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PRODUCTIVITY POWER
Free software that can make your job easier
By Richard Echeandia
Several years ago I wrote a series of articles about cutting your application development time. I received more email from readers (positive, no less!) about those articles than any other writing I'd ever done before. Obviously I struck a nerve within the development community, and the most people wrote in to say that they wanted to see more like it.
In this article I would like to review some of the software that our teams use here at Tactica Technology Group to be as productive and efficient as possible. This isn't just for developers, though. Some of these applications and utilities may be of use to you Domino administrators as well. You're probably aware of one or more of the following programs or Web sites, but hopefully there's enough new information here to make it worth your while. So, let's roll up our sleeves, pour ourselves a fresh cup of coffee, and get started. Remember, all of these applications and utilities are free and can be downloaded off the Internet, so what are you waiting for?
NotesConnect
I started my work with Lotus Notes as an administrator and then moved into development, so I always have a soft spot in my heart for those intrepid individuals that are responsible for the care and feeding of a Domino environment. If there's one thing that challenges most administrators on a regular basis, it's probably TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) connectivity between Lotus Notes workstations and their servers. You can, of course, ping the server, but sometimes you need more detailed information about how the client is getting to that server and what services that server is running. That's where NotesConnect comes in.
NotesConnect is a utility that allows any Windows workstation to test its connectivity to a server on a variety of TCP/IP ports. Tiny, easy to install, and flexible, NotesConnect is a must have utility for your Lotus Notes toolbox. NotesConnect can be found at http://www.notes.net/sandbox.nsf/ecc552f1ab6e46e4852568a90055c4cd/4a60b6779e52c19c8525679100832651?OpenDocument. Once downloaded and installed, starting NotesConnect gives you the screen shown in Figure A.
FIGURE A
 
NotesConnect displays the results of a successful server connection. Roll over picture for a larger image.
This diagram shows what NotesConnect looks like once it's fired up and running. All you need to do is enter the name of your Domino server in the top left prompt box and click on connect. NotesConnect will show you if it's able to connect to the requested server and will attempt to connect the number of times that you indicate.
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