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Installing Lotus Instant Messaging Limited Use for Domino 7

Another great? Idea
This morning I decided that now that our Domino 7 server was working nicely, I'd start installing the extended features, instant messaging, DB2 etc...

First up, was instant messaging.

I spent a while looking on Notes.net to see what I had to worry about.

  1. The first thing I discovered was that the instant messaging facility is NOT built-into Domino 7 server, but is available by installing the limited use Sametime product. Luckily I'd spent a while obtaining the CDs from IBM and didn't have to try to find the product on their web site.

  2. The next thing I noticed was that it recommended that the sametime server be run on different hardware. It didn't give a reason, just a recommendation. I'm not sure why, though I did notice one alarmist posting suggesting that it "screws around with the address book settings" - technical terms indeed.

    I was thinking about running it on our normal server, since we only have 24 users internally and I didn't think it would be too much strain, when I remembered our "backup server". Installing it there was safer, and I could do it immediately.

A few things about this server before I begin.
The CPU is hovering between 2% and 11%

The Disk Space situation on D: is

Used: 22.9 GB

Free Space: 38.8 GB

Total Capacity: 61.7 GB

Problem 1: The CD...
I put the CD into the backup server, and it displayed a message "Windows cannot find AutoRun\AutoRun.hta". This was scary and I took the CD out again to check that it wasn't the Install for the Macintosh (but they're HQX's or something aren't they).

Obviously it's a bit of bad programming on the CD, but a worrying start. I'm leaving the Domino Server running to see what happens...

Problem 2: Domino is Running
I launch the install program by going into the \SERVER directory on the CD and running SETUPWIN32.EXE

At the welcome screen, I click next.

Next you get this lovely screen that says that it detected that Domino was running, that continuing could damage the configuration, but do I want to continue anyway.

Wow, That was a real friendly screen wasn't it.

Ok, so I click NO, Exit the Domino Server and then restart the setup program. So far so good (though more than a bit unfriendly).

Problem 3: A different kind of scary error message
Now I'm up to the bit where I hit next previously... A similar warning message appears telling me that Sametime 7.0 instant messaging server requires the use of Domino 7 or later but do I want to proceed anyway...

Now, I KNOW that I'm running Domino 7.0.0 but this kind of message just gives overly cautious system admins (like me) heart problems... Surely the install app could have checked for a file or something FIRST!!!

(Really Friendly: I wonder which psychologically unstable person created these messages because the're worlds away from the friendly Domino upgrade).

Problem 4: The "double-click"

I now accept the licence agreement and it goes straight to the install summary.

Luckily I realised that it did this because it took so long to register my agreement that it thought I clicked NEXT twice. (This install program really needs some work).


So going back one screen, I find that I'm being asked if I want to use the Domino Directory or LDAP. I'm leaving the default (Domino Directory) and clicking Next.

Finally, I'm at the install summary, and I'm being told that the installation will consume 227.3 MB of space. I can afford that, so I click install.

The bar graph appears and it takes about 3 minutes.

I'm then prompted for the server Id file, which I select and click next.

The next dialog box says..."[_] Allow HTTP tunnelling on a sametime server with a single IP Address"I have no idea what I'm being asked, so I leave the checkbox unchecked and click next.

(this could have been written down as problem 5, but I've decided to let this go since it's just a silly checkbox description).

Problem 5: Host Names.
The next exciting dialog box says:"The hostname setting of the Domino server is not a fully qualified name. The Sametime Release Notes provides information on correcting this setting. The Sametime installation will complete correctly but this setting must be corrected before starting the Sametime server.

I click ok, because there's nothing better to click on.

A few seconds later I get a congratulations message and am told that when I start domino, Sametime will start automatically. I briefly wonder about how this fits in with the previous error message... but only briefly.

I open the PDF help documentation on the CD and look for "HOSTNAME" since the entire text of the message isn't found. There are two instances of this word, both in the same sentence in "Pre-Domino Installation" - Great....


Trying a search for "Host Name" yields a lot more hits... I wish documentation writers could be more consistent.

Finally, I decide that I can't figure out what this is all about, since I can see the server's host name in the configuration, so I simply reboot the server.

It takes a long while to go down and I eventually decide to help it with the button. I'm not sure if it was my finger on the button or if the server started behaving, but it suddenly rebooted.

(this could have been listed as a separate problem, but it might have been my impatience).

I went back to my PC and opened the Server Document in Domino Administrator 7. I changed the bit that says,


Is this a Sametime server? to YES

I then went to my location document for Office and on the Servers Tab, I changed the IBM Lotus Sametime Server to Domino1

I didn't use the fully qualified host name of domino1.mydomain.com.au because I don't have it in the DNS like that. (not for this server anyway).

I was prompted for a password and entered my current internet password, then hit Save and close.

I think that instant messaging is working now, but I have to get some other users on before I can be certain.

Comments

Jeff Hallett said…
Thanks for that post, Gavin. There seems to be VERY little documentation about this Lotus offering. I'd like to set it up on our new R7 server, but am having a hard time locating useful information. So, is it running OK?
Gavin Bollard said…
Just by way of Update, the instant messaging facility is working well but is seeing very limited use at work.

The only problem I've encountered so far is that the password often isn't stored and users have to login whenever they start the Lotus Notes client (They normally don't have to login to notes because we're using the Lotus Notes single signon option).

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