IBM Notes/Domino 9.0.1 was released recently and in addition to some fixes, it also provides two new features which are rather interesting:

  • an ODS update to ODS52
  • starting of Java Code can now be restricted in the Execution Control List (ECL) of the Notes client

ODS 52

The good news is that each new ODS version brings performance improvements due to reduced transactions and disk i/o requirements. The bad news, however, is that IBM has so far not published concrete performance statistics about ODS52.

Our colleagues Francie Tanner and Florian Vogler actually have presented several times at IBM Connect about performance and the huge impact a current ODS can have. If you happen to have MarvelClient, you’re just two steps away from better performance and a new ODS.

  • MarvelClient Upgrade makes it possible to upgrade and standardize your IBM Notes client to 9.0.1 quickly and without support calls. If this sounds too good to be true, ask Dianne Brenner from Kim Greene Consulting Inc., who is one of several admins to have already performed a successful client upgrade to 9.0.1 with MarvelClient. While doing an upgrade does require several steps, essentially you just roll out the upgrade package via our throttled Smart File Downloader and within about 15 minutes or less, your users are on 9.0.1.
  • Following the client upgrade, you will have to create a *.ini & Variables Action in MarvelClient that sets the parameter „CREATE_R9_DATABASES“ to 1 and a Run Program Action that runs a “ncompact” in the background, such as below
Create R9 Databases
Run Program Action that runs a “ncompact” in the background

Upon your users next Notes restart, all their local databases are raised to ODS52 automatically.

In case you are not using MarvelClient, you can upgrade the ODS of local databases via a Notes Policy by using a Desktop Setting. Just enable on the Mail Tab the following configuration:

Mail Tab

One of the drawbacks with this default IBM approach is, that you basically don’t know when the ODS upgrade is being executed. So you basically can’t control this mechanism whereas with MarvelClient you can.

Load Java Code

The Notes client security can now also be enhanced by restricting the execution of Java code, such as agents, applets, or XPages. One way to accomplish this is to set it up right in the ECL of the Notes client (“Load Java Code” line), or via policy where you also can assign particular signers whom should be trusted. Alternatively, you can set the notes.ini parameter “DISABLE_JAVA_LOAD” to 1. This would prevent the execution of ALL Java code.

Again, if you have MarvelClient, of course, both of the above options can be done with an ECL Action in a predictable and repeatable way (see Action settings on screenshot below):

Action settings for ECL

Consequently, MarvelClient offers administrators a convenient way to activate and persistently set this security feature, with virtually no effort, on all IBM Notes clients.

And while we’re talking about making your life easier with MarvelClient….. I also would like to mention two more Eclipse settings which are perfectly suitable to be managed centrally by MarvelClient Eclipse, although these settings were already available in IBM Notes 9.0:

Managing of Shortcut Buttons

Shortcut Buttons

To display, for instance, mail, calendar, contacts and workspace as a shortcut (see screenshot above), you can make use of a Set Eclipse Config Action configured as shown in the screenshot below:

Set Eclipse Config Action

Disable „Show Toolbar Only When Editing“

It is also possible to show the Toolbar even though you are not in the edit mode – which a lot of users actually prefer.

Show Toolbar Only When Editing

Simply set up a Set Eclipse Config Action configured as shown on the screenshot below:

Set Eclipse Config

Have fun with 9.0.1 and we look forward to your feedback!