BP112 Twelve Things Your Mother Never Told You About Installing IBM Lotus Connections

SESSION BP112:
12 Things Your Mother Never Told You About
Installing Lotus Connections
Stuart McIntyre | Technical Director, Collaboration Matters
Rob Wunderlich | Independent Consultant

Monday, 18 January 2010

About this session
● Frankly, we think Lotus Connections has gotten something of a bad rap when it
comes to “difficulty to install.”

● Installing Lotus Connections – admittedly – is a complex process, but this
session will make it a whole lot easier!

● We’ll show tips and tricks, “cheat sheets,” install checklists and share the stuff
that isn’t in the manual.

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About Rob Wunderlich
● Notes/Domino consultant since early '90s. Certified developer, system admin
and Lotus instructor (although probably lapsed in most by now)
● Held positions at several Detroit-area IBM/Lotus business partners prior to
joining IBM itself in 2006.
● Went “independent” in 2009 (meaning, I'm available!), targeting social
technology, Notes/Domino and Lotus Connections
● Infrequently updates www.dominounplugged.com
● Twitter: rwunder
● email: rob@dominounplugged.com

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About Stuart McIntyre
● Technical Director of Collaboration Matters (UK-based Lotus business partner),
a social software evangelist and Lotus Connections specialist.
● Has been working with Lotus software for 18 years, and focused on Lotus
Connections since 2007 launch, presenter at conferences such as
Lotusphere, UKLUG and Collaboration University.
● Authors the Connections Blog: lotusconnectionsblog.com (amongst others)
● Twitter: stuartmcintyre
● Email: stuart@collaborationmatters.com

4


Agenda
● Introductions, housekeeping, etc.

● The “12 Things”

● Summary

5


Agenda

● Evaluations, please!

6


Agenda


● Summary

7


The “12 Things” list
● In the spirit of full disclosure:

In all honesty, my mother never mentioned Lotus Connections to me at all,
much less anything about installing it.

8


#1) It’s easier than you think!
● Some key points:
Connections does have a lot of moving parts,
but they go together relatively easily
Very limited expertise in each of the framework
products - WebSphere, DB2, TDI - is required to just install a basic Lotus
Connections 2.5 system
There is a wizard-driven Pilot install option for test/demonstration
environments, but it is very limited - better to stick to the full install option
Don’t be frightened by the scary multi-node clustered install scenarios on the
Connections Wiki and in some Lotusphere presentations - they are not
needed in 80-90% of environments

9


● It doesn’t have to be like this!

10


● The installation process:
▬ Has gotten easier over the versions, 1 -> 2 -> 2.5, big improvements in Lotus Connections
2.5, particularly in clustered environments
▬ Is mostly wizard-driven
▬ Is clearly documented in the Infocenter, though the correct order is not always clear
● Your first installation:
▬ A standard Microsoft Windows 2003 32-bit environment is ideal for your first install
experience - Connections 2.5 will install fine on a single 2-CPU 4GB system, though two
systems are better
▬ Allow a significant period of uninterrupted time - at least 2 days for a full installation and
configuration
▬ Gather all the pre-requisite information before starting - LDAP server/bind information,
hostnames etc.
▬ Take it step by step, and take backups and/or snapshots at all major changes
▬ Document everything!

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● But...
▬ Do not try to build a production environment as your first Lotus Connections install,
there are too many places where mistakes can (and will) be made
▬ Don’t use the Pilot install package unless you really understand the limitations
▬ You need to read and understand the instructions very carefully - don’t make
assumptions!
▬ Be ready to learn a lot from the experience and to install a second time to correct
from the lessons learnt!

12

#2) Read the $!@#%&# instructions !!
● Obviously, this is good advice for virtually ANY software product, but for Lotus
Connections, it's even more critical

▬ Infocenter can be difficult to follow
▬ Lots of moving parts, key to know what changes in one application affect
others
▬ Suggest building own set of instructions* based on your own experience,
specific environment and install methodology (Mindmaps are great for this)
▬ Read all the way through before starting step one (seriously, trust us on
this!)

*also commonly known as 'cheatsheets' – and we'll share one with you
later!

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#2a) Correct order becomes important
● Some install steps will simply not work unless pre-requisites and co-requisites
have been completed (examples, securing Websphere, creating plugin
configuration)
● KISS methodology is critical, would suggest building test environment first,
then production

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configuration)
● KISS* methodology is critical, would suggest building test environment first,
then production

*KISS = well known rock band of the 1980's

15


configuration)
● KISS* methodology is critical, would suggest building test environment first,
then production

*KISS = well known rock band of the 1980's

*KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid

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configuration)
● KISS methodology is critical, would suggest building test environment first,
then production
● Even in setting up and then starting services, there IS an order of
dependencies ...

17


#3) The Secret is in the Preparation
● Some key points:
▬ There are a lot of components required for the install - products, update installers, patches, fixes
▬ Many components are larger than 500MB in size, at least 2GB in total
▬ Preparation is particularly important if no direct access to servers - images and fixes can take a very
long time to copy if waiting
▬ Check and double-check ports and firewalls before starting - they may cause many and varied issues
during and after install
▬ Install process is very disk intensive - slow disks (e.g. in VMWare environment) can more than
double install duration

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● What comes in the box? (Oh, alright then, in the eAssembly!)

Lotus Connections 2.5 Installer Tivoli Directory Integrator 6.1.1
Lotus Connections 2.5 Wizards Tivoli Directory Server 6.0 (Optional)

WebSphere Application Server DB2 9.5
Network Deployment 6.1 (Optional)
WebSphere Application Server
Network Deployment Supplements 6.1
WebSphere Application Edge
Components 6.1 (Optional)

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● What you REALLY need!

WAS ND 6.1 PA/PW LC 2.5 Installer PA/PW TDI 6.1.1 PA/PW
WAS ND Supplements 6.1 PA/PW LC 2.5 Wizards PA/PW TDI 6.1.1 FP6 FC
WebSphere UpdateInstaller 7.0.0.5 TN LC 2.5 UpdateInstaller FC
WAS 6.1.0.23 FC All current LC2.5 Fixes FC

Oracle 10g MS SQL Server
DB2 9.5 FP3 or
Enterprise 2005 Enterprise
DB2 9.1 FP6 FC
10.2.0.4 SP2

Domino 7.0.2 MS Active
Tivoli Directory Novell eDirectory Sun Java Directory
FC Domino 8.0.2 Directory 2003
Server 6.0 FP3 8.8 Server 5.2, 6.0
Domino 8.5.x SP2+

FC = FixCentral http://ibm.com/support/fixcentral TN = UpdateInstaller TechNote http://www-01.ibm.com/support/
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PA/PW = Passport Advantage (Customers) or PartnerWorld (Partners) docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg24020212


● Supported Server Platforms:
▬ Check OS requirements carefully - WAS/DB2 etc. are supported on more platforms than Lotus
Connections

Windows 2008 Server (64 Bit only) AIX5L 5.3 TL4
Windows 2003 Server SP2 (32 Bit only)

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
RHEL AS/ES 4.7 (32-bit only)
(32-bit only)

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● Lessons learnt:
▬ If you are going to use a trusted SSL certificate, get it before installation - save you much pain later!
▬ Check and double-check the detailed system requirements
▬ Make your SysAdmins understand how important these pre-reqs are!
▬ Do not let them take Windows system updates automatically!

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#4) Plan twice thrice, install once!
● A lot of planning and design decisions taken early on in the install process can
return to haunt you later, so get them right first time - WebSphere is much less
forgiving than Domino in this regard
● It tends to be easier to scale ‘up and out’ than to drop components at a later
date:
▬ start small and correct, then build...
▬ rather than creating a grandiose server architecture that has issues and have to scale down to fix
● Set up your naming conventions early on:
▬ nodes
▬ servers
▬ clusters
▬ web servers
● Make life easy if you need to move physical servers or domains later:
▬ Always use short names for servers/hostnames - e.g. lcnode01 not lcnode01.myorg.com
▬ Always use logical names not physical/virtual machine names, e.g. lcnode01 not lcvm1n23p86!
▬ Even on simple one/two server installs, add aliases to hosts file(s)...

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● Think very carefully about the feature:server/cluster ratio
▬ 11 features : 11 WAS servers (JVMs) is usually too many
▬ wasted memory, hard to maintain, difficult to tie up errors across servers
▬ 11 features : 1 WAS server is often too few
▬ log files get very very busy, administration not granular enough, takes too long to start/stop
● 3-6 servers works best
● This is my favoured model:
▬ pcserver
▬ Profiles and Communities
▬ infraserver
▬Homepage, News, Search and Mobile
▬ appsserver
▬ Activities, Blogs and Dogear (Bookmarks)
▬ fwserver
▬ Files and Wikis
● Keeps co-dependent features together, scale/tune based on load/users/
volumes, allow fast start/stop if customising

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#4) Plan twice thrice, lcdmgr
WAS Server (physical/virtual machine)

install once! lcdmgr
dmgr

● An example, four WAS server,
single-node environment
lcnode01

lcprofile
pccluster appscluster
pcserver appsserver

profiles communities activities dogear

blogs

infracluster fwcluster
infraserver fwserver

homepage search files wikis

mobile news

LC feature
WAS Profile WAS
WAS Node WAS Server
Cluster
IHS server

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● DO NOT use the ‘advanced standalone’ option, ever!
▬ If using multiple profiles and WAS Standalone in Connections 2.0.x, migrate at upgrade time
● If in doubt, cluster!
▬ Cluster using co-resident Deployment Manager and Node from day one
▬ Ready to scale horizontally or vertically later
▬ Get into the clustered administration mindset before habits are set
● Sizing and tuning are important, but:
▬ IBM runs its TAP environment on just two nodes, one of which can take the load
▬ Therefore, do not get pushed into complex infrastructures for simple/small environments
▬ Often a well configured, well-specified single node WAS environment will be sufficient
● DB2 should be your default RDBMS option:
▬ Often ease of support and bundled licence override lack of specific DB2 skills

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● Focus on Profiles!
▬ Spend at least three times as long planning Profiles population, integration and customisation as
planning the Connection environment itself
▬ Can be a massive area for scope-creep - define, document and stick to plan!
▬ Involve all the relevant stake-holders at an early stage
▬Particularly Human Resources, Communications/Marketing, Reception/Telephony groups etc.
▬ Phase your Profiles rollout - often feedback from pilot groups can be opposite to expectations
▬ Profiles population usually the most important factor influencing Lotus Connections adoption
▬ Pre-populate Profiles photos, no matter what it takes!
▬ Consider using TDI to populate LDAP then populate Profiles
▬ Plan for business card use elsewhere, and for Sametime presence awareness

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#5) Ports
● Lotus Connections uses ports, ports and more ports

● LOTS of ports

● This becomes critical to know (and to know what Connections service has to
talk to what enterprise service [e.g., LDAP, SMTP, etc])

● Be aware that clusters screw up ports

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#5) Ports

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#5) Ports

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#6) Batten down the hatches
● Security is a very big deal in Lotus Connections, particularly with regard to
Profiles data
● Unless you have a very good reason not to, restrict access to all Connections
features to just authenticated users:
▬ ISC: Applications/Enterprise Applications/<Feature>/Security Role to UserGroup Mapping
▬ Change Reader from ‘Everyone’ to ‘All Authenticated’:

▬ OK, repeat for all features, Save
▬ Restart server(s)
▬ Has knock-on effect that API/REST calls will also need authentication
▬ Places a greater onus on SSO integration

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● SSO between Lotus Connections and Domino
▬ Well documented in the Infocenter and LC Wiki - http://tinyurl.com/lc-ld-sso
▬ Essentially...
▬ Export SSO LTPA token from WAS ISC
▬ Create new SSO configuration in Domino
▬ Import WAS LTPA token
▬ Assign new SSO configuration to Domino server

▬ But... there are some gotchas:
▬ Realm Name must be set to allow LTPA to be correctly imported into
Domino - http://tinyurl.com/lc-ld-realm
▬ ISC: Security/Secure administration, applications, and infrastructure

/Configure
▬ Set Realm name to be <host_name>:<port> of the LDAP server

▬ and:
▬ Turn off LTPA key rollover
▬ ISC: SSL certificate and key management/Key set groups/
CellLTPAKeySetGroup
▬ Disable “Automatically generate keys”

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● But some Connections security can get onerous and be unnecessary
● e.g. needing to enter username/password when stopping server or accessing
wsadmin
● So, assuming your physical system and O/S are properly secured, disable
this:
▬ In $WAS_HOME/profiles/<profile>/properties
▬ Edit soap.client.props
▬ Change:
com.ibm.SOAP.securityEnabled=false
com.ibm.SOAP.loginUserid=
com.ibm.SOAP.loginPassword=
▬ To:
com.ibm.SOAP.securityEnabled=true
com.ibm.SOAP.loginUserid=wasadmin
com.ibm.SOAP.loginPassword=mypassword
● Can save a massive amount of time over a Connections rollout project...

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#7) TDI is a powerhouse you need to know
how to handle
● TDI is an incredibly powerful product in its own right
● Bundled with Lotus Connections 2.5 and Lotus Domino 8.5 (limited licences)
● Principally use TDI through Population Wizard and pre-built Lotus Connections
scripts, e.g.:
▬ collect_dns.[bat/sh]
▬ populate_from_dn_file.[bat/sh]
▬ sync_all_dns.[bat/sh]
▬ mark_managers.[bat/sh]
● However, useful to get to know what’s under the covers...

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how to handle
● First, make sure TDI is correctly configured - http://tinyurl.com/lc-tdi-config:
▬ Install without Working Directory, and simple install location (e.g. c:IBMTDI or /opt/IBM/TDI)
▬ Patched to 6.1.1.6
▬ Copy TDIPopulationTDISOL directory from LC2.5 Wizards install package into $TDI_HOME (e.g.
into c:IBMTDITDISOL)
▬ Rename subdirectory to be TDI (e.g. c:IBMTDITDISOLwin becomes c:IBMTDITDISOLTDI)
▬ Increase JVM size:
▬ Edit $TDI_HOME/ibmdisrv (Unix) or $TDI_HOMEibmdisrv.bat (Windows)
▬ Change last line:

java" -cp ...
▬ to:

java" -Xms256M -Xmx1024M -cp ...
▬ Set TDI Solution directory:
▬ Edit $TDI_HOME/TDISOL/TDI/tdienv.[bat/sh]
▬ Ensure TDIPATH is set correctly, e.g.
export TDIPATH=/opt/IBM/TDI/
▬ or:
SET TDIPATH=C:IBMTDI
● There is a temptation to run TDI from Wizards package - don’t!
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how to handle
● Then set options files correctly:
▬ profiles_tdi.properties
▬ map_dbrepos_from_source.properties
● Use combination of:
▬ collect_dns.[bat/sh] and populate_from_dn_file.[bat/sh] to populate new users
▬ sync_all_dns.[bat/sh] to sync changes/deletions from LDAP [watch for new
‘perform_deletion_for_sync’ parameter that is part of FixPack 1 or fix LO46673]
▬ Recommend the scheduling of these tasks nightly using CRON (Unix) or Scheduled Tasks
(Windows)
▬ Check the logs!

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how to handle
● But that is just the start!
● Open TDI Config Editor on Windows servers, or install TDI on a Windows
desktop/VM

● Make a backup of profiles_tdi.xml and open the new copy
● Get to understand the concepts of Assembly Lines and Connectors
● Try creating a modifed version of Assembly Line to import from other resources
(CSV files, databases etc.)
● The world is your oyster!
● Attend the many TDI sessions at Lotusphere 2010...
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#8) Install Tricks
● Create a "cheat sheet"

▬ You'll find you're doing certain tasks over and over – create a cheat sheet
that has all the instructions already typed out so you can simply copy and
paste
▬ Perfect example:

Editing config files

38


#8) Install Tricks
● Steps (and text to paste
in) to check out, modify
and check back in XML
configuration files

39


#8) Install Tricks
● Mind Maps

40


#9) Don't let config files scare you
● Particularly for an admin new to the world of WebSphere applications, the
sheer number of configuration files can seem daunting.

● Turns out, there are essentially three different types of config files we need to
worry about:

▬ LotusConnections-config.xml
▬ notification-config.xml
▬ <service>-config.xml (e.g., profiles-config.xml, blogs-config.xml)

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● LotusConnections-config.xml

▬ Handles the duties at the “Connections Server” level (a Domino equivalent
would be the notes.ini for the server)
▬ Basically, tells the server what services are turned on for any particular
instance, and what their address is

42


● notification-config.xml

▬ As you might suspect, this handles notification information – what SMTP
server to use, what to send notifications about, etc.

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● <service>-config.xml

▬ You'll have one of these for each of the Connections services you're running
on a particular machine:
▬ profiles-config.xml

▬ blogs-config.xml

▬ activities-config.xml

▬ etc.

▬ Each of these handle configuration information specific to the particular
service

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● To work with them, you simply check them out, edit what you need to edit, and
check them back in

cd /optware/WebSphere/AppServer/profiles/AppSrv01/bin
./wsadmin.sh -lang jython -user wasadm -password passw0rd -port 8880
execfile("connectionsConfig.py")
LCConfigService.checkOutConfig("/optware/tmp","yourserverdev01Node01Cell")

<modify file from another shell connection>

LCConfigService.checkInConfig()

● Then, restart the server

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#10) Fixes: Fixpacks and iFixes -
They are your friends
● The good news is that IBM is continually fixing things

● The bad news is there's a constant stream of new fixes to install

● The good news is that iFixes (Interim Fixes) are periodically rolled up into
FixPacks, and installing ONE of those can eliminate installing a bunch of iFixes

▬ For example, Fixpack 1 for Connections 2.0.1 contained 72 iFixes

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● Good news: There is a “Wizard” that you can use to install
iFixes and Fixpacks

● Bad news: The Wizard can only install one iFix at a time (if there are
dependencies)

● Good news: You can install multiple iFixes via the command line

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● Good news: There is a “Wizard” that you can use to install
iFixes and Fixpacks

● Bad news: The Wizard can only install one iFix at a time

● Good news: You can install multiple iFixes via the command line

● Bad news, the syntax for that command looks like this:

(ready?)

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/usr/IBM/WebSphere/LotusConnections/update>

chmod +x updateLC.sh

./updateLC.sh -fix -installDir /usr/IBM/WebSphere/LotusConnections

-fixDir /usr/IBM/WebSphere/LotusConnections/update/fixes

-install -fixes <APAR_number_of_fix>

-wasUserId <AdminUserID> -wasPassword <AdminPassword>

49


#11) Themes belong on the HTTP Server!
● Almost every organisation wants to change the default ‘OneUI’ theme colours,
or at least the Lotus Connections logo
● In default ‘all features’ install, there are 8 copies of the theme, stored within
features on WAS servers
● Editing is therefore tricky to do consistently, unless...

● The theme is moved to the HTTP server
▬ Only one set of HTML, CSS and images to customize
▬ Access can be given to web designer without need to access WAS server
▬ Caching of theme content becomes easier, and thus access faster

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● A theme is made up of multiple components:
▬ CSS, header.html, footer.html and images
● CSS:
▬ Controls all of the colours and background images
▬ Allows Web Designer to make changes to elements like link colours and background images
▬ <Profile_Home>/installedApps/<nodename>/<feature EAR>/<feature WAR>/nav/common/styles/
defaultTheme/defaultTheme.css
● Header.html:
▬ Controls appearance of banner, including logo and feature tabs
▬ May include link to CSS file
▬ Found in: <Profile_Home>/installedApps/<nodename>/<feature EAR>/<feature WAR>/nav/
templates/header.html
● Footer.html
▬ Controls appearance of footer
▬ Great place to add links to other corporate sites, resources or tools
▬ Default has many IBM-specific links
▬ Found in: <Profile_Home>/installedApps/<nodename>/<feature EAR>/<feature WAR>/nav/
templates/footer.html

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● Images:
▬ Directory contains 400+ images used to build a Connections page
▬ Found in <Profile_Home>/installedApps/<nodename>/<feature EAR>/<feature WAR>/nav/common/
styles/images
▬ Many images are transparent and can be used across all themes
▬ Others are closely tied to default theme colour scheme,and must be regenerated - not so many with
2.5

2.0.x vs. 2.5

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● Five step process:
▬ Move default theme to HTTP Server
▬ Configure LC2.5 to use HTTP-based theme
▬ Test
▬ Customise theme
▬ Test
● Create directory on HTTP server for theme:
▬ e.g. c:IBMHTTPServerhtdocsen_USmytheme, /opt/IBM/HTTPServer/htdocs/en_US/mytheme
● Create sub-directory for css and html:
▬ e.g. c:IBMHTTPServerhtdocsen_USmythemecss_html, /opt/IBM/HTTPServer/htdocs/en_US/
mytheme/css_html
● From profiles application:
▬ Copy across header.html, footer.html, defaultTheme.css and themeImages directory into mytheme/
css_html
● Copy images directory into mytheme/images
▬ e.g. c:IBMHTTPServerhtdocsen_USmythemeimages, /opt/IBM/HTTPServer/htdocs/en_US/
mytheme/images

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● Move default theme to HTTP Server
▬ Create directory on HTTP server for theme:
▬e.g. c:IBMHTTPServerhtdocsen_USmytheme,
/opt/IBM/HTTPServer/htdocs/en_US/mytheme
▬ Create sub-directory for css and html:
▬e.g. c:IBMHTTPServerhtdocsen_USmythemecss_html,
/opt/IBM/HTTPServer/htdocs/en_US/mytheme/css_html
▬ From profiles application:
▬Copy across header.html, footer.html, defaultTheme.css and themeImages directory into
mytheme/css_html
▬ Copy images directory into mytheme/images
▬e.g. c:IBMHTTPServerhtdocsen_USmythemeimages, /opt/IBM/HTTPServer/htdocs/en_US/
mytheme/images
▬ Check you can access the files via a browser, e.g.:
▬ http://connections.myorg.com/mytheme/images/logo.png
▬ http://connections.myorg.com/mytheme/css_html/header.html
▬ http://connections.myorg.com/mytheme/css_html/footer.html
▬ http://connections.myorg.com/mytheme/csss_html/defaultTheme.css

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● Configure Connections to use HTTP-based theme
▬ Edit LotusConnections-config.xml * <style enabled="false">
▬ Search for ‘style enabled’, change lines: 
<header url="admin_replace"/>
<footer url="admin_replace"/>
<images ssl_url="admin_replace"
url="admin_replace"/>
<caching value="private, max-age=3601"/>
</style>
▬ to:
<style enabled="true">

<header url="http://connections.myorg.com/mytheme/css_html/header.html"/>
<footer url="http://connections.myorg.com/mytheme/css_html/footer.html"/>
<images ssl_url="https://connections.myorg.com/mytheme/images" url="http://
connections.myorg.com/mytheme/images"/>
<caching value="private, max-age=3601"/>
</style>
▬ Save file

* Using appropriate wsadmin commands to checkin/checkout

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● Configure Connections to use HTTP-based theme
▬ Tell Connections to use CSS from mytheme directory
▬ Edit mytheme/css_html/header.html, add relative (not absolute) link to CSS file just below
<div class=”lotusInner”>:
<div class="lotusRightCorner">
<div class="lotusInner">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/mytheme/css_html/defaultTheme.css" type="text/css">

▬ Save file. Restart WAS. Restart HTTP.
● Test
▬ Access the site via a browser
▬ Should see Connections appearing same as previously, but with
images, header and footer from HTTP site
▬ Test by ‘View Image’ on Lotus Connections logo, or by adding
comment to HTML files and using ‘View Source’
● Now you’re ready to customise the theme!
● (Look out for session AD301 Customizing Lotus
Connections, Tuesday 11:15 in SWAN 5-6)

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#12) Ssshh! You can get away with a lot if
you’re careful!
● The Lotus Connections 2.5 Infocenter is insistent in the regard that things must
be done properly, e.g. all edits to XML files must be done via CheckOut/
CheckIn, e.g.:
Checking out the widgets-config.xml file for Profiles
To configure settings in the widgets-config.xml file for Profiles, complete the following steps:
1. Use the wsadmin client to access the Profiles configuration files.
Use one of the following commands to access the Profiles configuration files:
* Stand-alone deployment:
execfile("profilesAdmin.py")
* Network deployment:
execfile("<$WAS_HOME>/profiles/<DMGR>/config/bin_lc_admin/profilesAdmin.py")
2. Use the following command to check out the widget configuration file:
ProfilesConfigService.checkOutWidgetConfig("<working_directory>", "<cell_name>")
where:
* <working_directory> is the temporary working directory to which the configuration XML and XSD files will be copied. The files are
kept in this working directory while you make changes to them.
* <cell_name> is the name of the WebSphere Application Server cell hosting the Profiles feature. This argument is required even in
stand-alone deployments.
For example:
ProfilesConfigService.checkOutWidgetConfig("/wsadminoutput", "jdoe30Node02Cell")
3. Navigate to the temporary directory in which you saved the widgets-config.xml file, and then open the file in a text editor and make the
required changes.
4. Save your changes and check the widgets-config.xml file back in using the following command:
ProfilesConfigService.checkInWidgetConfig()

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/ltscnnct/v2r0/topic/com.ibm.connections.25.help/c_admin_profiles_configure_widgets.html

57


you’re careful!
● This takes a long time, but does cut out a lot (thought not all) mistakes
● For newcomers, stick to the Infocenter advice!

58


you’re careful!
● For more experienced folks:
▬ Take a backup of the XML file (do NOT leave it with a .xml extension!)
▬ Edit the XML
▬ Check the XML for validity, using a command line tool, web-based tester or by opening in a web
browser (this is the default behaviour for .xml files on Windows anyway)
▬ Once satisfied of the validity of your changes, then synchronize node (if appropriate) and stop/start
servers
● Saves a significant amount of time
● But beware! A mistake in an XML file can cause an entire server or (in the case
of LotusConnections-config.xml) the whole of Connections to fail to start

59


you’re careful!
● Other areas for possible corner cutting...
● Editing JSP elements requires unpacking and repacking of .jar files
▬ There are Java tools to do this, but on Windows it can be easier to:
▬ Change extension to .zip
▬ Unpack using WinZip or Extract All Files

▬ Make the changes you need

▬ Repack with WinZip or Send To/Compressed File

▬ Rename to replace original .jar file

▬ But... There is no testing as part of this process, so you are strongly advised to test on a separate
Connections system and then promote to live under change control
● Editing of CSS files
▬ There are some great CSS editing tools out there, particularly from Adobe
▬ However, nothing beats being able to edit and preview CSS changes on a live site...
▬ Strong recommended to install and use FireBug in the Firefox browser - a free plugin that makes
editing CSS a cinch!

60


Agenda


● Summary

61


Summary ...
● Installing Lotus Connections really isn't as complicated as it seems ...
● Installing 2.5 is much more straightforward than 2.0.x (and light years better
than 1.0.x)
● RTFM & Be Prepared
● There are some real time-savers (like the check-out/check-in cheat sheet) that
can simplify things dramatically
● There is no better way than to test your install process multiple times

● There are LOTS of great sessions this week, so be sure to check them out

62


Contact us ...
● We're both ready, willing and (hopefully) able to answer questions.
● We're both VERY interested in assisting you on your projects (see, like, ya
know, this is what we do for a living ...)
● Contact us!
▬ Stuart McIntyre
stuart@collaborationmatters.com
Skype: stuart_mcintyre
Twitter: stuartmcintyre

▬ Rob Wunderlich
rob@dominounplugged.com
Skype: rob_wunderlich
Twitter: rwunder

● Don’t forget your evaluations!

64


Thank you!

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BP112 Twelve Things Your Mother Never Told You About Installing IBM Lotus Connections

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