Notes Client
Henning Kunz & Christoph Adler
#engageug
https://www.slideshare.net/christophadler50
#engageug
Timetable
13:30 – Start
17:00 - End
#engageug
Christoph Adler - Senior Consultant at panagenda
Focused on
• IBM Notes Client Management
• Analysis and Optimization of ICS infrastructures
• Cloud onboarding
• Application Modernization
Good to know
• German
• Bass player (for a band called “DISCO”)
• Husband, Geek, loves Football (soccer) and Beer
• Don’t give energy drinks → squirrel mode
Henning Kunz – CEO at panagenda Consulting
Focused on
• Analysis and Optimization of ICS infrastructures
• Transformation projects
• People & Services
Good to know
• German
• Father, husband, life lover
Agenda
1. IBM Notes
2. Marvel Client
4. Citrix / VDI
5. Troubleshooting -Break 2-
7. Optional: Performance
IBM Notes
• V9.0.1 (FP10 + IF6 + JVM + ST9.0.1 FP1 HF1) & V10.0.1 (FP1)
• ICAA 2.0.1
• Program directory
C:\Program Files(x86)\IBM\Notes
• Data directory
C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\IBM\Notes\Data
IBM Notes – V10.0.1 FP1
• Which is
– >23.500 files in >2.600 subdirectories
– >9.000 largely undocumented files
Workspace
MarvelClient
Clients download new and changed Config Analyze Client save results and configuration
actions at every client start from details back to server
server incrementally and execute incrementally, too (object-wise)
them seamlessly
Server
As desktop icons, bookmarks, etc. do
Actions also run offline not change for 90% of all users ->
traffic is saved accordingly
~25KB / user
for entire desktop & bookmarks(!),
Client notes.ini, ECL and more
Single .dll / .so / .dylib 1 Single MC Small Plugin (80kb) for Eclipse
At least 2 Notes.ini entries DLL Plugin Management (optional)
“Self Healing Clients” ensure Client continuity for ongoing TCO savings
Work /
Effort Audit Configure Benefit
Time
Work /
Effort Audit Configure Benefit
Time
Live
Make Your Data Work For You
MarvelClient Essentials – included in IBM Notes/Domino 10.0.1
• If you are not on IBM Notes and/or Domino 10.0.1 now, you can get MarvelClient Essentials here:
https://www.panagenda.com/essentials/
More information:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSKTMJ_10.0.1/admin/wn_marvelclient_essentials.html
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10737079
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10737079&aid=1
MarvelClient Essentials – included in IBM Notes/Domino 10.0.1
Marvel Client Upgrade Free
www.panagenda.com/free-upgrade
MarvelClient Upgrade Free
Upgrades
V10.0.1 FP1 + Language Kit G1
• The same end-user problems occur again and again (and again)
What we see out there in Notes deployments (2)
• Reluctance to upgrade
• 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
Know your current environment
• It’s fundamentally important that your 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, SwiftFile, CTI, … ?
• If you can’t answer the questions above 100% correctly, the following two
slides will help you a lot!
MarvelClient Essentials – AnalyzeDB examples
MarvelClient Essentials – AnalyzeDB examples (2)
MarvelClient Essentials – AnalyzeDB examples (3)
MarvelClient Essentials – AnalyzeDB examples (4)
Define target (version and more …)
– Group1, 2a, 2b and 3 → Group1 was finally released on 5th Feb 2019 – but
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10870434
• Where to deploy?
– Laptops, Desktops, Citrix and/or VDI
− IBM Connections Plugins for Notes → use latest version 5.5.0.20180813-1729 here
https://xspy.mybluemix.net/nx OR directly at HCL
• Let’s assume (for this session) you want to Upgrade from Notes 9.0.1 FPx IFx to the following
components:
– IBM Notes 10.0.1 Standard Client → MultiUser Installation on Windows10 64Bit
– Add French and Japanese (Multilingual User Interface = MUI)
– Fix Pack 1
– SwiftFile 4.2.1
– Connections Plugins for Notes 5.5.0.20180813-1729
– Use of default paths for
Program directory
C:\Program Files(x86)\IBM\Notes
Shared data directory
C:\ProgramData\IBM\Notes\Data\shared
Data directory
C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\IBM\Notes\Data
Choose Upgrade/Deployment Tool – Third-Party-Solutions
– Empirum
– LanDesk
– DSM
– others
Choose Upgrade/Deployment Tool – Notes Smart Upgrade
– That will help you a lot when it comes to package changes, new versions and testing
Installation order
a) Uninstall current version
• Using NICE (Notes Install Cleanup Executable)
https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21459714
b) Run local cleanup
• Remove old Program- and SharedData-Dir
c) Install IBM Notes 10.0.1
d) Add French and Japanese languages (Multilingual User Interface = MUI)
e) Install Fix Pack 1
f) Install SwiftFile 4.2.1
g) Install Connections Plugins for Notes 5.5.0.20180813-1729
h) Copy customized files like stub notes.ini, ConfigFile, etc.
Create Upgrade Package (3)
• 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)
Create Upgrade Package (5)
• Additional Information
– For an installation on Citrix, please check out this slideshare:
• https://www.slideshare.net/christophadler50/panagenda-webinar-virtual-faster-better-how-to-
virtualize-ibm-notesv10
– A specific Third-Party solution can help here during Upgrade process – also if you want
to migrate the DataDir from NetworkDrive to default local → Marvel Client Upgrade ☺
Create Upgrade Package (6)
• Additional Information
– Customized stub notes.ini (example)
– config.txt (example)
Define post Upgrade actions
• If you choose for “2”, make sure you have an image resource in your local
bookmark.nsf named “$WorkspaceImage”
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
Test, pilot, production (2)
• Pilot
– Choose the members of the pilot group wisely and let them know
– 20 – 50 users from different departments and with different requirements on IBM 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
How to prepare an Upgrade
in < 20 minutes
Live
Make Your Data Work For You
How to run an Upgrade
in < 5 minutes
Live
Make Your Data Work For You
MarvelClient Upgrade Free
• Documentation:
– https://img.panagenda.com/download/MarvelClient/QuickStartGuide_MarvelClient-Upgrade-
free.pdf
https://www.panagenda.com/download/MarvelClient/Under-the-Hood-of-Notes-Client-Upgrades.pdf
Citrix / VDI
https://www.slideshare.net/christophadler50/panagenda-webinar-virtual-
faster-better-how-to-virtualize-ibm-notesv10
To roam or not to roam: that is the question
• Given the previous reasons why IBM Notes in virtual environments should
not have any files in the network, the following logical questions arise
– How can personal IBM Notes data folders of end users be maintained locally on the
virtual environment servers?
• Think of having N servers in the farm where personal end user data potentially
needs to be on every single server
• How do end users get their most recent IBM Notes configuration no matter
on which server in the farm they log on?
• How to ensure that disk space used by IBM Notes data folders is cleared
after log off?
To roam or not to roam: that is the question (cont.)
• How to avoid transfers of large IBM Notes data folders per user during log on and
log off which increase wait times and cause network traffic?
Backup Backup
data data
Live
Make Your Data Work For You
Troubleshooting
• Trace-log-n.xml
All Error-log messages + all active plugin messages
Loglevel:
→ Data\Workspace\.config\rcpinstall.properties
→ C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\Notes\framework\rcp\eclipse\plugins\com.ibm.rcp.base_10.0.0.20190213-0607
MarvelClient
– %LocalAppData%\panagenda\marvel
• Logs\ → the last 5 logs
• Log.xml
• Actions.xml
• Temp\*.xml
Notes Client Analysis:
How to use this data in projects
• Server consolidation
• Notes.ini hygiene
Project use cases advanced
• Disconnected knowledge
– Which unique non system replicaids are out there
• Modernize applications
– Which apps are used as local replica
– Correlate with backend inventory
Group addressbook
pernames based app on server, which can be accessed by a closed group of users
Question:
• Who has local replica?
• Who is using this local replica (or the app on server) to address emails
(notes.ini entry names=…)
Needed:
• Local databases
• Notes.ini entries
• List of replicaids of group addressbooks
Tableau – Sample Data Set
Live
Make Your Data Work For You
Customer use case:
Small amount of users in 100.000 user environment are using unmanaged Citrix
Question:
How are Citrix Notes desktops looking today
• Which workspace pages exist
• Where are the mail icons today
Needed:
• Desktop icons
• Workspace pages
72
Tableau – Sample Data Set
Live
Make Your Data Work For You
Customer use case:
Question:
• Where are mailfiles on homedrives
• Where are mailfiles on groupshares
• Where are mailfiles locally outside Notes datadir
Needed:
• Scan homedrives
• Scan groupshares
• Scan local disks
74
Tableau – Sample Data Set
Live
Make Your Data Work For You
Performance
• A new feature added in Notes 9.0.1 FP9 (still exists in V10) called
“Delegated mail files are refreshed automatically“
– Even though the documentation states “Ask your administrator to enable this feature.”, the
functionality is turned on by default
• When an end-user opens another user’s calendar, IBM Notes will automatically add some
notes.ini entries
DELEGATED_MAIL_FILE1=Christoph Adler_server1/panagenda-demo!!mail\cadler.nsf_1/31/2019
DELEGATED_NEWMAIL_SEQNUM1=7
• Impact
IBM Notes opens many different user mail files upon client startup and regularly thereafter
• Fix
Remove all DELEGATED_* entries in notes.ini
Add DEBUG_DISABLE_AUTO_REFRESH_DELEGATED_INBOX=1 to notes.ini to disable the feature
More information:
https://www.panagenda.com/2019/01/why-your-domino-servers-might-have-been-using-30-more-cpu-recently-and-how-to-fix-it/
Antivirus real-time scanning in Data directory
Outdated Hardware
• You need >4 GB memory if you want to use Notes AND something else
• Old fixed disks with fragmentation
• Fun Exercise: Buy a Solid State Disk and make Notes start off of that ;-)
Operating System
• Windows 8.1 boots ~20% faster than Windows 7
• Windows 10 ~15% faster than 8.1
ODS of local databases
Again
• ODS of local databases
• Hardware
Notes.ini
• EXTMGR_ADDINS = (not just) local virus scanners
• Disable Notes “plugins“ like virus scanners etc.
– They increase Network traffic by up to 200 – 250%!
Legacy
• LAN0 / COMx / DisabledPorts → should be removed
Good idea
• Use TCPIP according to the client type
• PORTS = TCPIP
• TCPIP = TCP,0,15,0,,12320, → Desktops
• TCPIP = TCP,0,15,0,,45088, → Laptops
• TCPIP = TCP,0,15,0,,12288, → Citrix / VDI
• Hardware compression (e. g. Riverbed)?
Live
Make Your Data Work For You
jvm.properties file
To speed up the IBM Notes JVM it’s useful to optimize memory settings
Open %ProgramFiles(x86)%\IBM\Notes\framework\rcp\deploy\jvm.properties
– Modify vmarg.Xmx from “-Xmx256m” to “-Xmx1024m”
– Modify vmarg.Xms from “-Xms64m” to “-Xms256m”
– Change vmarg.Xmca=-Xmca512k
Note
– The above defaults have been changed by IBM over the last couple of Notes releases.
You might find other values than Xmx256m and Xms64m in your setups.
What makes the Notes Client PERFORM slow (cont.)
Connection documents
– Pointing to outdated server names or IP addresses
– Low priority connection documents, which can cause connectivity failures
Location documents
– IP addresses for mailserver → breaks Policies
– Outdated mail and home server information
– Outdated mail file path
– Catalog server (think db links, doc links, new bookmarks)
Why is the Catalog important?
Ever wondered what exactly happens when you click on db links / doc links / view
links
1. Notes checks whether you already have a workspace icon pointing to the replica ID in the link. If
yes, the top most icon on the stack decides on which server the db will open
2. If there's no icon on the workspace, Notes asks the catalog server in your currently selected
location document where the db is to be found. So, make sure your catalog is up to date! No
catalog server? Notes will ask your home mail server!
3. Are you replicating your catalog.nsf across all servers? Bad news: If 2.) applies, Notes will open the
database on the server it finds first in the catalog – which is sorted alphabetically. In global
infrastructures that might be a server far far away, e. g. in Asia
NOTE:
All of this should only be done on “ONE” client – slows down client, creates huge log
files!
Link:
http://www.openntf.org/internal/home.nsf/project.xsp?action=openDocument&name
=Notes%20RPC%20Parser
Last Update:
v1.0.14 – Nov 10, 2016
Developed by:
Jamie Magee, MartinScott Consulting LLC, US
Andrew Magerman, Magerman Collaborative Software GmbH, Switzerland
Performance Measuring with Client Clocking (cont.)
We've all been “advised to”/guilty of deleting the cache.ndk in an effort to cure Notes
performance problems/symptoms
– Some companies even delete cache.ndk on a scheduled basis
After deleting
Keeping / NOT deleting cache.ndk
cache.ndk
100 users =
150 MB vs. 3,7 MB
1000 users =
1.5 GB vs. 37 MB
Excluding Fileservers!
Bonus:
MarvelClient for iOS & Android Next
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Q&A