In the SSL/CW list of IT skills, Lotus Notes is number 49
What is it?
Notes and Domino are the client and server portions of the IBM
Lotus messaging and collaboration solutions. As a messaging
platform, Notes and Domino compete most directly with Microsoft
Exchange, and IBM and Microsoft each have a stable of analysts
ready to demonstrate that one or the other offers the best
functionality and the lowest total cost of ownership.
But Notes and Domino have a much wider range of applications
including workgroup co-ordination, document management, online
training and enterprise application integration, with Notes
functioning as a single front-end for mixed-supplier ERP and
database applications.
Where did it originate?
Lotus arrived in 1983 with the 1-2-3 spreadsheet, which rapidly
replaced Visicalc as the most widely used PC application. Notes
appeared in 1989. In 1995, Lotus became part of IBM's software
group. IBM now claims 90 million Notes client users.
What is it for?
In its early years Notes was widely admired, but nobody quite knew
what to do with it. Software houses and in-house enthusiasts
developed thousands of niche applications with it, including
executive information systems, marketing databases and field
workforce management systems.
The focus shifted to messaging when Lotus cc:mail was migrated to
Notes, which also greatly enlarged the user base. There are now
desktop, web and mobile versions of the Notes client. Mobile users
can download the applications and data they need and work offline,
or access the corporate Domino server from any PC, keeping their
personal profile.
What makes it special?
Most, though not all elements of the Notes and Domino family are
available across a range of operating systems and hardware
platforms, from personal digital assistants to mainframes and Linux
to Windows 2003 and XP.
The Domino Designer IDE includes the Lotus Formula programming
language and Lotusscript, but developers can also work with Java
and Javascript. The replication capabilities mean that project
members in different timezones can co-ordinate their work.
There are Lotus Enterprise Integrator connectors for DB2, Oracle
RDBMS and applications, Sybase, SAP and PeopleSoft. Notes and
Domino are also tightly integrated with IBM's Websphere and Tivoli.
How difficult is it to master?
There are four-day foundation courses for developers and
administrators, but to reach certification you need to pass at
least three exams, demonstrating working capability based on
experience.
Where is it used?
In larger businesses, usually - though not exclusively - IBM
platform users. They include Coca-Cola, Earls Court and Olympia
Group, publisher John Wiley, Manchester Airport and Flintshire
Council.
What systems does it run on?
Different parts of the Notes and Domino family run on Windows 95,
98, XP, NT4, Windows 2000 and 2003, AIX, Solaris, Linux and IBM's
zSeries mainframes and iSeries (formerly AS/400).
What is coming up?
Full integration of Lotus instant messaging (Sametime) within all
applications; consolidation of end-user access in a web portal; and
"wall-to-wall" Linux for all Notes and Domino products.