Friday, March 27, 2009

VMWare is now running on Lotus Foundations Server

The VMWare module for the LFS environment is now available for download and installing it is a three step process.

  1. Upgrade your core server code to Lotus Foundations Start V1.1.0 which is just a standard software update and handled automatically by LFS once you give it permission to do so. Alternatively, you can install Lotus Foundations Branch Office.

  2. Install the "Run" add-on which comes on the Foundations media packs and is also available as a download from IBM. The process is fundamentally the same as installing the Domino server add-on - just copy the .pkg file to the autoinstall directory then click the install button.

  3. The third step - the installation of the VMWare module - is a little trickier. The VMWare module is only downloadable by IBM/Lotus business partners who are empowered by IBM to pass it on to their customers. There is no additional fee paid to IBM for this module. Once you have the VMWare module you will need to register it with VMWare to gain the linux license serial keys which you need to run the module. There is no fee for the licence keys but there is a limit of five keys per customer registration.

I hate registering my name with organisation with whom I have no regular business dealing but I think the deal is fair. IBM has tweaked LFS to run a VMWare environment but they are not selling the VMWare experience - that is just another option which they give you. On the other hand VMWare is providing a free sample of their environment to LFS customers but if you want to move beyond five licence keys then presumably you'll need to contact VMWare and start talking about upgrades.

Now how soon will it be before we see a 90 day trial of Quickr and SameTime servers bundled with Foundations?

I'm not taking bets.
.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Once Sametime (it does) and Quickr (it doesn't) run on Linux... since we can't redistribute VMImages with a windows OS inside.
Doesn't Domino come with a Sametime entry entitlement? Is that included in Foundations?

Graham Dodge said...

Quickr on Linux is already available for WebSphere Portal so Quickr on Linux for Foundations could be done. I'd say IBM's biggest headache in this area is deciding how to stop Foundations cannibalizing their regular Domino server market.

Regular Domino Enterprise servers do come with a 20 user Sametime entitlement but that's not in Foundations... yet.

Anonymous said...

Hi there I am going through the same process of installing vm ware 2 on LNFS 1.1 - could you give us a few more hints on how to obtain the licence keys to start the installation process

many thanks jon b

Graham Dodge said...

1. You need to create a free account on VMWare.com and request Linux licence keys.
2. VMWare send you an email with a validated login.
3. You follow the link in the email to get your licence keys.
4. When you run the VMWare install you paste the licence keys into the appropriate dialog box.

Which point are you stuck on?

Anonymous said...

Hi Graham

I have done all of the steps as per normal of updating Foundations to 1.1 then installing the run addon and then the Vmware addon.

After this I expected to be able to access the Vmware server console.

But the console did not load.

Does it require at least 1 vmware machine instaleld to load?

Just curious what you did to test the final install as far as a VM.

Did you install a Windows XP machine?

Thanks

Graham Dodge said...

So if you select the "Add-ons" option from the left hand menu you should see the following entry in your list.

Status = (Tick)
Team = lf-virtualization
Add-on Container = Lotus Foundations Run 1.1
Enabled = Yes

Do you have that?

Graham Dodge said...

see new blog topic...

black said...

I am desperately looking for the LF 1.1 Run Add-on. Ist's not offered for download by IBM. They just have the VMware Server 2 addon for IBM Lotus Foundations Run 1.1, which will not install of course prior the run add-on. Anyone here to help me?

Graham Dodge said...

The Business Partner who sold you LFS can download the Run module from the IBM Partner site (log-in required). Where are you?

black said...

I am from Germany.
The problem is: I am a business partner and we are just about to start with LF. There was a meeting in Berlin last week and IBM told us to download LF 1.1 from their website (partnerworld). We were also promised a free licence key for testing purposes. Downloading went fine. But when it comes to Vmware they only thing IBM download site offers is VMware Server 2 add-on for IBM Lotus Foundations Run 1.1, but not the run addon itself which needs to be isntalled prior. At present were are running LF 1.1 on an x3650 for testing. Looks great so far ..

Anonymous said...

I have done all of the steps:
1) Upgraded to LF v1.1 Start
2) Installed the LF Run Add-On
3) Inslalled the LF VMWare Server 2 Add-On (Enter VMWare Server 2 for Linux license key)

On the Status Page, it shows Add-ons "Lotus Foundations Run 1.1" Disabled

When I navigate to the "Add-ons" it shows a green check mark for "Lotus Foundations Start 1.1". However, for "Lotus Foundations Run 1.1" is shows as inactive and Enabled is set to No.

Donald Martin said...

Try this link - dont know why it's not all in the same place.

http://www.ibm.com/services/forms/preLogin.do?lang=en_US&source=swg-vmwares2a&S_TACT=105AGX28&S_CMP=DLMAIN

Unknown said...

Hi Graham! Hope you can help me. I have installed a windows terminal server in VmWare on a Lotus foundation server. Now I want to access it from The Internet. How do I open port 3389 on the foundation server to the Windows server?
Thanks Magnus Schiller