Using NICE (Notes Install Cleanup Executable)
https://support.hcltechsw.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0040768
b) Run local cleanup
• Remove old Program- and SharedData-Dir
c) Install HCL Notes 11.0.1
d) Install French and Japanese languages
e) Install Fix Pack 1
f) Copy customized files like stub notes.ini, ConfigFile, etc.
27. Create Upgrade Package (cont.)
• Command lines for silent Uninstall and Cleanup
• Command lines for silent Install/Upgrade
• Command lines to copy customized stub notes.ini & ConfigFile
28. Create Upgrade Package (cont.)
• Check the log files (created during installation) for errors for all installed
components
– Successful
– Not successful (with errors) – new installation needed after Windows restart
(complete package)
29. Create Upgrade Package (cont.)
• Additional Information
– For an installation on Citrix, please check out this slideshare:
• https://www.slideshare.net/christophadler50
– If you need/want to switch from Single to MultiUser
• Check out MarvelClient Upgrade
31. Define post Upgrade actions
• notes.ini changes for existing configurations
(via MarvelClient Essentials or Domino Policy)
– Remove CREATE_R85_DATABASES=1
– Remove CREATE_R9_DATABASES=1
– Add CREATE_R10_DATABASES=1
– Add NSF_UpdateODS=1
32. Test, pilot, production
• Test
– Try to use virtual machines with snapshots
– Use images, which is very close to your production configuration
▪ Desktops vs. Laptops vs. VDI
▪ ActiveDirectoy → GPOs (Group Policy Objects)
▪ No local admin user rights
▪ Enabled UAC (User Account Control)
▪ Installed AV (Anti-Virus) Software
33. Test, pilot, production (cont.)
• Pilot
– Choose the members of the pilot group wisely and let them know
– 20 – 50 users from different departments and with different requirements on HCL Notes
• Production Deployment
– Inform your ServiceDesk and your users before you push the button
– Balance your deployment by upgrading e. g. 100-500 users at the same time – no more
34. Q & A
Christoph Adler
@cadler80
Senior Consultant
panagenda
christoph.adler@panagenda.com