To offer your customers the best IBM Connections install possible, there are quite a few thing you should at least think about activating. The range of options you should think about spans from enabling the file sync through URL previews to assigning ToDos to multiple people. We will take you on a tour of free features that you could enable for your users to give them a better Connections experience. You will leave this session with a checklist and links to documentation so you can start implementing right after the session. Buzzword Bingo for this session: free, hidden settings, free, checlist, additional functionality, free, best practice

1. The Latest, Ultimative Final Ver­
sion, Current Release, Approved,
Last Minute Changes Included
Post-Installation Checklist
Sjaak Ursinus
ilionx
Martin Leyrer
IBM

2. PLATINUM & CHAMPAGNE SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSORS

3. Martin Leyrer - IBM
•
Working 5 years for IBM
as an IT-Specialist
•
ICS product stack since
1995
•
Twitter → leyrer
•
Linkedin →
www.linkedin.com/in/leyrer
●
Blog → www.leyon.at

4. Sjaak Ursinus - ilionx
•
Working 11 Years for ilionx as a
consultant
•
Working with IBM Connections
since Jan 2007
•
IBM Champion since start of program
•
Twitter → sursinus
•
Skype → sursinus
•
Linkedin → www.linkedin.com/in/sursinus
•
Various other social website’s

5. Why ?
•
Even we forget things
•
Info is scattered across the
Connections documentation
•
So far no singular check list has
emerged
•
Overview of „optional“ configuration
steps

6. Disclaimer
•
NOT an installation guide
•
Probably incomplete
•
Biased towards what we think is
useful
•
If you want to add something, please
let us know

7. 01. Increase Number of
Open Files (Linux only)
•
default is: 1024 open files/process
•
recommended limit: 8192
•
Martins recomendation: 65536
•
„ulimit -n“ to check
•
To change, edit
/etc/security/limits.conf
icuser soft nofile 65536
icuser hard nofile 65536

8. 02. JDBC Connection
Pool Size
•
Initial WebSphere JDBC pool size:
10 connections/connection pool
•
Connections 5.0 CR1 Performance
Tuning Guide has recommendations
•
Use scripts from „Connections
Administration & Scripting 101“ to
set automatically

9. 03. JVM Heap Size
•
Connections needs „sufficient“ heap
space, esp. Search
•
Connections 5.0 CR1 Performance
Tuning Guide has recommendations
•
Use scripts from „Connections
Administration & Scripting 101“ to
set automatically

10. 04. Change Websphere
Default Log Language
•
Open Websphere Integrated Solution Console
•
Go to Servers->Server Types -> „Websphere
application servers“ and select server you
want to change
•
Server Infrastructure → Java and Process
Management → Process definition →
Additional properties → Java Virtual Machine
•
Add to “Generic JVM arguments”:
-Duser.language=en -Duser.region=GB

11. 05. Proper IHS TLS Settings
SSLProtocolDisable SSLv2 SSLv3
SSLCompression off
SSLCipherSpec ALL NONE
SSLCipherSpec TLSv12 TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256
SSLCipherSpec TLSv12 TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
SSLCipherSpec TLSv12 TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA384
SSLCipherSpec TLSv12 TLS_ECDHE_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
SSLCipherSpec ALL TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_GCM_SHA256
SSLCipherSpec ALL TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_GCM_SHA384
SSLCipherSpec ALL TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA256
SSLCipherSpec ALL TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA256
SSLCipherSpec ALL TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_128_CBC_SHA
SSLCipherSpec ALL TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA
# Enable strict CBC padding
# https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21692502
SSLAttributeSet 471 1
Header add Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=15768000"

12. 06. Redirect All Traffic To
HTTPS

13. 06. Redirect All Traffic To
HTTPS
●
httpd.conf
LoadModule rewrite_module
modules/mod_rewrite.so
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^(.*)
https://social.example.com/$1/
[R,L]
<IfModule mod_ibm_ssl.c>
...

14. 07. File Downloads Through
IBM HTTP Server
•
Improves performance significantly
•
Available for files stored in
– Activities
– Files
– Libraries
– Mobile
– Wikis
•
Advanced Setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/install/t_install_post_files_downloads.dita?lang=en

15. 08. Add A Reverse Caching
Proxy
•
„Optional“ configuration
•
Improves performance, especially
over wide area networks (WAN)
•
Lots of options:
– WebSphere Edge Components
– Nginx
– Varnish
– Apache
– Squid

16. 09. Push Notifications for
Mobile
•
Notifications are sent, when the
following events occur:
– The user is invited to join a community.
– The user is invited to join a person's
network.
– A task is assigned to the user.
– A user is @mentioned.
– A comment is added to content that the
user owns.
– A synced file is modified on the server and
updated on the user's mobile device.

17. 09. Push Notifications for
Mobile
•
The following ports must be open on
each node in the cluster where the
Mobile application is installed:
– Android
●
Port 443 (HTTPS only)
– iOS
●
Ports 2195 and 2196

18. 09. Push Notifications for
Mobile
•
Check out & edit mobile-config.xml
•
<Push enabled="true">
•
<RememberPassword>true</Remem
berPassword>
...
•
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/overview/t_configure_push-note_mobile.dita?lang=en

19. 10. Email-Notification
Sender
•
Default: generic email address, such
as connections-admin@example.com
•
Displayname and Email-Address can
be changed
•
Globally or per app
•
Easy setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/t_admin_act_managing_notifications.dita?lang=en

20. 10. Email-Notification
Sender
•
notification-config.xml
<properties>
<property name="globalSenderName">IBM
Connections Administrator</property>
<property name="globalSenderEmail
Address">global-admin@example.com
</property>
</properties>

21. 11. Email-Notification
Mobile Links
•
Not included by default
•
Adds link to notification that opens in
mobile Connections app
•
Easy setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/t_admin_notifications_include_mobile_links.dita?
lang=en

22. 11. Email-Notification
Mobile Links
•
notification-config.xml
•
<properties>
•
...
<includeMobileLinksInNotifications>
true</includeMobileLinksInNotificati
ons>
•
...
•
</properties>

23. 12. Email-Notification
TLS Links
•
Per default E-Mail Notifications
contain only http links
•
Today, Connections should be https
only
•
Easy setup
LotusConnections-config.xml:
<forceConfidentialCommunications enabled="true"/>

24. 12. Email-Notification
TLS Links
•
LotusConnections-config.xml
•
<forceConfidentialCommunications
enabled="true"/>

25. 13. Add Search Languages
•
Not everyone speaks & creates
english-only conten
•
You can have multiple languages
•
You have to define one primary
language
•
Recreate Searchindex after adding
languages

26. 13. Add Search Languages
wsadmin -lang jython -user wasadmin -password [PWD]
execfile("searchAdmin.py")
SearchCellConfig.checkOutConfig("D:/temp",
"ic-cell")
SearchCellConfig.enableDictionary("fr",
"${SEARCH_DICTIONARY_DIR}")
SearchCellConfig.enableDictionary("de",
"${SEARCH_DICTIONARY_DIR}")
SearchCellConfig.enableDictionary("it",
"${SEARCH_DICTIONARY_DIR}")
SearchCellConfig.setDefaultDictionary("de")
SearchCellConfig.checkInConfig("D:/temp", "ic-cell")

27. 14. More Language Related
Search Settings
•
For better multilingual support set
•
search.ignore.punctuation.enabled
•
search.language.sensitivity.enabled
•
oneToTwoMapping.enabled

28. 14. More Language Related
Search Settings
•
Set via wsadmin command
LCConfigService.updateConfig()
•
Easy setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/r_admin_common_props_wsadmin.dita?lang=en

29. 15. Enable User To Set
Language Preference

30. 15. Enable User To Set
Language Preference
•
Default: User interface is displayed in
the language set by the locale
settings of the web browser.
•
Easy Setup:
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/t_admin_common_enable_lang_change.dita?
lang=en

31. 15. Enable User To Set
Language Preference
•
LotusConnections-config.xml
<languageSelector cookieDomain=""
cookieName="" defaultLanguage=""
enabled="true"usePermanentCookie
="false">
<language lang="en">English</language>
<language lang="de">Deutsch</language>
<language
lang="fr">Franu00e7ais</language>
</languageSelector>

32. 16. Enable URL Preview

33. 16. Enable URL Preview
•
Connections (WAS) needs to be able
to access „The Internet“
•
Can facilitate a Proxy
•
Easy to set-up
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/t_admin_news_url_preview_config.dita?lang=en

34. 17. Enable Sync For Files

35. 17. Enable Sync For Files
•
Not always enabled by default, so
verify
•
Enable before deploying the Client-
Plugin
•
Easy setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/t_admin_enabling_file_sync.dita?lang=en

36. 17. Enable Sync For Files
•
files-config.xml
<fileSync enabled="true">
<clientDownloadLink enabled="true"
url="http://public.dhe.ibm.com/
software/dw/ibm/connections/IBMConnec
tionsMSDesktop.zip"/>
<autoVersioning enabled="true"/>
</fileSync>

37. 18. Enable Sync For Mobile

38. 18. Enable Sync For Mobile
•
Not enabled by default
•
Consider enabling file download via
IHS beforehand
•
Easy setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/overview/t_configure_FileSync.dita?lang=en

39. 18. Enable Sync For Mobile
•
mobile-config.xml
<FileSync enabled="true">
<InactiveDevicesPurgeThreshold>180</I
nactiveDevicesPurgeThreshold>
<AutoSync>true</AutoSync>
</FileSync>

40. 19. Enable Round-Trip
Editing For Files

41. 19. Enable Round-Trip
Editing For Files
●
Not enabled by default.
●
Enable before deploying the Client-
Plugin
●
Easy setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin/
admin/t_admin_enabling_roundtrip_edit.dita?lang=en

42. 20. Modify Maximum File
and Library Size
Default maximum file size is 512 MB
•
Default personal library: 512 MB
•
Default Community library: 512 MB
•
•
There are limits for files in Wikis,
Activities, … as well, but try to
educate your users to store files in
„Files“

43. 20. Modify Maximum File
and Library Size
•
Change via FilesPolicyService
•
Modify „Default Policy“
•
Create new policies for different user
groups
•
Numbers > 2GB must add an "L"!
eg: 2GB are given as „2147483648L“
•
Easy setup:
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/t_admin_files_library_maxsize.dita?lang=en

44. 21. Assigning tasks to
multiple people
•
Marked as completed when all
assigned users mark the item
complete
•
An activity owner can also mark the
activity complete

45. 21. Assigning tasks to
multiple people
•
Disabled by default
•
Watch out for „side-effects“ with
Notes-Plugin and mobile apps.
•
Easy setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/r_admin_activities_props.dita?lang=en

46. 21. Assigning tasks to
multiple people
•
oa-config.xml
<property
name="feature.multiAssignment.enabled
">true</property>"

47. 25. Community Events
Default View

48. 25. Community Events
Default View
•
widgets-config.xml file:
<widgetDef defId="Calendar"
...
<item name="defaultView"
value="grid" />
•
Easy setup
http://www.lbenitez.com/2013/11/tip-how-to-change-
default-view-of.html

49. 24. Default Widgets For
Communities

50. 24. Default Widgets For
Communities
widget-config.xml
<template id="default">
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2statusposts"
defIdRef="StatusUpdates"
instanceId="StatusUpdates1"/>
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2" defIdRef="Forum"
instanceId="ForumInstance1"/>
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2"
defIdRef="Bookmarks"
instanceId="BookmarksInstance1"/>
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2" defIdRef="Files"
instanceId="FilesInstance1"/>
</template>

51. 24. Default Widgets For
Communities
widget-config.xml
<template id="default">
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2statusposts"
defIdRef="StatusUpdates"
instanceId="StatusUpdates1"/>
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2"
defIdRef="Calendar" instanceId="CalendarInstance1"/>
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2" defIdRef="Forum"
instanceId="ForumInstance1"/>
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2"
defIdRef="Bookmarks"
instanceId="BookmarksInstance1"/>
<widgetInstance uiLocation="col2" defIdRef="Files"
instanceId="FilesInstance1"/>
</template>

52. 24. Default Widgets For
Communities

53. 24. Default Widgets For
Communities
•
Easy Setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/t_admin_communities_change_default_widgets.dita?
lang=en

54. 22. Table Of Contents
Macro for Wikis

55. 22. Table Of Contents
Macro for Wikis
•
Disabled by default
•
Room for improvement
•
Option for more macros
•
Support?
•
Easy Setup
http://www.stoeps.de/activate-customize-table-of-contents-
macro-in-ibm-connections-wiki/

56. 23. Wiki Syntax Tab

57. 23. Wiki Syntax Tab
Disabled by default
•
Enable in wikis-config.xml via
editor.wikitexttab.enabled
•
Easy Setup:
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/admin/r_admin_wikis_config_properties2.dita?lang=en

58. 26. Community Activities
View

59. 26. Community Activities
View
•
oa-config.xml file:
<properties>
<property name=
"feature.communityActivitiesView.
enabled">true</property>
</properties>
•
Easy setup
http://www.lbenitez.com/2013/11/tip-how-to-change-
default-view-of.html

60. 27. Microbrowser Support

61. 27. Microbrowser Support
•
Not enabled by default
•
Renders Connections for mobile
device webbrowsers
•
Useful when the mobile App is not
available
•
Easy setup
http://www-
01.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSYGQH_5.0.0/admin
/overview/c_use_microbrowser.dita?lang=en

62. 28. Bonus Tip:
App Password
•
Check out the Social Connecions 9
session „IBM Connections – Beyond a
standard installation – Fasten your
seatbelt!“
by Maik Weber and Stefan Heßler for
details.

63. Links
•
Connections Administration &
Scripting 101
http://scripting101.org/
•
IBM Connections V5 CR1 Tuning
guide
http://www-
10.lotus.com/ldd/lcwiki.nsf/dx/IBM_Connection
_V5_CR1_Tuning_guide

64. Questions
Sjaak Ursinus
Ilionx
Twitter → sursinus
Skype → sursinus
Linkedin → www.linkedin.com/in/sursinus
Various other social website’s
Martin Leyrer
IBM Austria
E-mail: martin.leyrer@at.ibm.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/leyrer
Blog: http://www.leyon.at
Slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/Martin.Leyrer

65. END