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Lotus Connections new

features and

configuration tipsconfiguration tips

Overview

What's new: FeaturesWhat's new: Features

What's new: Administration

Install tips

Configuration tips

Future

Reporting Tool for Lotus Connections

Whats new: Getting Started page

Detailed step by step introduction to Lotus Connections capabilities

Fully customizable

Shown by default for new usersShown by default for new users

Whats new: New Forums

Stand alone Forums

Multi-forums in a community

Tag, search, 'My'Tag, search, 'My'

Attachment, Following,

Q & A features

Whats new: SubCommunities

Create child communities to branch off sub topic

Equal or more restrictive privacy

Only community members can joinOnly community members can join

Can delegate ownership to other members.

Whats new: Mobile Enhancement

Communities, Bookmarks, Files, Wikis, Forums – new Mobile services

More devices

AndroidAndroid

Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

Nokia S60 devices

Whats new: Social Analytics

People, Community and Content recommendations

Things in common

Who connects usWho connects us

Whats new: User Lifecycle

Custom profile type for inactive users

Automate user lifecycle handling via TDI synchronization

Hide inactive users from search and add member dialogsHide inactive users from search and add member dialogs

Inactive users marked throughout UX

Whats new: Following & email

digestIncludes option to receive notifications aggregated into digest

Central preferences for how to get notified about different types of content

Ability to follow different types of content like Blogs and CommunitiesAbility to follow different types of content like Blogs and Communities

Whats new: Sharepoint

New widget available for Lotus

Connections Communities

Access to Sharepoint filesAccess to Sharepoint files

Open and Add files to Sharepoint

from a community

Free download from the Solutions

Catalog http://catalog.lotus.com

Whats new: WebSphere Portal

New Profiles and tag cloud portlet

for WebSphere Portal

Browse and search your NetworkBrowse and search your Network

View and make Status Updates

Activities, Blogs, Bookmarks

portlets also updated for WS

Portal V7

Free download from the Solutions

Catalog - http://catalog.lotus.com

Overview

Whats new: FeaturesWhats new: Features

Whats new: Administration

Install tips

Configuration tips

Future


Whats new: new installer

Lotus Connections 3.0 installer is based on the newest install technology

– IBM Rational Install Manager (RIM)Connections 2.5 was based on

Install ShieldInstall Shield

The RIM installer has a more flexible GUI

Integrate install/uninstall/upgrade/modify into 1 GUI

Whats new: new installer

Supports Network Deployments of WAS only

No more Stand-alone deployment

Can install multiple nodes at the same timeCan install multiple nodes at the same time

Directly on Deployment manager and Managed nodes instead of unmanaged nodes (2.5)

Faster, less post install steps

Upgrades from 2.5 possible

New database wizard, allows you to look into the detailed commands

Population wizard uses TDI 7

Whats new: new metrics page

Metrics are enabled for all users with

the metrics-reader role.

By default all users have this roleBy default all users have this role

Administrators can restrict this

http://<servername.com:port>/activities

/service/html/servermetrics

You can export these to csv through

wsadmin commands

Whats new: Enable/disable Social

AnalyticsSocial Analytics features

Do You Know (Profiles)

Recommendations (Communities)Recommendations (Communities)

Recommendations (Home page)

Who Connects Us? (Profiles)

Things in Common

Controlled by 'LotusConnections-config.xml‘

By default it's enabled after installationBy default it's enabled after installation

To disable, run wsadmin commands

Whats new:Content Moderation

AdministrationContent Moderation

Blogs, Forums, Community Files

Moderation scenariosModeration scenarios

Content Approval (pre-moderation)

Review before new content gets published

Flag inappropriate content (post-moderation)

Report inappropriate published content

Reviewers evaluate and take actions (ignore, quarantaine, delete)Reviewers evaluate and take actions (ignore, quarantaine, delete)

Whats new: Disable a

Connections ServiceTo disable a service

2 steps required

Change user role mapping in WebSphere console for person and Change user role mapping in WebSphere console for person and

reader role to none

Run wsadmin command

Whats new: Remove sections

from help systemAll help information is in 1 system, even if you don’t install all features of

Lotus Connections

You can remove sections using a wsadmin command.You can remove sections using a wsadmin command.

You can only remove complete feature parts

Whats new: Manage Communities

membershipAdd people to a community

Before 3.0 the community owner could just add someone to a

community without consentcommunity without consent

You can disable this and only leave the invite option available.

You also have the option to

disable both.

Whats new: Customization

New Customization process

New variable: CONNECTIONS_CUSTOMIZATION_PATH

Customization files added in same file structure as applicationCustomization files added in same file structure as application

Customization files will override the default files

Overview



Install tips

Configuration tips

Future


Install tips

Installing Connections 3.0 is easier then 2.5

Installing Domino is still easier

RTFM!!! (like we always do for all products, but this time it is serious)RTFM!!! (like we always do for all products, but this time it is serious)

Read it again

The order of installation is important, the documentation is not always structured that way

Get your System requirements right

All fixes and fix packs are required.

If installing on Linux, install the required libraries

Install tips

Install time is greatly influenced by the speed of your disks (VmWare)

Use the planning worksheet from the wiki

Make sure you use a time server on all serverMake sure you use a time server on all server

Make life easy if you need to move physical servers or domains later:

Always use short names for servers/hostnames

Always use logical names not physical/virtual machine names

Even on simple one/two server installs, add aliases to hosts file(s) or dns entries

Install tips: Architecture

Scaling up is easier than scaling down

Get your naming conventions up front

Think very well about the server / cluster ratioThink very well about the server / cluster ratio

12 features � 12 WAS servers (jvms) is often too much

12 features � 1 WAS server is often not enough

3 to 6 servers works best

Example model:

InfraCluster

Homepage, News, Search and mobileHomepage, News, Search and mobile

FiWiDoBloCluster

Files, Wikis, Dogear and Blogs

ProComFoActCluster

Profiles, Communities, Forums and Activities

Install tips: Focus on profiles

Plan this completely

Involve all relevant people from the start

HR, Marketing, Reception,M (and IT)HR, Marketing, Reception,M (and IT)

Start with pilot groups

If Profiles work fine, Lotus Connections deployment will have a higher rate

of adoption

Pre-Populate user photo’s

Integrate Sametime awareness

Use the business cards from Connections in other places

Install tips: Sametime

You can integrate Lotus Sametime into Lotus Connections

Turn of “case sensitivity”

You need to have Sametime connect on the desktop, dll’s are used by You need to have Sametime connect on the desktop, dll’s are used by

Lotus Connections

Install tips: Cheat sheet

Configuring Lotus Connections is done using wsadmin. Use a cheat sheet

with all commands.

./wsadmin.sh -lang jython -user wasadmin -password xxxxxx -port 8879./wsadmin.sh -lang jython -user wasadmin -password xxxxxx -port 8879

execfile("connectionsConfig.py")

execfile("activitiesAdmin.py")

LCConfigService.checkOutConfig("/data/config","DemoCell01")

LCConfigService.checkInConfig()

ActivitiesConfigService.checkOutConfig("/data/config","DemoCell01")

ActivitiesConfigService.checkInConfig()ActivitiesConfigService.checkInConfig()

Install tips: Fixes

You should keep your environment patched up

Watch out for dependencies

Installing fixes can take foreverInstalling fixes can take forever

Can be installed using GUI or command line

Install tips: Auto Restart

In Windows this is obvious, on linux/AIX it is less common

The order is important

Database systemDatabase system

Http server

Deployment Manager

Node(s)

Application servers

Overview



Install tips

Configuration tips

Future


Configuration

3 interfaces: wsadmin, User interface, WebSphere Console

wsadmin (command line interface) + XML configuration files

--------------------------------------------------- Lotus Connections ---------------------------------------------------

Communication settings, Notifications configuration,

Language selector, Metrics & statistics,

Scheduled tasks, Life-cycle events

User management

---------------------------------------------------

Configuration & administration for

- Activities, Bookmarks, Communities, Files

- Forums, Profiles, Wikis, Search & News

Lotus Connections

user interface

------------------------

Blogs, Homepage

WebSphere Application Server Integrated Solutions Console

------------------------

WAS services and processes, Access control, Node synchronization,

Data sources, Security,

JVM settings, SMTP, IBM HTTP Server, ...

Configuration: User interface

Blogs

Configuration parameters

ModerationModeration

Approval for entries and comments

Flagged entries and comments


Blogs

Configuration parameters for other users blogs

Cache controlCache control


Home Page

Widgets Administration

Configuration:wsadmin

Used to

Change configuration settings

Perform administrative tasksPerform administrative tasks

Background

Standard WebSphere Application Server

command line interface

Uses Jython scripts

Usage

Case-sensitiveCase-sensitive

Configuration: XML Repository

Used for configuration of

Lotus Connections general

Lotus Connections featuresLotus Connections features

Why Check-out / Check-in

You should not change the files @ runtime

Check-in uses syntax checking

Flow

Check-out XML file on Deployment Manager

Edit fileEdit file

Check-in

Sync changed file to other nodes

Restart applications

Configuration: WebSphere Console

Configuration of WAS services and processes

Security

JVM settings (heap size)JVM settings (heap size)

Virtual hosts

SMTP

Management of WAS processes and related servers

Start & stop of servers and clusters

Node synchronisation

Management of IBM HTTP serverManagement of IBM HTTP server

Lotus Connections specific aspects

Access control

Data sources

Overview



Install tips

Configuration tips

Future


Future

Lotus Connections 3.0.1, expected H1 2011 (no official release date)

Video and photo sharing

Media gallery widget for your communities

Ideablogs

Idea generation

Voting

Push to activities

Future

Outlook social connector

Profiles network locally synchronized as contacts

Profile photos and meta data

Add to network from message

Menu in Outlook ribbon

Files plugin for Lotus Notes

Access LC files from Lotus Notes Sidebar

Drag and drop from desktop to filesDrag and drop from desktop to files

Search for files and people and download,

Future

ECM capabilities

Custom library widget, looks like files but integrates with ECM softwares like Filenet

No details on list of Ecm products

Future

Lotus Connections Next +, expected Q4 2011 (no official release

date)

Social Platform EvolutionSocial Platform Evolution

Support IBM Vulcan with new services and deeper cross platform integration

Better mobile experience

Integrate 3d party through open standards

Enhanced Communities for Teams

New productivity functions to communities, for example collaborate with GROUPS!!!!

Calendar widget for events in Communities with many capabilitiesCalendar widget for events in Communities with many capabilities

Community calendar can be viewed as Iocal feeds from other personal calendars

like Notes

Future

Business to Consumer

Reports/dashboard to monitor adoption and community vitality

Many metricsMany metrics

Custom reports

Micro blogging Enhancement

Add images to your status updates with preview capability

Both like and recommend

Search micro blogging entries by tags or full text

Expanded social analyticsExpanded social analytics

Most active members widget

Overview



Install tips

Configuration tips

Future


Reporting Tool for Connections

Trend & Snapshot Reporting

30+ Bar, Line, Tabular reports

across all Connections features.across all Connections features.

Easy Export

Export data to 3rd party reporting

solutions

Measurement Consulting

ISSL assistance to develop your

measurement framework using

Reporting Tool metrics and other

measurement sources.

Reporting Tool for Connections

Links

Planning worksheet

http://www-10.lotus.com/ldd/lcwiki.nsf/dx/Worksheet_for_installing_Lotus_Connections_lc3

Customizing Lotus ConnectionsCustomizing Lotus Connections

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/documentation/lc3customize/

Lotus Connections InfoCenter

publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/ltscnnct/v2r0/index.jsp

Greenhouse Solution catalog

https://greenhouse.lotus.com/catalog/

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