I've mentioned my work recently with Oauth, and while working on SOTU -- my Remote Console Command Utility for IBM Lotus Notes Domino -- I found myself liking the token-based authentication architecture more and more. Now, understanding that most enterprises won't rush to adopt Oauth for fear (and quite frankly lack of understanding) would give them an idea that such an authentication architecture would allow any OpenID-like account access to their systems... I've decided to make an Oauth-like utility for the IBM Lotus Notes Domino Server.

(Click thru for more details...)

SOTU: Mobile Device Platform Considerations and Security Update

While driving from one customer location to another today, I thought that I would take some time and record a quick update on SOTU, my Remote Console Command Utility for IBM Lotus Notes Domino. The topic of this podcast, which is part of the Public Build for the next release of SOTU (v0.4) focuses on the mobile device platform we'll target for developing SOTU's mobile device client app.

If you're reading this on the site, you'll be able to use the Yahoo Media Player widget to stream the podcast, which runs 00:03:40. Those of you using the dominoGuru.com RSS Content Feed will pick this up as an enclosure.

Since my drivetime thoughts on mobile device authentication to SOTU -- my Remote Console Command Utility for IBM Lotus Notes Domino -- I've been giving the architecture some serious thought. I think, at this time, I've got it! To recap, I don't want each of the mobile devices to require authentication per se to SOTU, but rather create an Oauth-like, MD2 Hash Key that a Lotus Notes Domino Administrator could enter into their device. The more I think about it, the more excited I am to see this in practice... so while this write-up discusses the overall idea and keeps to architecture, be certain that I'll have a proof of concept of this technique hopefully as quickly as early this week.

As I am a firm believer in that old adage about pictures, so I thought the easiest way for me to explain the concept would be to give you a visual representation of the overall architecture of it...

(Click thru for more...)

SOTU: Mobile Device Client and Server Security Considerations

And so the Public Build of the next version of SOTU, my Remote Console Command Utility for IBM Lotus Notes Domino, begins... And to kick things off, a quick drivetime podcast where I babble on about my ideas for using MD2 Hashes to create an Oauth-like security architecture.

I think it's both a good idea, and not too shabby of a podcast. Running 00:03:14 (that's 3 minutes, 14 seconds), it's also a quick listen.

As I state in the podcast, any suggestions or feedback are welcome, and I plan on making this build as public and detailed as possible... so expect to see more posts like this - using audio, video, and plain-ol'-text - documenting the whole process.

While chatting with a few people recently about mobilizing Lotus Notes and Domino-based applications, I came to a realization: the gut-check reaction to the question "Which applications should I mobilize?" is often "Everything!".

Those of us who have done any mobile application development can understand that this is both overly optimistic and can be very dangerous is VIP user expectations are not appropriately set and everyone involved given a reality check.

See - as an example - I have one manufacturing customer who wanted me to mobilized their engineering change control workflow application. Sounds simple enough really: Give the user the ability to review the given "change control request" NotesDocument via their Blackberry. The problem that was immediately overlooked was the fact that their validated process required that the reviewer actually review the CAD drawings that were to be attached to each request. Yeah - CAD drawings on a 320x240 display. Good luck with that!

Now I think this goes along with any application development endeavor, but it absolutely holds true when you ponder which applications you should mobilize: make sure you understand the both the functional requirements and the internal policies and other driving forces behind the application under consideration. The last thing you want to do is have a failed mobile application project taint any other projects that would actually really benefit from mobilization.

A few that come into mind (and feel free to add to this list in the comments):

• Group Address Book
• Vacation Requests
• Business Travel Requests
• Document Libraries/Knowledge Bases

In addition, once the dust settles from a few projects that I have on the burner right now, (including Showtime, which I'll be Twittering updates about as #ProjectShowtime), I plan on updating and mobilizing SOTU - my Remote Console Lotus Notes Client Utility application. Should prove interesting, and I plan on showing you all of the glorious DIY details in the next few weeks.