Installing Lotus Notes. What are Lotus Domino and Notes and how do they work? About the Lotus Notes platform

Since 2010, the DJ Group of Companies has been offering services for the development, installation and configuration of Lotus Nootes, as well as technical support and maintenance information systems electronic document management and other software solutions in the Lotus environment.

The range of software solutions using the Lotus environment is quite wide: from converting document flow into electronic form, installing a mail server, a messaging server between users, a Web server, to a work time planning system, resource management and reliable information security tools.

About the Lotus Notes platform

Lotus Notes - a powerful client-server software for automation collaboration and management activities, solving document management problems, storing semi-structured information in corporate Internet/Intranet systems.

A special feature of Lotus Notes/Domino is its object-oriented architecture, which makes it possible to create information systems that automate work with complexly structured data and informal dynamic processes. The software product contains basic functions that allow you to organize the work of distributed workgroups and create process automation applications, therefore Lotus Notes cannot be considered a complete automation system for enterprise activities (just as, for example, MS SQL server cannot be considered an accounting system). Lotus Notes is a platform for such applications. Electronic document management systems and other complete solutions on the Lotus Notes/Domino platform are developed and distributed by third-party software manufacturers.

Basic functions included in the basic Lotus Notes/Domino package

• runtime environment for group activity automation applications
• cryptographic protection (encryption and electronic signature)
• email client

• application server
• mail server
• group calendar, task scheduler

• instant messaging client (Instant messenger) Lotus Sametime (Sametime server is a separate product)
• web server - to provide access to Lotus Notes applications through a browser
• LDAP server
• replication - synchronization between remotely remote database instances
• Domino Enterprise connection services (DECS)

IBM Lotus Notes/Domino supported by most modern industrial technologies and standards

• Email: SMTP, POP3, IMAP, MIME, DNSBL (anti-spam)
• Instant messenger: Sametime
• Reading news: RSS, Usenet (NNTP)
• Full-text search in object-oriented databases
• Database: Object-oriented DBMS, Client-server technology, Formats: NSF and NSFDB2
• Server: support for Clusters (collaboration of a group of servers), Partitioned servers - the ability to install several Lotus Domino servers on one hardware server, SMP, Passthru - end-to-end connection (“proxy” using the NotesRPC protocol)
• Client: Lotus Notes (multi-platform, there are implementations for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X), created in the Eclipse environment, Thin client (HTTP and HTTPS)
• Network protocols: TCP/IP - by default Lotus Notes runs on TCP port 1352, IPX/SPX, NetBIOS
• Replication.
• Programming languages: @-formulas, Lotus Script, Java, JavaScript
• Integration with DBMS and other applications (based on data and program calls): CORBA, COM, XML, ODBC, DDE, OLE
• Cryptographic protection (Encryption and Electronic digital signature): X.509, SSL, S/MIME
• Authentication: built-in, LDAP support

Additional IBM solutions included in the IBM Lotus Notes/Domino license

• IBM DB2 Enterprise Server Edition
• IBM Lotus Expeditor
• IBM Lotus Notes Traveler
• IBM Lotus Sametime Entry
• IBM Lotus Workflow
• IBM Tivoli Directory Integrator
• IBM WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment

Traditionally, IBM Lotus Notes/Domino is used to create information systems of the following types:

• Catalogs, card indexes, reference books, any information repositories in which the concept of “document” naturally arises.
• Electronic document management (workflow, business process automation) - applications with rather complex logic (branched document routes, many different document states, approval and rejection, etc.), documents move from one user to another, status is tracked, notifications are sent. Electronic document management, document management systems, organization of document flow are the main area of ​​application of Lotus.
• Collaborative work with data - group development of documents, viewing documents by different groups of users, sharing information. Unlike electronic document management systems, it does not take into account document routes.
• Internet applications, up to websites and portals. Domino includes a powerful web server that allows you to convert information stored in databases on the fly into Internet standards that can be viewed by web browsers.
• Logs, archives, data accounting.

The IBM Lotus Notes/Domino family of products includes the following components

1. Lotus Domino is an application server and database management system.
2. Lotus Notes is a standard client workstation.
3. Lotus Domino Administrator - an administrator workstation that allows you to conveniently manage Lotus Domino servers
4. Lotus Domino Designer is a developer workstation used for creating applications.
5. Lotus Sametime - a system for video conferencing, instant messaging and web conferencing

Lotus Notes is ideal for electronic document management systems, especially for geographically distributed organizations. By using a non-relational database structure, the platform implements the ability to replicate documents between servers and differentiate access to documents.

Installing Lotus Notes/Domino provides:

• creation of a qualitatively new level of management based on electronic documents;
• increasing management efficiency by documenting all activities of the organization
• increasing the transparency of business processes at all levels of management;
• reduction of document processing cycles and time for performing control functions;
• ensuring maximum transparency of the processing of documents and tasks and the possibility of operational control of all stages of management processes;
• creation of a unified information space for the enterprise.

For questions regarding the implementation and operation of Lotus products, please contact the company by phone. We will install and configure Lotus Notes for you.

Summing up the past decade, InformationWeek magazine named Lotus Notes one of the most important products of the 90s, which is most closely integrated with the concept of “group work”. Over the past decade, Lotus has really put a lot of effort into developing the functionality of Lotus Domino and Notes, turning them into leading Internet products, and entered the year 2000 with a total number of Lotus Notes users exceeding 56 million.

The “integrated collaboration systems” market, as defined by Gartner Group, is one of the largest segments of the global software market, and the applications that use these technologies are classified as “mission critical” and “mission critical.” Suffice it to say that, according to IDC1, in 1998 the “average” European organization spent $89,000 on collaboration systems and $48,000 on messaging and email software. In countries such as Sweden, the percentage of people engaged in knowledge work and using collaborative systems reached almost 70%.

However, very often among potential users of these technologies there is no understanding of what this concept includes - “integrated systems for collaborative work”, as well as what constitutes the essence of Lotus Domino and Notes technologies, in particular. It is these issues that this article is devoted to.

If we give a formal definition in this short introduction, Lotus Domino and Notes are tools designed for collecting, organizing and distributing information and knowledge.

If we start from actual practice of use, we can identify the following groups of organizations that have chosen and are choosing these technologies for themselves.

The first group consists of organizations that need email, messaging and communications infrastructure: modern, reliable and scalable. Lotus Domino is a mail server, and Lotus Notes is an advanced email client.

The second group consists of organizations that use Domino and Notes as a platform and infrastructure for business applications, automation of business procedures, document flow, etc. Lotus Domino is an application server, and Lotus Notes is a client for running business applications, working with information and documents, including offline.

The third group of users chooses Lotus Domino as a unique technologies for creating Web infrastructure. Lotus Domino is a Web server with advanced capabilities for dynamic updating, information categorization, full-text search, etc.

And finally, the fourth group of organizations chooses Lotus Domino and Notes as their integrating software, or “middleware”, capable of integrating information and data from virtually arbitrary information sources - relational DBMSs, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems such as SAP R/3, Internet environments, etc.

Ultimately, most Lotus Domino and Notes users realize that it is possible to solve the entire range of tasks listed above based on a single technology platform and create an information infrastructure that allows us to state: “ Efficient work Our organization would not be possible without Domino and Notes."

It should be noted that Lotus Domino and Notes are multi-platform products. Domino server versions are available for most common operating systems and hardware platforms such as Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows NT, Linux, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX, OS/2, Novell NetWare, OS/400, OS/390, Mac, providing users with these technologies freedom to choose a platform that adequately meets the needs of the organization.

The product is localized, and its users in Russia are hundreds and thousands of organizations.

2. History of the creation of Lotus Domino and Notes

Lotus Notes has its roots in some of the first computer programs, written at the Computer-based Education Research Laboratory (CERL) at the University of Illinois. In 1973, CERL released a product called PLATO Notes. At the time, PLATO Notes' only function was to attach a user ID and date to error reports, and to protect the file from being deleted by other users. System personnel were thus able to respond to problem reports appearing at the bottom of the screen. It was this method of secure communication between users that formed the basis of PLATO Notes.

In 1976, a product called PLATO Group Notes was released. Group Notes inherited the original concept of PLATO Notes and was its logical development in terms of organization feedback with users. The recent reviews of the new product turned out to be positive, Group Notes began to be actively used and eventually became the prototype of many software products using the “notes” metaphor.

Lotus Notes creator Ray Ozzie worked on the PLATO operating system at CERL in the late seventies. He was impressed by the system and its communication capabilities. Using the knowledge acquired at CERL, Ray Ozzie begins work on a proposal for a notes product for the PC. At first, he experienced difficulties due to the lack of sources of funding.

Mitch Kapor, founder and then CEO of Lotus Development Corporation, believed in what was at the time a completely new concept. Kapor was not only inspired by the idea, but also expressed a desire to invest Lotus money in developing a new product. Kapor's insight, creativity and willingness to overcome his own mistrust predetermined the transformation of Ozzy's speculative ideas into reality.

In July 1984, Ozzie and Kapor began working on an innovative development that led five months later to the creation of Iris Associates, Inc., a company based on Lotus funds and contractually bound by Lotus. Iris's task was to develop the first release version of Notes.

The main idea was to develop software designed to enable collaboration and messaging. At that time, most users had not yet thought about this and had no interest in using computers for this purpose. The developers modeled Lotus Notes on PLATO Notes, but added a lot of powerful new functionality to the product.

Initially, Notes was envisioned by developers as a combination of online discussion tools, e-mail, phone books, and document-oriented databases. This approach created two problems. The first is that network technologies in the form in which we know them now did not exist then. As a result, developers initially had to sell the idea of ​​Notes as a Personal Information Manager (PIM), a kind of “electronic organizer” with certain collaboration capabilities. Secondly, at that time operating systems were not sufficiently developed, and developers had to write a large number system code to create a Name Server, databases and network communication tools. With the development of network technologies, developers began to sell the idea of ​​Notes as groupware (“groupware”), which implied the ability to provide communication, collaboration and coordination of efforts between groups of users.

Soon the Macintosh computer appeared, the brainchild of Apple Corporation, which had a new, easy-to-use graphical interface user. This influenced the Notes developers to provide their new product with a character-based graphical interface. The founders' initial vision quickly evolved to the idea of ​​creating a product to support virtual communities of people. Thinking about creating software for group collaboration in 1984 was eccentric - at that time, most users did not yet know what email was. This product was way ahead of its time. It was the first commercial client-server product.

Notes took several years to develop, which is a long time by today's standards, but it is what made Notes successful. Having allowed themselves the luxury of spending five years on development, the creators of Notes released an exceptionally solid product that had virtually no competitors in the market. It took competitors years to create something like Notes. However, to date, no product has all the capabilities inherent in Notes.

Most of the kernel development was completed within two years, but the developers spent another year porting the client and server code from Windows to OS/2. During this period, Iris developers used Notes to communicate remotely with Lotus staff. Using the product on a daily basis was very helpful in developing key functionality. For example, developers needed to synchronize data between two remote offices, and they invented replication - one of the most powerful features of Notes. The interesting thing is that this was not even part of the original plans, but the problem arose and it was solved.

In August 1986, Notes already had many of its unique features. functionality, and preliminary documentation was ready for it. The product was ready to ship to internal Lotus users. At this time, Lotus evaluated and accepted the product. Lotus acquired the rights to Notes in 1987.

The fate of Lotus Notes was successful even before its first release version came out. The head of Price Waterhouse watched a demo of Lotus Notes before the first release was released. He was so impressed with the product that he immediately bought 10,000 copies of Notes. At the time, this was a record sales volume for a PC-centric product. As the first major buyer of Notes, Price Waterhouse predicted that Notes would fundamentally transform existing business processes. The people at Price Waterhouse were right.

The commercial second version of Lotus Notes began to be sold on the market starting in 1991, and for a long time the product remained the only technology to support human collaboration.

Then the Internet appeared with its capabilities for storing and exchanging information between geographically distributed groups of people - approximately what Notes had been able to do for a number of years. In 1995, there were many articles in the computer press on the topic that the fate of Notes was sealed and that it would be replaced by more open and cheaper Internet technologies.

However, in November 1995, Lotus, already part of the IBM corporation at that time, announced a strategy that involved supplementing the broad functionality of Notes (then still version 3.3x) with support for Internet standards and radically reducing prices. Since then, Lotus has released several new versions of Notes, and starting with version 4.5, the server's functionality in the field of Internet technologies was such that the company felt it necessary to rename the Notes server part Domino server.

Today, as we enter a new decade and a new century, Lotus Domino and Notes continue to be the premier collaboration products that empower organizations to enable effective collaboration among their workforce. Lotus Domino is also an advanced Web, application and email server. So even if an organization isn't interested in using Notes for collaboration, there are many reasons to choose a Domino server as the backbone of its Internet/intranet infrastructure.

There is no space in this article to go into detail about the history of Notes, from version one to version five, which was released by Lotus in 1999. Therefore, let’s move straight to the opportunities that this technology provides today. The following statement is very brief description Domino and Notes.

3. What is Notes and Lotus solution architecture

Notes is a very elegant application. It is a versatile product whose functionality is so extensive that it makes it completely different from other applications. This is the reason why it is sometimes difficult for users to realize the unique capabilities of this technology. However, once you understand how Notes works, it becomes clear that the technology is truly superior to many similar Internet tools or products from other vendors in the field of collaboration systems.

The work of modern organizations, whether commercial structures or government agencies, is based on the active interaction of people, departments and other organizations external to them.

All forms of such interaction can be divided into three groups, or the so-called three Cs:

• Communications: you and your organization may request or forward information from anyone.
• Cooperation: people and organizations share workspace(buildings, building complexes, etc.) to perform work, and requires informal interaction between people in order for the work to be completed.
• Coordination: there are certain processes that involve different people and organizations, for example, the process of approving an order or passing a payment order, subject to predetermined rules.

If we talk about computer technologies, which respond to and support these three forms of interaction, then these are respectively:

• Email and messaging systems
• Shared Databases
• Tools for automating business procedures (workflow)

The basis of Lotus Domino and Notes is precisely the three technologies listed above.

Lotus Domino and Notes could be described as a distributed, shared database system integrated with email capabilities.

• A shared access database implies the ability of a large number of users to simultaneously access and update the content of the database.
• By distributed we mean that databases can be located simultaneously on a large number of servers, which periodically send updates to each other so that after a certain time, changes in data made on one server reach any other. This process is called replication.
• By databases integrated with email capabilities, we mean that not only can people using Notes exchange email messages, but also Notes databases and applications can send documents and messages to both people and other Notes databases and applications. And this is a critical property when automating business flows and procedures (workflow).

Important to understanding the capabilities of Domino and Notes is the so-called Lotus Solution Architecture. This concept (see table) was developed by Lotus Consulting Service in accordance with the principles of a systems approach. It provides a holistic approach to classifying communications and collaboration technology solutions on the Domino and Notes platform.

From the point of view of the concept under consideration, the selected communication platform should have the following capabilities. Firstly, it must support the entire range of technologies for creating a corporate system, which are listed above (corporate email system, shared access databases, business procedure automation tools).

Secondly, solutions based on this platform must function effectively at three levels of organizational complexity:

1. Level of departments and divisions.

2. Level of integrated organization.

3. Level of extended organization (includes all connections with the outside world - partners, customers, service providers, etc.).

In this sense, Lotus Domino and Notes provide complete solution in the field of teamwork systems and allow solving technologically complex problems at any organizational level. Lotus Domino is at the same time an e-mail server, an application server for working with documents and creating systems for automating business procedures, a Web server, complemented by extensive integration capabilities with relational DBMSs and enterprise resource management systems (ERP systems). Lotus Notes is an integrated email, Internet, collaboration and document client that provides, among other things, mobile work users.

In accordance with this approach, a particular solution, in terms of the technology used and organizational complexity, falls into one of nine categories. Everything that is at the top level of the extended organization is Internet technologies, the bottom two rows are internal corporate intranet systems. The e-business technologies that are being talked about so much these days are the top two right squares, that is, they are standards-based Internet technologies that provide a means of collaboration and coordination among various organizations involved in common production processes.

ComputerPress 4"2000

IBM Lotus Notes(Also Lotus Notes, Lotus Notes/Domino) - a software product, a platform for automating the joint activities of working groups (Groupware). Manufactured by IBM Lotus Software, part of the IBM Software Group.

2018: Notes/Domino passes to HCL Technologies (India)

According to a message dated December 7, 2018, HCL Technologies, headquartered in Noida (India), will acquire software assets worth $1.8 billion from IBM Corporation. The companies have already agreed to sell eight applications to HCL Technologies, including such a landmark product like Notes/Domino.

Upon completion of the transaction in the first half of 2019, HCL Technologies will also become the full owner of Appscan, BigFix, Unica, Commerce products targeting the e-commerce and human resources markets.

As of December 2018, the parties are intellectual property partners in five of these applications.

The reasons why IBM decided to transfer its developments to a third-party company have not been disclosed.

Notes is a software package designed to automate the collaboration of work groups. This is a whole range of software solutions, which includes, among other things, tools for working with email, an instant messaging system and an application for working with group calendars. The platform exists in versions for Microsoft Windows, Linux and Apple Mac OS.

The second equally significant IBM product, which will be taken over by HCL Technologies in six months, is Domino, the server part of Notes. Domino also includes a number of services, including a database management system, a directory server, and mail.

IBM's transfer of ownership of its software products to Indian HCL Technologies does not mean that the corporation is facing difficulties. On the contrary, 2018 was productive for it: in March 2018, it introduced a tiny microchip that supports blockchain technology, and at the end of October 2018 it acquired Red Hat for $34 billion.

2012

IBM Notes/Domino - Social Edition 9.0

As Ed Brill, director of product line management in the collaboration solutions division at IBM, wrote in a blog post, according to a survey, two-thirds of IBM business partners plan to implement a new release within the first three months of its release.

The commercial version of Notes/Domino Social Edition 9.0 will be released in the first quarter of 2013.

IBM is burying the Lotus brand

The version is also notable because for the first time the system will join IBM's product line under the corporation's brand without using the Lotus name, Brill said. At the same time, the name Lotus has been used by the “blue giant” since IBM was absorbed by Lotus Development Corporation in 1995.

IBM previously reported that the next release of Notes/Domino will have serial number 8.5.4, but the scope of changes in the system turned out to be so significant that it was decided to assign the release number 9.0.

One of the new features will be the ability to run some Notes apps unmoderated through browsers on Windows PCs, so businesses won't need to install the full Notes client to run.

The update will also include a redesigned user interface, new mail and calendar capabilities, SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) support, a number of improvements to the XPages development platform, and much more.

The release of Notes/Domino Social Edition was first announced at the Lotusphere 2012 conference; it took about a year to develop the release. The first limited beta code was demonstrated in April 2012. Businesses that are interested in beta testing can sign up.

According to the plan, a full release of the system will be released in the first quarter of 2013.

2009

Platform advantages

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• the possibility of creating geographically distributed systems;
• open architecture, mechanism for application development;
• the ability to work with mobile and offline users;
• support modern technology replication with minimized traffic, allowing users to work efficiently even without network access;
• built-in instant messaging;
• integration with other information systems (compatibility with IBM DB2, Oracle, Sybase, MS SQL, ODBC data types);
• document-oriented databases - the ability to work with any type electronic documents, including unstructured data;
• IT infrastructure security - a multi-level protection model, customizable from the server level to the level of an individual field in a document;
• platform independence - the Domino server runs various operating systems (Windows NT, OS/2, Unix, Linux, iSeries).

Description

Positioning

Lotus Notes is a platform for building applications to automate management and document processes. A special feature of the system is its object-oriented architecture, which makes it possible to create information systems that automate work with complexly structured data and informal dynamic processes. The software product contains only basic functions that allow you to organize the work of distributed workgroups and create process automation applications, therefore Lotus Notes It is incorrect to consider it a complete automation system for enterprise activities (just as, for example, MS SQL server cannot be considered an accounting system). Lotus Notes- a platform for such applications. Electronic document management systems and other complete solutions on the platform Lotus Notes/Domino developed and distributed by third party software vendors.

Terminology

Full official product name: IBM Lotus Notes/Domino.

IBM has used the following terminology since 1996:

• Notes- client workstation software.
• Domino- server software.

Until version 4.5 inclusive, the name "Domino" was used for a separate application that added web server functionality to the Notes server. With the release of version 4.6 in 1996, web server functionality was included with the Notes server. The server changed its name - instead of “Notes server” it became known as “Domino server”.

Starting from version 5.0 client part Lotus Notes consists of three parts:

• IBM Lotus Notes Client- user's workplace
• IBM Lotus Domino Designer- application developer workplace Lotus Notes(programmer)
• IBM Lotus Domino Administrator- workplace system administrator Lotus Notes.

Basic functions

Basic functions included in the basic package Lotus Notes/Domino version 7.0.2:

• runtime environment for group activity automation applications
• cryptographic protection (encryption and electronic signature)
• email client
• application server
• mail server
• group calendar, task scheduler
• Lotus Sametime instant messaging client (Sametime server is a standalone product)
• web server - to provide access to applications Lotus Notes via browser
• LDAP server
• Replication - synchronization between remotely remote database instances
• Domino Enterprise connection services (DECS)

Peculiarities

1. Cross-platform. A significant feature is cross-platform Lotus Notes. The current version is certified by IBM to work with the following operating systems:
   • Lotus Domino Server- Windows NT (32 and 64 bit), GNU/Linux (Red Hat, SuSE), Solaris, OS/400, AIX, OS/390)
   • Lotus Notes client- Windows NT (32 bit), Mac OS X, GNU/Linux
2. Replication
3. Fast RAD and application deployment. The IBM Lotus Domino Designer application development environment provides developers with advanced core services for developing document-oriented applications. Application code and visual forms are physically stored in the databases in which they are used and executed. When making changes to program code or form changes become available to all users and servers accessing the database in which the changed code or form is stored. Changes arrive on other servers through replication during the first session.
4. Running applications offline The Lotus Notes client allows you to store Lotus Notes databases locally (on the user's computer), replicate them with the Domino server, work with local databases when there is no connection to the Domino server, and execute server code in local databases data. This functionality supports a fully functional user experience when disconnected from the server (for example, on a laptop). Changes on the local (for the user) computer and on the server are mutually synchronized through replication.
5. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Crypto functions using public keys - encryption and electronic digital signature - are basic services Lotus Notes kernels. Each user of the system receives a pair of keys upon registration: public key is stored in a shared (public) address book and is available (readable) to users from the server, and the secret key is stored locally in the user's identity file.
   • Electronic digital signature used when the server authenticates the user and/or the server, when determining the level of trust in the executed code, when checking the authenticity mail messages, documents (database records) and individual fields.
   • Encryption used for email messages, entire databases, individual documents (database records), individual fields and network traffic between two Lotus Domino servers, as well as between a Lotus Notes server and client.

Current versions

For November, 2018 IBM Lotus Software supports and develops the following versions of products Lotus Notes/Domino:

Product	Language	Version 7.0		Version 8.0		Version 8.5
		release	date	release	date	release	date
Lotus Notes Client	English	7.0.4	April 2009	8.0.2 FP1	January 2009	8.5	January 2009
	Russian	7.0.3	March 2008	8.0.2	December 2008	8.5	March 2009
Lotus Domino Server	English	7.0.4	April 2009	8.0.2 FP1	January 2009	8.5	January 2009

Supported technologies

(Data current as of November 2018)

1. E-mail
   • SMTP
   • POP3
   • IMAP
   • MIME
   • DNSBL(anti-spam)
2. Instant messenger
   • Sametime
3. Reading news
   • Usenet(NNTP)
4. Full text search
5. Database
   • Object-oriented DBMS
   • Client-server technology
   • Formats: NSF and NSFDB2
6. Server
   • Cluster (group of servers)
   • Partitioned servers- the ability to install several Lotus Domino servers on one hardware server
   • Passthru- end-to-end connection (“proxy” using the NotesRPC protocol)
7. Client
   • Eclipse
   • Thin client (HTTP And HTTPS)
8. [Network protocols"
   • TCP/IP protocol stack- default Lotus Notes operates on TCP port 1352
   • IPX/SPX
   • NetBIOS
9. Replication
10. Programming languages
    • @-formulas
    • Lotus Script
    • JavaScript
11. Integration with DBMS and other applications(by data and program calls)
    • CORBA
    • ODBC
12. Crypto protection(Encryption and Electronic Digital Signature)
    • X.509
    • S/MIME