Why the current Eclipse Update Sites in Domino sucks
Tags :Domino 8 Eclipse
Easy, it doesn't work and is configured in the wrong place (NOTE: the actual template used rocks, hands down. The process is broken). I was prompted to write this after the article on DominoBlog.com came out touting the feature.
EDITOR NOTE (May 21 1pm): Everyone understand, the Eclipse Update Site template is one of the better things Lotus has created and shipped that outshines other site update tools. I love the template and the guy that write it (hey to TG on amazing work as usual). I am only talking about the process by which the client uses this template.
Instead of using policies in Notes 8 to force clients to see an update site, they chose server configuration documents. Let me break down what is bad about that in a moment. Currently, most every admin will want to make sure the ability for clients to install their own stuff is turned off. Ok, that works. However, you must then place an update site link in the server configuration doc that the user never seems to see. Why the heck didn't you use policies? The server configuration document has the global setting for both Smart Upgrade and then Provisioning, but the Desktop settings policy only has Smart Upgrade as shown here:
So what is expected is that each user will hit the server and see the server configuration document. This in turn will somehow get them the provisioning database or site.xml from there. Well this opens another can of worms. We teach and implement multiple places to reduce the extreme number of server configuration documents and to simplify. But if I want users on different home servers to hit alternate update sites only, then I have to go back and create multiple server configuration documents. Conflicts terribly. The site update database was built with replication in mind. I can create it once, push it out all over and have users hit sites local to their area for performance. With a policy I would be all set.
The real kicker here is that the client never seems to see this new setting and never gets the provision on a consistent basis. I have had one or two magically work, and others never work. All at the same server with the same version of client. Riddle me that Batman, both why it sometimes works and why it isn't in any policy setting to do controlled/distributed provisioning.
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On Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 by Chris Miller
