All You Need to Know About Sametime V11

On Wednesday HCL did a webinar about Sametime V11, and gave us the roadmap for the future. Here is all you have to know.

What’s new in HCL Sametime 11?

• Persistent chat across multiple devices (meaning, you can start a conversation in Sametime inside your Notes client, log off and then continue the same conversaion (with history and all) on your cell phone or another device)
• New modern look
• 64-bit HCL Sametime Community Server
• Simplified install for HCL Sametime Proxy Server (the old installation would send even the most hardened network administrator into the fetal position)
• Click to meet feature
• New web chat client with modern look and features
• Websphere Application Server and DB2 is out!
• Conversation lists becomes the primary view instead of the contact list
• Server-side chat history
• Group chats is supported, and can be given names, like in Teams
• Integration with third party conference tools like GoToMeetings
• New Mobile HCL Sametime 11 clients on iOS and Android, with HCL branding and full emoji support
• Stand-alone installs for servers supported on both Windows and Linux platforms
• Added support for server console installs on Linux
• Additional language support for both servers and clients

Sametime V11 Deployment

Here’s the topology, courtesy of HCL’s presentation:

 

Hardware and Software Requirements

Minimum hardware specs

• 4 core, 8gb, 200gb Hard disk
• Supported Linux versions
• RHEL/CentOS 7.4+ and 8
• SUSE 12 and 15*
• Supported Windows Versions
• Windows 2016 and 2019
• PreRequisites
• MongoDB 3.6.x *
• Domino 11

Installation summary

• Install MongoDB
• Configure MongoDB
• Install Domino V11
• Setup Domino V11
• Use a fully qualified hostname that resolves correctly!
• Install Sametime Community Server V11
• Don’t forget the chatlogging flag – relax!
• Install Sametime Proxy

Deployment of MongoDB

Requires version 3.6.x

CentOs/Rhel installs

• If using Yum to install MongoDB by creating a repo file
• Make sure the URL is correct, copy/paste tends to leave out a ‘-’ (Mongo DB Tutorial)

SUSE

• SUSE 12 supports version 3.6.x, so can be collocated if desired
• SUSE 15 does NOT support 3.6.x, so must be installed separately
• Use rpm to install (Mongo DB Tutorial for SUSE)

Windows

• Use the GUI installer from the link in the documentation
• Once installed, you will have to create the windows service manually
• Most common issue here is getting the mongod.cfg file ‘just right’
• Hint: use the ‘bin path’ element of sc command to debug the problem
• Use the ‘mongo’ shell to execute the configuration steps
• The steps are identical between Linux and Windows

The difference in the documentation is that for Windows, they also show you how to use ‘Compass’ as a GUI for administration.

Deployment of Sametime Community

Linux

• When using the silent installer Installer.properties must be formatted correctly
• Make sure there are no spaces at the end of the lines. If the installer.properties file is in the same location as install.bin, no need to specify it on the
  command line
• stssetup_exit_log may show a 0 even if there are problems
• Stsetup.log is the one to review

Windows

• Same GUI install and configure process as it always has been
• Install Domino
• Configure Domino
• Install Sametime
• Configure Sametime
• Don’t forget chatlogging flag – relax!

Deployment Sametime Proxy

Linux and Windows are virtually the same.

• Windows: Unzip the archive to your location and run “install.bat”
• Linux: ‘tar –xvf sametimeproxy.tar.gz’ then copy to preferred location and run ./install.sh
• May need to set permissions on the script, run as root
• Where you place the contents of the zip is where the software runs from.
• Install script updates a few files and creates the default certificate
• To start – startup.bat/sh
• To stop – shutdown.bat/sh
• Default ports are 8080 (http) and 8443 (https). 8080 redirects to 8443 automatically

Deployment of Sametime Clients

Know all the different Sametime client types:

• Sametime Connect 11.0 (stand-alone)
• Notes Client (embedded)
• Sametime Proxy Web Clients
• /chat (version 11)
• /stweclient (version 9)
• iNotes, Verse and Connections (version 9)
• iOS and Android Mobile Sametime clients
• HCL Sametime Chat (version 11)
• IBM Connections Chat (version 9 on iOS and version 10 on Android)

Helpful links

• Primary Installation and Administration Guide
• HCL Customer Support
• Knowledge Articles 
• Product Documentation
• Ask the Community 

Roadmap

During the first half of 2020, HCL will release HCL Sametime Meetings:

• Built on open source and utilizing WebRTC technology
• Voice, video and screen sharing
• No installation, no plug-ins for the user
• Unified user experience with the rest of the portfolio
• Single server installation

Other news for Sametime 11:

• A beta for Sametime in Nomad will be ready in April, release during second half of 2020
• A Sametime client for Verse is scheduled in April
• A standalone desktop client for Sametime is scheduled for second half of 2020
• Web meetings ready in June

Plans for Sametime 12:

• Tighter integration across the portfolio
• Embedded chat for low code development
• Chat and meetings desktop client
• Authenticated guest access (inviting external people, yay!)
• Application Development kit update
• Third-party archiving and compliance
• Improved third party telephony

Beyond Sametime 12:

• Integrated desktop experience
• Focus on 3rd party integrations
• Additional secure chat extensions and certifications
• Third-party file sharing
• Open chat federation

So what do you think?