1. Shaping Collaboration at the
University of Zurich
Bühler Sandra | Mazzoni Roberto
GL | Leiter Benutzerdienste Zentrale Informatik
Belsoft Collaboration | Universität Zürich
2. Agenda
! The speakers
! The University of Zurich
! Challenges, Requirements & Why IBM Notes® ?
! A technical approach
! What helped and why we are still happy
! IBM Connections – a long, long journey
! IBM Connections – approaches
6. University of Zurich - About
! Established 1833, first mentions date back to 1525
! The largest university in Switzerland with over 26,000 students
(as an international comparison: Oxford: 20,000 students)
! Alumni of the University of Zurich include 12 Nobel Prize laureates
(W. Röntgen, A. Einstein, E. Schrödinger, K. A. Müller, et al.)
! Rated 56 in the “Academic Ranking of World Universities 2014“
! Worldwide rank 33 in “Clinical Medicine and Pharmaceutics”
! Worldwide rank 25 in “Life Sciences and Agriculture”
! Member of the „League of European Research Universities“ (LERU)
! Schrödinger supercomputer ranked 96 in November 2009
http://www.uzh.ch/about/portrait/annualreport/UZH_FactsFigures_2013.pdf
7. University of Zurich – Mission Statement
! … is an institution with a strong commitment to the free and open pursuit of scholarship.
! … is committed to unrestricted freedom in research and teaching
! … promotes wide diversity in both scholarship and in the fields of study offered
! … pursues scholarly research and teaching, and provides services for the benefit of the
public.
! … sets priorities in research and teaching by considering academic requirements and the
needs of society
! … endeavors to achieve a spirit of shared responsibility and self-management
! … offers its staff up-to-date employment and working conditions, and supports them in
their professional development.
see also: http://www.uzh.ch/about/basics/mission_en.html
8. University of Zurich – Mission Statement - 2nd Glance
! promotes wide diversity in both scholarship and in the fields of study offered
! is committed to unrestricted freedom in research and teaching - BYOD
! … offers its staff up-to-date employment and working conditions, and supports them in
their professional development. - on very old and the latest and from IBM not yet
supported HW SW
10. University of Zurich – Structure
! People – including guests approximately 35,000 members
– over 26,000 students
– 562 professors
– 3’237 academic personnel
– 2’062 administrative personnel
– approx. 800 private lecturers / nominal professors
– approx. 2000 assistant lecturers
– numerous guests
! Decentralized and self-governed – 180 self-governed units
– 7 faculties
– approx. 150 institutes
– about 15 competence centers
– numerous associated institutes
11. University of Zurich – Structure - 2nd Glance
! People – including guests approximately 35,000 members
– 562 professors
– approx. 800 private lecturers / nominal professors
– approx. 2000 assistant lecturers
! Decentralized and self-governed – 180 self-governed units
– 7 faculties
– approx. 150 institutes
– numerous associated institutes
12. IBM Notes® @ UZH – History
! 2005:
– The university's IT strategy retains the evaluation of a groupware containing the usual suspects:
email, scheduling, contacts, tasks, mobile synchronization
– Opting for document management, synchronous communication, workflows
– Replacing the old solution for approx. 35,000 users
! 2007: Open tenders
! 2008: End of evaluation, final decision done by the university management
! 2009: Internal “Going live” with IT services
! 2010: Official “Going live” and migration of the 40'000 users (yes, we found some more...)
13. IBM Notes® @ UZH – History - 2nd Glance
! 2008
– End of evaluation, final decision done by the university management
! 2009
– Internal “Going live” with IT services
! 2010
– Official “Going live” and migration of the 40'000 users (yes, we found some more...)
! Huge and successful migration to Domino/Notes in Switzerland - and (almost) nobody
knows…
15. Challenges
! Faculties/Institutes have very high degree of autonomy in the name of unrestricted
freedom in research and teaching.
! The instruments for the academic usage ranges from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),
super computing up to devices suitable for outdoor use in extreme conditions. (Sounds
strange, but believe us... they want them all to collaborate...)
! Software needed for academic usage is built on a broad range of operating systems, some
of them very exotic. (Do you really believe OS/2, AmigaOS or OpenVMS is exotic? Don't
even dare...)
! Academic work is international, public, interdisciplinary and strongly networked. (like a
good massively multiplayer online game...)
16. Challenges
! The academic user has a very mobile working environment. (you remember the terms
“outdoor” and “extreme conditions”?)
! Most people work for different Institutes/Faculties/Universities simultaneously and are
often sharing a full-time equivalent with other people. (Guess where we found the “other”
users, so the headcount went from 35'000 up to 40'000)
! High fluctuation due to academic interchange and the nature of academic studies.
! Most of them are university graduates... (“No, you can't use this mouse for bio-chemical
experiments... It's for your computer...”)
! …. and so on
– Requirements …
– Requirements …
– Requirements …
– Some more requirements …
17. Free choice No standard environment
! People / institutes don't pay for the service, its free of charge, so they are not obliged to
use it. We have to SELL the service with persuasion, so it has to be „good“.
! So let's raise the bar, as we have to meet the standards as expected by the users (and
provided by the old solution)
– High availability from every workplace
– Transparent service cloud needed
– Scalable Fast
– Disaster-resistent (failover)
! No enforcement possible neither for an operating system, a client nor for a version of it
– Different deployed version of all (non-notes) applications
– What we try is to “enforce” at least a common “major” version of Notes
18. Free choice No standard environment - “2nd Glance
! No enforcement possible neither for an operating system, a client nor for a version of it
– Different deployed version of all (non-notes) applications
– What we try is to “enforce” at least a common “major” version of Notes
! Big difference to “normal” companies. Please note the we “try to enforce” – but the
university of Zurich is not alone – same challenges with a lot of academic environments
and institutes
! To put it positively: The free choice challenges of universities all over the world and the
solutions found can be the role models for companies that want to push and support
BYOD
19. Free choice No standard environment
! Lotus Notes support for at least the main operating systems
– 40 % Microsoft® Windows®, from Windows 2000 to Windows 8
– 40 % Apple® Mac OS, from 9.x to OS X 10.9
– 20 % other, mostly Linux® of various distributions and some exotic ones
! Everything available in every bitness or flavour
! How to „close the gap“ if no Notes® is available
– Not all systems allow a fat client, in many cases only a light-weight client as an imap-only-client is
possible.
– Or the OS is simply not supported
– Open protocols to support a lot of (native) clients where Notes/iNotes is not possible or feasible
(see later)
20. Role centric model Multilingual
! Not only the person is important, but their role is it too and it has to be separable from the
person
! Need for non personal, shared collaboration resources accessible through access rights
! Mailfiles, Calendars, Contacts, Room/Resources, Applications, Databases, etc
! Shared Mailbox: That's where mail-in kicks in
! Switzerland alone has 4 languages of the country
! Full support for different languages needed
– Combined with the role centric model this means that people need to have the possibility to dynamically
switch the language
– Not only multilingual templates
– Multilingual Mailfiles too...
– And that dynamically in realtime...
21. Multilingual - 2nd Glance
! Switzerland alone has 4 languages of the country
! Full support for different languages needed
– Combined with the role centric model this means that people need to have the possibility to
dynamically switch the language
– Not only multilingual templates
– Multilingual Mailfiles too...
– And that dynamically in realtime...
! The phenomenon of the empty inbox – there is an inofficial IBM fix for that ask your local
IBM responsible to get it, just before it will be part of the next Domino release
22. Openness of data
! No vendor lock acceptable (sorry guys...)
! Possibility to extract data after work done needed
! Access to data from non proprietary client required
! Open protocols (see later) to exchange/extract/import data
! Guest users (Connections 5)
23. Part of the data on foreign systems
! It is not possible for the users to have all their data they need for their work on the IBM
domino/notes system. Some data has to be stored on foreign systems
! If we want that they use Notes/iNotes® as a sole system, it will have to support the
protocols to access the data on foreign systems.
! Example
– IMAP Implementation in Notes...
– POP3
– That's one of the main reasons we can't recommend Notes as the „one and only“ client
24. Interchange with non-IBM domino/notes-systems needed
! The notes/domino systems have to connect with non-notes/domino-systems
! Open standardized protocols are the key
– IMAP/POP3 - standard for mail
– iCal – standard to read calendar data
– ics - to exchange calendar data in file format
– CalDAV - standard for read/write access to calendar data incl. free/busy
– CardDAV - upcoming standard for contacts data
– ActiveSync - standard for mobile pim synchronization
! „Open Source Standards are key to making our planet smarter and improving the way we live and work. [...] IBM is
an industry leader helping governments move toward greater openness and innovation. Our commitment and
perspective on intellectual property, open standards, and open source software emerges from our experience in the
marketplace and, equally important, from the direction in which we see information technology taking the larger
society.“ (http://www-03.ibm.com/linux/ossstds/ - Open Source and Standards @ IBM)
25. Why Domino/Notes®
! Clients
– Highly heterogeneous environment at the UZH (→ diversity / autonomy)
– Notes supports a broad client infrastructure at the different release levels
• The most important operating systems are supported for the full client
• OS X, Windows, Linux
– Strategical importance of the web frontend: iNotes covers basic to advanced functionality for desktop up
to mobile computers
• Works with a wide range of browser, supported for the most important of them
– Open technology
26. Why Domino/Notes® - and what IBM learned from Universities
From: Scott Souder, Key102 Connect 2014:IBM Messaging and Collaboration: Innovations and Priorities for Today and Tomorrow
27. Why Domino/Notes®
! Server infrastructure leaves a very solid and sophisticated impression. (→ high quality)
– Scalable!
– Very stable
– Also great flexibility in the host operating system for the servers
– Extensive documentation
– Extension possible with other IBM products
28. Why Domino/Notes®
! Scope of function / flexibility
– Very broad (!) scope of function, very well covered to a great extent
– Coverage of demands with regard to „Accessibility“ and „Usability“ (→ equal opportunity)
– Potential for closing existing gaps (IMAP implementation, etc.)
– Open platform with possibilities for expansion and further development (→ self-management / autonomy)
! Costs
– Within a 3-5 year perspective with a favorable and transparent cost structure
– We got a big academic discount
! License model
– The university treats all members (~40,000) equally and offers them all the opportunity to use the system (→
equal opportunity)
– Flexible offer, well suited to the purposes of the UZH
– Supplier as implementation partner
32. iNotes
! Same procedure as everywhere else: How to cluster Lotus iNotes and to keep it
transparent (as a service)?
! We've chosen a simple solution:
! Started with 3 clusters, running
5 clusters now
IP Dispatcher
idlmail01
207.42
idlmail02
207.43
idlmail01
207.42
idlmail04
207.45
idlmail05
207.46
idlmail06
207.47
Round Robin
IP Dispatcher
idlmail01.lotus
207.12
idlmail03
207.44
webmail.lotus
207.5
idlmail02.lotus
207.13
idlmail03.lotus
207.14
idlmail04.lotus
207.15
idlmail05.lotus
207.16
idlmail06.lotus
207.17
idlmail01
207.42
idlmail02
207.43
idlmail01
207.42
idlmail04
207.45
idlmail05
207.46
idlmail06
207.47
idlmail03
207.44
Round RobinRedirect
iwaredir.nsf iNotes
Port 80,443
33. Drawbacks and Opportunities: IMAP Task
! How to transform that task into a transparent service (cloud)?
! External solution with a open-source imap proxy called Perdition (and the nomen wasn't an
omen)
IP Dispatcher
idlperd01
207.48
idlperd02
207.49
Round
Robin
IP Dispatcher
idlmail01.lotus
207.12
imap.lotus
pop.lotus
207.6
idlmail02.lotus
207.13
idlmail03.lotus
207.14
idlmail04.lotus
207.15
idlmail05.lotus
207.16
idlmail06.lotus
207.17
idlmail01
207.42
idlmail02
207.43
idlmail01
207.42
idlmail04
207.45
idlmail05
207.46
idlmail06
207.47
idlmail03
207.44
LDAP-Map
Perdition IMAP/
POP3 Proxy
Domino®
POP3/IMAP
Port 110,143,
993,995
34. Drawbacks and Opportunities: IMAP Task
! Could be a full session and history
! Still not everything is solved
! BUT ….
– Challenge: Can you cluster IMAP with Domino?
• Short answer: No
• Long answer: Yes, now, after a long ride, you can.. MAP_UIDVALIDITY
– IMAP Data Corruption
• Tools to fix
– Delegation of Mailfiles
• Yes, it works now for IMAP too!
– Sent/Trash/Draft Folders
• Yes, can be the same folder for IMAP and Notes/iNotes now
36. Traveler
! We are happy with the current solution as it works for all needed mobile OS
! Works like a charm
! Run’s on Linux (avoid Microsoft Server CALS you must have)
! Started with Flip-Flop and a stand by server as High Availability was not yet available
fully high available now
IP Dispatcher
idltrav01
207.58
idltrav02
207.59
„Flip Flop“
All Ports
sync.lotus
207.10
Traveler
37. Traveler - 2nd Glance
! Run’s on Linux (avoid Microsoft Server CALS you must have)
– Observing and being responsible for more and more Linux based IBM Traveler installs – as
companies and organizations are avoiding payments for Microsoft CAL’s for iOS or Android
devices because the traveler server runs on a Microsoft server…
38. Traveler 2011 / 547 devices
Apple iOS, 513
Nokia Symbian S60, 29
Android, 2
Windows Mobile, 3
39. Traveler 2014 - 2’400 people with 3’100 devices daily (not peek time!)
Apple iOS, 74%
Android, 25%
Windows Phone
Nokia, 1%
40. iNotes Sametime
! iNotes user experience
– From beginning excellent user experience
– Transition to iNotes 9 extremely smooth (no support calls at all!)
– Especially students deactivated old forwards and are using iNotes now
! Sametime entry from start
– Enabled in iNotes and Notes by default
– Users just started to use it
– Some queries concerning privacy
– Upgraded to Sametime Standard within one year !
– Sametime Meetings – Start and use it!
41. Quota and first Notes Application
! 1 GB Quota by default for all users from start
! As of November 2014: 5 GB default Quota for all users
! Quota pool for each department allows mailboxes up to 64 GB
http://t.uzh.ch/64gb
! Decentralized quota management
with a Notes Application
! Delegation of Mail-In boxes with a
Web-enabled Notes App
42. New Notes Based Solutions
! Replacing LAMP solution for Certificate Management (S/MIME) by a XPages-enabled
Notes Application
– Take advantage of Notes SSO
– Take advantage of Domino Directory
43. New Notes Based Solutions
! Replacing Perl/ORACLE/Apache solution seminar management by a XPages-enabled
Notes Application by Belsoft (http://t.uzh.ch/91)
– Take advantage of Notes SSO
– Take advantage of Domino Directory
– Take advantage for multiple seminars in different flavors using one template
– Easy adaption to Corporate Design for each department using it
– Option to allow guests to subscribe for courses (again, we know, it’s in Connection 5 and it’s a
real requirement)
– Easy to use and administer
44. New Notes Based Solutions
http://www.belsoft.ch/bsaz/web.nsf/id/ITSol_EN_Customers/$file/UniZH-KursDB-EN.pdf
! Easy to use and administer
45. Facts Figures: email is not dead - at all
! 553’000 internal emails daily
! 110’000 emails received from Internet daily
– 84’000 (76 %) classified as SPAM
! 47'000 sent to Internet daily
! 140’000 email addresses registered for 46’000 persons or functions in the Domino
Directory
46. Facts Figures: IBM Domino/Notes – daily access by email clients
iNotes, 15'000
IMAP, 5'000
Notes, 3'000
(35% V 9.x)
Traveler, 2'400
POP3, 1'000
Macintosh
39%
Windows
57%
Linux
4%
48. IBM Connections – a long, long journey
! 2011: IBM Connections kicks in
– Licensing support by Belsoft
– Missing Management Support
– First rollout within IT Service
– Connections 3.0
! We did wrong what can be done wrong
– No management support, wrong starting points
– No plans which component should be used in which manner
– No community manager established
49. IBM Connections – a long, long journey – 2nd Glance
! Combination of two no-no’s
– No management support and no Community Managers established
! The role of HR
– Let’s have a minute of silence…
50. IBM Connections – prepare carefully
! Nevertheless: IT department employees won’t miss it after short time of usage!
– Upgrade to 4.0
– Ask the experts: Simon Vaughan (@SimplyS1mon) to mention one who really helped to fix it
52. IBM Connections challenges – Change the behavior of the users
! It is a great platform - can be spread even if your management does not promote it
! Show the features people always missed for their work
– It is not “normal” to work with a Social Business environment
– People like email, they used it for years
– People are shy (you won’t have digital natives in your administration)
– People like folders (!)
– People can’t distinguish between privacy and transparency
53. IBM Connections approach – Integrating into your environment
! Make IBM Notes/iNotes and IBM Connections one experience if you have Notes
! Add IBM Connections to Notes
– Easiest way to get rid of attachments in emails
– Get your tasks from your activities to your calendar
– Show up your community calendar in Notes
– Get the profile pictures back to Notes
through Sametime
! IBM Connections Desktop Plug-in
– Yes, the OS X Finder integration is missing
55. IBM Connections approaches – Integrate people with their projects
! Identify stakeholders that will help spread the word and help them with their projects
! Integrate in working environment
! Show advantages and simplifications in the daily work
! Find teams that cross borders
! Adopt communities to their needs
– University Management
– University Crisis management group needs to collaborate with all other departments
– Main library wants to collaborate with all department libraries
– Faculty projects need collaboration tools (Physics Olympiad will be hold in Zurich 2016)
56. Simple but effective Folder Access for Files
! University Management
– Grants access to stakeholders to minutes of meetings with Connection Files
– Reuse Notes Groups for access management using Folders only
– Flexibility of different access models
– Recognized the potential for internal, confidential file sharing – no more email attachements!
57. Be prepared for hazards
! University Crisis management group
– Scenarios in case of hazards ready to use
• Radiation Protection
• Biological Safety/Security
• Fire Safety
• Chemical Safety
• Hazardous Waste Management
– People from different departments involved in associated communities
– Subcommunities for handling hazards
58. Be prepared for hazards
! Content “private” only
! Yes, it’s fine to keep Communities restricted
– ensure that members gain confidence
– also social business must be learned
– prepare content for later public access
! Option to join on request
59. Private Communities 2nd Glance
! Yes, it’s fine to keep “some” Communities restricted
– ensure that members gain confidence
– also social business must be learned
– prepare content for later public access
60. Enable collaboration
! Main Library
– 1 public library (not only University Library)
– 1 main library for science
– 1 main library for medicine
– 50 libraries spread across the city
– one library system hosted by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology for all
61. Enable collaboration
! Main Library
– project targeted to determine
efficient usage
– Different communities with one
“portal” community, some of them including subcommunities
– Half day training programs for Community owner
63. Prepare Events
! International Physics Olympiad
– Will be held in Switzerland in 2016
– Hosted at the University of Zurich
– Project Members from University of
Bern (thanks for the guest model!)
– Ideation Blog – try and use it
64. IBM Connections at daily work
! my favorite
! the one that had the maximum stress
for me last November and helped to solve the
issue for more than 200 linux server
! Members today: 1253 and counting …