Author: lekkim

Positive, competent, out-spoken, frank and customer focused architect and developer with a strong foundation in web, cloud and product development. I'm a strong advocate for API first and cloud based solutions and development. I have a knack for being able to communicate and present technically complicated matters in conference, customer and training settings. I've previously acted as team member and leader in a product organisation.

Configure Eclipse 3.4 for Notes 8.5.1

With the eminent release of Notes 8.5.1 it will become important for all you plugin guys and gals to update your configuration to work with Notes 8.5.1. This post will address this.

One of the really nice things about this new release is how Lotus strive to minimize the disk footprint of the install package. Part of this involves how jar-files are stored in the installed package but also how many Java VM’s ship with Notes. Previously there were 2 JVM’s – now there’s only one. There’s no longer a JRE stored in the plugin directory way down in the directory structure. Now you simply use the JVM in <Notes install dir>/jvm – simple right?!

This is nice but it means that your Eclipse configuration needs to be a little different JVM wise. I have therefore updated my Eclipse configuration guidelines to work with Notes 8.5.1.

Happy coding…

Please note: Once Notes 8.5.1 is final and released I’ll update the guidelines with the correct install id etc.

I’m back

So I’m back from my honeymoon and slowly returning to my online life. 3 weeks in Singapore and Malaysia without internet, e-mail, phone, twitter, blog… Very, very nice but a bit scary! 🙂

I’ll be speaking at the Dutch Notes User Group in Amsterdam

I’m happy to announce that I’ll be speaking at the Dutch Lotus Notes User Group in Amsterdam on 29-30 October. Of course my company will also be there as a sponsor and exhibitor.

“Two full days packed with technical sessions, IT strategy and visionaries. All concentrated around IBM Lotus software. This is the perfect opportunity to learn from others, network with peers or get acquainted with new technologies from Lotus.”

See you there.

Using a non self-signed certificate with Lotus Connections

When you deploy Lotus Connections you find out that the login has to be done using SSL and hence you need a SSL certificate. When Lotus Connections is installed a self-signed certificate is generated but you’ll probably want to use a “real” certificate whether this be one signed by a public CA or one signed by a corporate CA. Doing this is quite simple if you only swap out the IBM HTTP Server certificate as this only requires change to httpd.conf and using the ikeyman application.

Although the ikeyman application looks like something from another century it works and does its job. To launch it go to c:websphereappserverprofilesappserver1bin and invoke ikeyman.bat (substitute the path as appropriate). Once this is done follow the documentation to create a new keystore database (KDB format) and create a stash file. Then generate a new key pair and submit the keys for certification at your CA (again follow the documentation). The stash file is used by the web server to open the otherwise encrypted keystore without a password.

When you receive the reply please bear in mind that the certifying certificate must be in the keystore before accepting the reply. For most CA’s this will require you to import a certificate before proceeding. This goes for Equifax as well as Verisign. The easiest way to find these is to surf to your CA and search for “intermediate”.

Once this is done you can import the certificate reply, update httpd.conf, restart IHS and you’re laughing…