HCL Nomad Web is a web client based on the HCL Notes Basic desktop client to work with Domino applications (databases). HCL Nomad Web can be used either as a pure browser app or as a PWA (Progressive Web App), like HCL Verse.

Compared to the Notes client, Nomad Web (officially known as HCL Nomad for Web Browser) offers a whole range of business benefits:

  • No software deployment
  • Upgrades will be maintained automatically
  • Usable from any computer (with a connection to the HCL SafeLinx service)
  • Supported on Windows, MacOS and Linux
  • Usable with your browser of choice (see Limitations)

As a user, you simply enter a URL, which is usually provided by the IT department, into a browser and you are ready to go.

It allows users to decide for themselves when and where they want to use the application. This promotes business flexibility and increases overall employee productivity.

A Few Technical Facts

Nomad Web comprises modern technologies such as Emscripten (cross-compiler), WebAssembly (w3c standard), JavaScript and HTML.

As Nomad Web is a 100% browser-only application, browser restrictions prevent direct communication with an HCL Domino server via port 1352. For this reason, HCL provides SafeLinx, a reverse proxy and VPN product. SafeLinx is essentially a gateway between the Domino server infrastructure and Nomad Web.

Technically, Nomad Web is “only” a little piece of software on the server. It consists of the so-called “static web files”, which must be placed either on the Domino or SafeLinx server. Please note that HCL Nomad Web and SafeLinx are both included in HCL’s CCB license. No additional license costs!

Limitations

As Nomad Web is based on the Notes Basic client, additional features offered with the Notes Standard client are neither available nor supported. This means no plugins, no JavaAgents, no SwiftFile, etc.

Rather than listing individual limitations here, I recommend taking a look at this up-to-date list of short- and long-term restrictions provided by HCL.

What Makes Nomad Web Interesting for Your Company?

The expectations on modern companies and digital workplaces are constantly evolving. As the hybrid workforce grows at a rapid rate, companies are seeking new ways to simplify IT and improve business agility.

Work-from-home isn’t going anywhere for many industries. More than half (54%) of enterprise business leaders believe their companies will adopt a flexible, or hybrid, model of working post-pandemic, where employees split their time remote and in the office.

Citrix 2021, Pulse Research: Understanding the role of technology in flexible work

Besides the focus on costs, the focus on employee experience and employee productivity is continuously increasing. The latter are factors why the use of Nomad Web makes sense.

Discover a Better Way to Meet the Needs of Your Modern Workforce

  • Now more than ever, employees prefer a reliable way to work from any location – on any device, at any time. Whether your organization has a handful of remote workers or hundreds or thousands, HCL Nomad Web enables a work-from-anywhere digital workspace model. This ensures seamless productivity and collaboration. It provides IT with a more secure, efficient, and functional way to deliver the resources employees need.

Increased Flexibility and Scalability

  • Just as upgrades are simple to implement, it is also simple to increase the application’s capacity to grow with your business. As you require more processes to happen simultaneously, your web-based software can facilitate it.

Maintenance Headaches Removed

  • Deploying Nomad Web is a very simple process to roll out across the entire organization. Access can be granted once the software is installed on Domino and configured with SafeLinx. Whenever Nomad Web gets upgrades on Domino, all clients will be upgraded automatically within the next login. This means that new software or upgrades can be implemented more easily and maintenance can be done through one central point. Time spent on upgrades will be reduced from weeks/months down to minutes.

Improving the experience for users can lead to a boost in employee engagement, reduce the effort and cost of IT operations and support a positive company culture.

Why Should You Use Nomad Web?

There are several reasons why Nomad Web could be very interesting for you. Here are a few points:

  1. You simply want to have an additional way to access Domino Applications and use an URL in a web browser is the most flexible way to do that. Think about Remote workers, shared computers or corrupt Notes Installations or simply how to get a user productive again asap if a computer is broken.
  2. You need a lightweight client for Domino applications and you want to provide updates in lightspeed without the need to create and deploy software packages.
  3. Your company only wants to internally use modern browser applications.
  4. You are migrating away from Domino and only have ‘a few’ applications left. Maybe you cannot make the big effort to maintain Notes clients any longer, but you don’t want to lose the ability to use Domino Applications.

Explore More HCL Nomad Web Resources

While today’s IT demands of working from anywhere can be complex, we have the solutions and expertise to help. To answer all your technical insights about the “What, Why, How and Where” questions there is a webinar series about HCL Nomad Web to watch.

In addition, Marc Thomas is THE guru for HCL SafeLinx and Nomad Web and he would be happy to help you with your projects. In case you need SafeLinx being set up in/as a HA (High Availability) environment/solution, for example. No problem, just get in touch with us.

Fancy another look at our special webinar about Nomad for Web Browsers and MarvelClient? There is a recording for your ready to watch.

Please accept marketing cookies to view this video.

HCL Nomad Web and MarvelClient

You already know that MarvelClient is automatically included in HCL Notes and Nomad Mobile. But did you know that MarvelClient is also included in HCL Nomad Web? See what MarvelClient can do for you in the free/included and in the licensed version:

AnalyzeWeb unlicensedWeb + BasiciOSAndroid
Desktop, Bookmarks
notes.ini, User Preferences
Mailfile Details
HCL Notes Version and Installation Information
Local Databases / Replicas
ECL
Server<->Client Latency
Locations, Connections, Accounts, Certificates
OS and Hardware Overview
ConfigurationWeb unlicensedWeb + BasiciOSAndroid
notes.ini and MC Config Variables
Any .ini, xml, or json File
User Preferences
Up/DownloadWeb unlicensedWeb + BasiciOSAndroid
Upload Data for Analyze
Smart File Downloader
File Deployment (platform restrictions may apply)
RunWeb unlicensedWeb + BasiciOSAndroid
Run Agents
Run Notes Formulas
Run Programs
MigrateWeb unlicensedWeb + BasiciOSAndroid
Mass Change to Update Database Links
Mass Delete to Remove Database Links
ManageWeb unlicensedWeb + BasiciOSAndroid
Workspace Pages
Desktop Icons
Locations
Connections
ECL
Profile Documents
Local Replicas**
Nomad SpecificWeb unlicensedWeb + BasiciOSAndroid
App Restrictions
Recent Apps
Nomad Location
Nomad Web Migration✔ ***✔ ***
** local replicas will be available in a future release of HCL Nomad Web
*** Nomad Web Migration is available in HCL Nomad Web 1.0.2 and higher

Additional Resources by HCL