Connector for IBM Lotus Notes

With the Connector for IBM Lotus Notes, you can integrate data from Lotus Notes databases into your web-based Intrexx platform - in real time. There you can access the data via your application and integrate it into processes. Your employees can then access it individually and with any terminal devices. For example, assign tasks to your employees that trigger further actions when executed or set off an automated reminder process when not executed. Or you can provide each logged-in user with their personal data such as appointments and tasks in an application. In addition, this calendar can be used to feed an absence list in the platform, which can be viewed by all employees, for example.

Especially if you are planning to switch from Lotus Notes, the Connector is the means of choice for migrating your existing data and implementing your previous applications bit by bit on the basis of Intrexx technology. Create secure and stable applications with Intrexx based on modern technologies, which can be adapted and expanded at any time, and open them up for the possibilities of digitization.

Functions at a glance:

  • Transfer Lotus Notes data into an Intrexx platform

  • Access in Intrexx applications and processes to all Lotus Notes databases or the personal mail database of the logged-in user

  • Lotus Notes documents can be viewed, edited, deleted and created

  • Merge data with applications

  • Lotus Notes data record maintenance with Intrexx processes

  • No need to switch between the different systems

  • Web- and browser-capable processing of Lotus Notes data pools

  • Distribution of Lotus Notes data via individual web applications and processes

  • Distribution of documents via the newsfeed in Intrexx Share

  • Easy and fast deployment of Web services/REST services with Lotus Notes data

  • Transfer of Lotus Notes data to a modern platform that does not require a Lotus programming language

General information

  • Intrexx accesses the Lotus Notes or Domino Server via the Lotus Notes Java API via the Notes protocol DIIOP (Domino Internet Inter-ORB Protocol).

  • The HTTP and DIIOP services on the Domino Server need to be activated.

Integrating the library file NCSO.jar

When connecting the Lotus Notes interface and creating a data connection via DIIOP (Domino Internet Inter-ORB Protocol), it is possible to integrate data (such as addresses, project data, etc.) from a Domino server into a portal. To do so, the library file "NCSO.jar" must be connected. This file is contained in the delivered version of Lotus Notes. In order to correctly register the library, please carry out the following steps:

  1. Close the Portal Manager.

  2. Stop all Intrexx services.

  3. Copy the file "NCSO.jar" to the installation directory /lib.

  4. Restart all Intrexx services.

  5. Open the Portal Manager and switch to the Integration module.

Step-by-step guide

To add a Lotus Notes data source in the Intrexx Portal Manager, please proceed as follows:

  1. Open the "Integration" menu.

  2. Click on "Connector for IBM Lotus Notes" under "Consume data".

  3. Right-click on the item and select "New data source" from the context menu.
    This will open the "Connection parameters" dialog.

    Name

    Description

    Connection name

    Provide the connection with a name here. This name is free choice.
    The connection name entered here is shown when you integrate the Lotus Notes database into an application as an external data group.
    More information about this is available in the chapter Integrate external data into applications.

    Server

    Enter the hostname (Fully Qualified Domain Name) or the IP address of the Domino server.

    Port

    Enter the port of the DIIOP service on the Domino Server.
    The port entered here must be open and available to the Intrexx server (default port: 63148).
    You may need to configure your firewall for this.

    External login

    Here you can select an external login from the "User" module to access the database. In the External login area, the logins that can be used to log in to other systems are stored in a central location in the user administration. User Enter the user name here for logging in to the Domino Server.

    User

    Enter the user name here for logging in to the Domino Server. This user account is required for selecting the database and for creating the external data group.
    For more information, see the chapter Which user data is required for which use case?.

    Password

    Enter the password (Domino web/Internet password of the user).

    Connection timeout

    This value determines how many milliseconds Intrexx will wait for a response from the Domino server.
    The value -1 will deactivate the timeout.
    It makes sense to set a timeout for testing purposes.
    If you show data in a view table in a live system, it should be filtered so that it is shown after a reasonable amount of time.
    If you have large amounts of data, it can make sense to copy these to an Intrexx application via a process.

    Database name

    The path to the currently selected database on the Domino Server is shown here. Example: Mail file John Doe mail/jdoe.nsf

    Search

    Opens a dialog where the desired Lotus database can be selected.

    So that the database search works correctly, the following option must be activated: "allow HTTP clients to browse Domino databases"
    This option is only relevant for the search for the database. The connector itself is fully functional without this option.
    If you know the name of the database, then you can enter it manually.

    Mail database

    With this setting the database of the user that you entered in the configuration will be accessed.

    Test connection

    Click on this button to test whether Intrexx can successfully establish a connection using the data specified (or using the external login).

    Note Bear in mind that subsequent changes to an already saved connection only take effect after the

    portal service has been restarted. When using a Lotus Notes data source, not all Intrexx functions are available. For example, a process cannot access files (embedded objects) of a Lotus Notes data source. The search function of an Intrexx application will also not be available in a Lotus Notes external data group.

  4. Specify the corresponding information.

  5. Click on "OK".
    You have added a Lotus Notes data source.

Which user data is required for which use case?

In the following, the user who was entered in the "Connection parameters" dialog will be referred to as the technical user.
For the different login scenarios, the order in which the credentials are used is specified.

Login when searching for the database name

  1. The technical user is used. If the login is not successful, an error message is shown.

  2. If a technical user has not been specified, the anonymous user is used for the login.

Test connection

  1. The external login is used. If the login is not successful, an error message is shown.

  2. If an external login has not been specified, the technical user is used. If the login is not successful, an error message is shown.

  3. If a technical user has not been specified, the anonymous user is used for the login.

Select applications and external data groups and fields

  1. The technical user is used. If the login is not successful, an error message is shown.

  2. If a technical user has not been specified, the anonymous user is used for the login.

Login in the web

  1. The external login is used. If the login is not successful, an error message is shown.

  2. If an external login has not been specified, the technical user is used. If the login is not successful, an error message is shown.

  3. If a technical user has not been specified, the anonymous user is used for the login.

More information

Integrate Lotus Notes data into applications
Connector for IBM Lotus Notes - Connection parameters