Sametime 8.5 Planning and Deployment Open Mic

Filed under: IBM Software, Sametime

For anyone who did not see the Open Mic posting on the Sametime Support Blog, there is a recording of the open mic which IBM support and development held to address questions on how Sametime 8.5 should be implemented.

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=477&uid=swg21418099

What you need to know about Sametime 8.5

Filed under: Sametime, Technology

Sametime 8.5 marks a major turning point in the product platform from IBM Lotus Domino to the IBM Websphere and DB2 infrastructure.  As you plan out your environment, there are a couple key points to consider:

• Sametime Classic – Most of the promotional materials and discussions which have occurred over the past two years have shown screenshots of the new Sametime 8.5 meetings experience built on IBM WebSphere technology.  If you are not ready to make the jump, the older version of the Sametime Meeting server is still available.  This version is now referred to as Sametime Classic and contains both the Sametime Community and Meeting server.  The Sametime Classic Meeting server has not undergone any major enhancements, however does contain bug fixes.  Companies running Sametime Classic on AIX, Linux and Solaris will see major improvements in the stability of the Meeting Room client when application sharing.
• What type of directory should you use? – If you want to utilize many of the new features in Sametime 8.5, you will need to use an LDAP directory.  If you’re still using a Domino Directory, you will need to enable LDAP on a server not used for Sametime and connect the Sametime 8.5 infrastructure to it.  Sametime 8.5 is heavily based on WebSphere technology which connects to LDAP, but not native Domino.  The Sametime 8.5 environment will support most LDAP v3 complaint servers, however if anyone out there is running Microsoft Active Directory 2008 Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) you’re out of luck with this release. 
• IBM Domino Server version - The Sametime 8.5 Classic and Community server can be installed on Domino 8.0.x and 8.5 only.  There is no support for Domino 8.5.1 at this time but IBM is working on supporting this in the next releases
• What type of Load Balancing device to use? – Historically, the Sametime Mux, IP Sprayer or a round-robin DNS could be use to distribute traffic to a Sametime server.  These options are still available for a Sametime Classic or community only server, however not all of these solutions are valid for the newer components such as meetings, proxy and media manager.  These other components need to use either a load balancer or a WebSphere proxy.  A Sametime MUX can not be used with these new components.  Sametime 8.5 does include the WebSphere Edge components as part of the eAssembly package which is a great easy to setup load balancer once you get the hang of it.  It can be installed on a single machine and serve multiple host addresses.  The WebSphere proxy is a component on the WebSphere Application Server.  In testing the software, there were a few issues that cropped up around WebSphere proxy testing with the Sametime Proxy component so it can not be used in those scenarios yet.  Overall, it is always better to install a dedicated load balancer that performs IP-spraying in lieu of a round-robin DNS or using the WebSphere proxy server.

Sametime 8.5 is now available!

Filed under: IBM Software, Sametime, Technology

After a year in the making, Sametime 8.5 has finally been released. This represents a major way in the way that Sametime meetings have functioned in the past.  I would like to say, congratulations to the Sametime teams for this release. 

Here is a link to the Sameitme 8.5 Information Center.

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/sametime/v8r5/index.jsp

Sametime 8.5 Product Announcement

Filed under: Sametime, Technology

The Sametime 8.5 Product Announcement is now available!

Sametime 8.5 represents the next generation of Sametime Meetings and clients taking into consideration many of the product enhancements which customers have been requesting for years now.  Sametime 7.5 represented a total revamp of the Sametime Connect client which is now available as a standalone application but also part of the Notes 8 Standard clients.  Sametime 8.5 has been built from the ground up to have a zero download footprint for web conferences and web clients.  Administrators can also take advantage of centralized administration from the Sametime System Console where you can pre-plan your deployments and administer policies from a single location.

• A new online meeting experience that is integrated into the IBM Lotus Sametime Connect client. Join a meeting with a single click. Easily invite others by dragging their names from the contact list. Accept meeting invitations with a single click. Upload meeting materials via simple drag and drop.
• New zero-download, browser-based chat and meeting clients that extend the desktop experience to wherever the user is working.
• A new standards-based audio and video infrastructure that enables interoperability with third party audio and video conferencing systems.
• New audio and video codecs that provide higher quality native voice and video services for a more compelling collaborative experience out-of-the-box.
• New Web 2.0 APIs that let developers embed Sametime capabilities into Web sites and applications so users switch context less.
• A new, browser-based Apple iPhone chat client, support for the Blackberry Storm, and an improved mobile client for Microsoft® Windows® Mobile devices.
• New social views that make it easier to find the people you collaborate with the most.
• A new System Console that centralizes infrastructure configuration, deployment, management, and policy management for all Sametime services.
• New upgrade options if you have basic Sametime services from other IBM offerings.

With all of these new features, I encourage all Sametime customers to take the time to look at what Sametime 8.5 can add to your existing infrastructure and how it can reduce the time and cost of administration.  If you aren’t ready to move to Sametime 8.5 yet, the Sametime Classic server utilizing the pre-8.5 style meetings and community services is still available.

Product Announcement

Sametime 8.5 is almost here!

Filed under: Sametime, Technology

After talking a break from blogging for a while, I have decided to start up again with the release of Sametime 8.5. Some of you have been wondering when this is coming and all I can say is it is coming very very soon and it will definitely be released to the public before the end of the year.  Over the next few months, I will post tidbits which will help you understand the changes made in Sametime 8.5.  Stay tuned!