What was the problem?

There are two servers. One primary and one secondary. The majority of the users would run on the primary until it crashed then as expected would jump over to the secondary. Problem was when they started to move to the secondary the server would run up 300% CPU (Which is ok in a LPAR system if you have the CPU) and eventually just crash as well leaving NO mail server, which is a bad thing.

Ater begging for help from IBM Support I finally got some answers about the issue. Seems there is a problem with OS/400 V5R4 that does not make Domino 8.5.X very happy. Seems the issue lies in the way OS/400 does a look up on the files/DBs and OS/400 adds a 4K record to every record looked up. On a server with over 5000 users and a Domino Directory with 25,000 users and 65,000 Groups that is going to get messy. So when the fail over started the server would go nuts trying to index, compact, failover and do lookups to make sure everything was right and going into this spiral of doom eventually crashing. You add 4K to every record, every lookup and every little document while it is failing over and you get all kinds of issues.

So not only was my primary down, not my secondary was down as well.

So with both server down a few questions come up;

1 . Why and 2. When can we move to Exchange.

Answers;

1. I am working on it and 2. Never!

I am still looking for the IBM Article that shows the problem. I will try to contact IBM Support again this weekend get it. I am sure some of you want to know more.

The fix is simple (I use the term loosley) upgrade the OS to V6R1 or V7R1 and it fixes the problem. But in a big IT environment it’s not that easy. So I have spent the past 6 months building new servers and moving them into place to replace the old one. Still in the process of doing this today and things are going well. The secondary server is doing good and the primary is due for a swap out in the next few weeks.
Now the question is WHY?

Why is this an issue?

Why did IBM fail to fix it years ago and lastly WHY is V5R4 still supported?

I know in the next few months V5R4 will fall out of support. I think it is later this year, but as some of you have pointed out this is unacceptable and the question needs to be asked. Why did IBM not want to invest the time to fix what I consider one of it’s most stable and most robust OS’es (short of OS/2 )

1. Lotus figures out a way to make a one stop web based client that can easily manage mail, chat, Quickrs and Domino Databases without having to know a ton about a client and how to find a DB on a server. I have seen Vulcan and I love it. Make it happen!
2. The Administration client goes 100% web based so that Admins can run Windows, Mac, BeOS, OS/2 or Linux as the desktop.
3. IBM and Lotus work together to offer a discount to people who put Lotus Domino on IBM Power Hardware using Linux or IBM iOS so that the best OS, Hardware, and Application Server is all being used eliminating all the underlying Windows based problems with random hardware, drivers, and OS issues. If you don’t pick up what I am throwing down. Windows sucks as a Server OS and has way to many variables that create issues. IBM Blade+Power+(Linux or IBM iOS)+Louts Domino = More Domino Stability . . . hope you are reading this Frank Soltis!
4. The Developer Client needs to be multi-platform as well. Way too many people are coming out of college not using Windows. They use Macs mostly and then a close second with “geeks” is Linux. If you want to energize the developers to using your free developer tool you have to put it on a platform people are using. Windows in colleges is dying and it is time IBM and Lotus pull out the big wooden stake and drive it through the heart of Microsoft instead of playing footsie with them.
5. It’s time to crush Microsofts products and stop playing nice with them about marketing. Microsoft is down on the mat and it’s time to start beating the crap out of them like they have Lotus. The problem over the past few years is that Microsoft takes the gloves off even when they are making it up, and Lotus stands by and plays facts and figures (Nothing wrong with that of course.) and it’s gotten old. Start hitting them like you mean it.
6. Lotus needs to be more open in colleges and universities. What do I mean about this. Why not start paying for a few “Domino Designer” instructors to come in and teach it as a class and while you are there have a few Domino Admin classes too….for FREE! See what kind of buzz you can create. I think if you did this in 20 or 30 medium sized colleges or tech schools you might surprise the hell out of yourselves when the class is packed and has a waiting list. Show the power of the product without flooding the class with marketing jazz.
7. South America and Africa are both emerging markets. In the next 20 years they are going to be HOT HOT HOT! It is time now to jump in both regions with your products and sell them like crazy keeping in mind that the marketing you use in the US and Canada will not work. You have to think like a person and market to them by being more hands on and willing to help with their business. They are both very tight nit areas of the world where family matters and you have to win them over with trust. They have to see you as family before they will trust you.
8. Find small to medium size businesses that have or are considering Lotus and give them some free development & administration time from someone at IBM to get them going. If you infiltrate the company with useable application hosted on Domino and they company uses them, then you have your big fat foot in the door.
9. Lotus might also want to find companies that are old established customers and offer some FREE or discounted services to make sure Lotus stays in place. Too many companies like the idea of booting Lotus out for something new and shinny when in fact the new and shinny is old and broken, only it is new and shinny to them….
10. Take the marketing gloves off! It’s time to stop preaching to the chior and time to tell people who you are. There are too many IT people who still see R5 when they think of Lotus. Lotus is great when it comes to energizing the Lotus Geeks of the world, but you miss the mark by not explaining what you do to normal IT people who still think of Lotus in the same light they do a mainframe! Start marketing like you mean it.

Add some of your own in the comments and tell me where I am wrong. I will add more as I get them stuck in my head. Lets see if Lotus and IBM can address any of my wish list.