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The current buzzword in the world of MACH, CMS, web tech, and Martech publications is “headless”. However, do you truly understand what it means, its benefits and its implications?

Let’s begin by defining what we mean by a headless CMS. According to Wikipedia, “A headless CMS only consists of the content component, which focuses solely on the administrative interface for content creators, content workflows and collaboration facilitation, and organizing content into taxonomies.”

Therefore, a headless CMS must be combined with a separate presentation layer to handle design, site structure, and templates. This combination usually relies on stateless or loosely coupled APIs, as illustrated below:

In our experience, most vendors of headless CMS focus on the following attributes of headless:

• RESTful APIs
• Microservices architecture
• Multi-channel publishing

Additionally, the entire stack may be provided by an “as a Service (aaS)” platform. Now that we have established what we mean by “headless CMS,” let’s delve into its implications.

Benefits of Implementing Headless CMS

When in doubt, check out the industry standard, as set forth by Gartner. This illustration below outlines Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Platform as a Service (PaaS), 2020. You can see API-Centric (headless) SaaS, just on the edge of the “Peak of Inflated Expectations.”

It’s true…headless implementation in your tech stack (the separation of the presentation layer from everything else) can do several clever things for your business. Its most common claims are that it:

• Gives greater front-end flexibility for more creativity and design agility
• To some extent can future-proof your stack. This means you can more easily add new channels and swap out other tech components without affecting the pblic presentation of your product or company.
• Improves the content personalization and re-use while it speeds up the content creation processes. This allows content authors to concentrate on satisfying the need for more and more content while the front-end teams deliver content seamlessly to more omnichannel endpoints.

Read how headless content management is a digital experience game changer.

Beware of Potential Headless CMS Pitfalls

“Headless” doesn’t mean without a head. You still need a presentation layer or system – some way of projecting your content with brand image/colours/stylings to channels. This new system is independent of the back-end creation process.

Here are some potential pitfalls to consider before adopting a headless CMS:

• It will need a person or team of front-end developers to create and manage the design system, albeit with newfound freedom to be infinitely creative.
• This team will be needed if a change is to be made or a new channel added. If they are external to your firm, this will cost money.
• In the content creation process, many people like a preview of how content might look on different devices. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editors are common in the process. This functionality is lost since the head is separated.

Are you adding channels or changing designs and layouts so often that you can gain some business advantage? Do you really want to continually edit the company brand? If so, giving the front-end team endless creative freedom MIGHT make sense.

Ask your vendor how they charge for access. There are many varied charging mechanisms in the market, and there are often costs associated with the privilege of going headless. Make sure you understand your TCO when making the decision to go headless.

The headless path is not for the faint of heart or the novice in digital business. A company requires significant digital maturity and a robust change management process to succeed in this change. Do not underestimate this journey.

Conclusion

Headless is an excellent option if it means solving an actual business problem – not just if the front-end team wants more freedom or the IT teams want a new architectural model. Therefore, it is crucial to make this decision with all stakeholders at the table.

A modern CMS offers either a headless or de-coupled approach to content, rather than the traditional CMS model. Your company can grow into whichever approach suits its business needs at a particular point in time.

Interested in taking your own digital transformation journey? Contact us!

In today’s fast-paced world, we are always on the go and looking for ways to simplify our lives. As a frequent traveler, I can attest to the convenience of receiving real-time updates on my flights and hotel reservations through SMS and push notifications. These channels have become essential tools for businesses to engage with their customers in real time, providing valuable information and personalized experiences.

According to a survey by eMarketer, over 60% of consumers say they have opted into receiving push notifications from brands they like.

A friend of mine recently shared a success story about how she received a push notification from her hotel offering a discount on a spa treatment during her stay. This personalized message improved her experience at the hotel and encouraged her to book the spa treatment, increasing revenue for the business.

However, there are also potential downsides to consider. Customers may feel overwhelmed if they receive too many messages or if the messages are not relevant to their interests. Additionally, businesses must ensure they are compliant with regulations and protect customer privacy when using these channels.

In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of connecting with customers through SMS and push notifications.

SMS

SMS, or Short Message Service, is a widely used communication channel that enables businesses to connect with customers via text messages. With billions of mobile phone users worldwide, SMS offers an unparalleled reach and immediacy that can help businesses drive engagement, sales and customer loyalty. However, to succeed with SMS marketing, businesses need to understand the nuances of this channel and follow best practices to ensure they deliver relevant, valuable, and personalized messages that resonate with their audience.

• High open rates: SMS messages have an average open rate of 98%, which is significantly higher than email marketing. This means that the majority of your audience is likely to see your message, increasing the chances of conversion.
• Immediate delivery: SMS messages are delivered instantly, making them a great way to share time-sensitive information like flash sales, limited-time offers, and event invitations.
• High engagement: SMS messages have an average response rate of 45%, which is significantly higher than other marketing channels. This high engagement makes SMS a great way to communicate with customers and build loyalty.
• Personalization: Personalization is a key advantage of SMS marketing. By using customer data, businesses can craft messages that speak directly to their audience’s interests and preferences. In fact, studies have shown that personalized SMS messages have a 209% higher response rate compared to generic messages.

CONS

• Be mindful of character count: SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, so make sure your message is clear and concise. Avoid using slang or abbreviations that may be confusing to customers.
• Opt-In requirement: Obtaining customer consent before sending SMS messages is essential, but it can be a barrier to reaching a wider audience. Offer value to customers and build trust over time to increase opt-ins.
• Using SMS in combination with other marketing channels: Email and social media can amplify your message and reach a wider audience. Businesses can follow up with an SMS message to those who clicked on the email or engaged with the social media post, reminding them of the offer and encouraging them to take advantage of it before it expires.
• SMS messages can be more expensive than push notifications, particularly for businesses with a large customer base. This is because SMS messages often incur a per-message fee, while push notifications are typically free.

Push Notifications

Push notifications have become a popular way for businesses to engage with their customers. These notifications are short messages that pop up on a user’s phone, even when they’re not actively using the app. With the ability to include rich media, such as images and videos, push notifications offer an effective way to grab your audience’s attention.

But how do push notifications work, and what are some benchmarks to keep in mind when using them for your business? Let’s take a closer look.

PROS

Instant communication: Push notifications provide real-time updates, ensuring that your target audience receives your message immediately, fostering instant engagement. (Example: Flash sales, limited-time offers, or breaking news.)

Enhanced user retention: Push notifications have been shown to increase 30-day app retention rates by 3-10 times. By re-engaging inactive users with personalized content or offers, marketers can improve the long-term success of their apps.

Geofencing and location-based marketing: Marketers can leverage location data to send contextually relevant push notifications. For instance, a retail store could send a promotional offer when a user is near their physical location, increasing the chances of a store visit.

A/B testing and optimization: Marketers can conduct A/B tests with different messaging, creatives, and timing to optimize push notifications for better engagement and conversion. Marketing automation software like Unica Deliver allow for easy experimentation and performance tracking.

CONS

User annoyance: Inappropriate or excessive push notifications can lead to a 71% uninstall rate (Leanplum). For example, if a news app sends too many notifications, users may get annoyed and uninstall the app.

Limited reach: Users must opt-in to receive push notifications, and the average opt-in rate is around 53%. This means almost half of the users may not receive your messages.

Platform restrictions: Some platforms, like iOS, have stricter rules for push notifications, limiting their use for promotional purposes. In addition, iOS users tend to have lower opt-in rates (41%) compared to Android users (91%) (Airship).

Message overload: With numerous apps sending push notifications, users may experience message fatigue, leading to decreased engagement and notification blindness.

Push Notifications and SMS: When to Use What?

Use Cases for SMS:

• Sending time-sensitive information: SMS is great for delivering urgent messages that require immediate attention, such as flight cancellations or emergency alerts.
• Sharing promotions and coupon codes: SMS is an effective channel for sharing limited-time offers and discount codes with customers.
• Providing order tracking info: SMS can be used to provide customers with real-time updates on their order status, increasing transparency and customer satisfaction.
• Sending appointment and billing reminders: SMS is a reliable way to send reminders for appointments or bill payments, reducing the risk of missed appointments or late payments.
• Providing technical support: SMS can be used to provide customers with quick and convenient technical support, such as password resets or troubleshooting tips.
• Collecting user feedback: SMS can be used to collect feedback from customers through surveys or polls, providing valuable insights for businesses.
• Helping users take the next step: In a series of actions, like clicking a link to complete their online check-in, SMS can be used to guide customers through a series of steps, such as completing an online check-in or downloading a mobile app.

Use Cases for Push Notifications:

• Sending real-time order updates: With services like meal delivery,push notifications are great for providing real-time updates on order status, such as when a meal is being prepared or is on its way.
• Reducing abandoned carts: By reminding customers to come back and complete their purchase, push notifications can be used to remind customers about items left in their cart, encouraging them to complete their purchase.
• Sharing company news updates: Depending upon the user’s content preferences, push notifications can be used to share company news and updates that are relevant to the user’s interests.
• Alerting users about upcoming events: Push notifications can be used to remind users about upcoming events, such as a concert or a webinar.
• Promoting new content: Like a just-published blog post or a free guide, push notifications can be used to promote new content or resources, increasing engagement and driving traffic to a website.
• Adding value: Push notifications can be used to suggest products or services based on a user’s browsing history or purchase history, providing a personalized experience and creating buy-in.
• Communicating service updates: Push notifications can be used to communicate service updates or alerts, such as weather updates or power outages in a specific area.
• Sending discounts or limited-time offers: Push notifications can be used to share limited-time offers or discounts with customers, increasing the chances of a purchase.

Both SMS and push notifications offer unique advantages and challenges when it comes to connecting with customers. While SMS provides high open rates, immediate delivery, and a wide reach, push notifications offer cost-effective, engaging experiences with rich media support and geo-targeting capabilities.

With Unica Deliver and Unica Campaign, you can create, optimize and manage your campaigns across both channels seamlessly. With Unica Deliver and Unica Campaign, you’ll have access to advanced targeting, personalization, and analytics features, enabling you to reach the right audience with the right message, at the right time. By leveraging their capabilities, you can enhance your marketing strategy, boost customer engagement, and drive better results across both SMS and push notification channels.

The digital transformation that forward-looking companies are intent on making requires the adoption of a platform that streamlines operations, reduces costs, and taps the full potential of the workforce — a low-code application development platform.

Here are the basics about low code and why it offers the best solution for sustainable success in today’s dynamic business environment.

What is a low-code application development platform?

A low-code development platform is an integrated software development environment that’s used to create apps through a graphical user interface. Before low code, building apps meant long development cycles of writing complicated code, then testing and debugging the software. A low-code app development platform (LCAP) replaces coding with intuitive visual tools, saving resources and requiring no advanced training to deliver sophisticated apps quickly and efficiently.

No-code platforms are even simpler to use and are particularly valuable to business users for finding innovative workplace solutions. This includes solving problems such as customer quotations and pricing approvals, employee onboarding, job applications, and CRM, which result in empowering employees and improving the customer experience.

Why are low-code platforms important? Why are low-code/no-code platforms becoming popular?

No code is the fastest, easiest, most cost-effective way to build business apps and empower citizen developers in the workplace to gain quick insights, eliminate wasteful procedures, collaborate, and innovate. Employees without any software engineering skills can create industry-specific apps that were once the sole province of IT departments.

Placing app-building capabilities in the hands of employees is crucial for an organization to stay competitive in our world where digitization and data are key to success. With more and more companies relying on low code / no code to automate antiquated systems and processes, Gartner predicts that low code will power the creation of 70% of new applications by 2025.

What are the benefits of low code?

A low-code platform can help businesses meet their most essential goals: reduce waste, replace inefficient systems with new cost-effective processes, and access fast, accurate insights that lead to enhanced business outcomes and improved employee and customer satisfaction.

Additionally, these platforms lessen the risk of so-called “shadow IT” — digital solutions created by employees that are not under the purview of the IT department — and even offer the prospect of turning these resources into assets.

“It’s worth acknowledging two truths: shadow IT is essential for business operations, and talent capable of creating applications often resides outside the IT department,” write McKinsey experts. “Despite its utility, shadow IT poses a serious security risk to all organizations, but enterprises have an incredible opportunity to transform it into an area of innovation and speed.”

A powerful low-code platform improves efficiency and increases productivity while reducing risk and eliminating the need to revamp old systems or hire additional personnel to adopt a new platform. HCL Domino Leap, for instance, is a proven platform that Fortune 500 companies depend on to leverage the power, security, and innovative technology they need to stay on the leading edge.

How secure is a low-code platform?

A company’s data is its most valuable asset. That’s why top-flight businesses rely on low-code platforms that have rock-solid security, governance and control, email security, and easy integration in their DNA.

Low-code platforms have strong built-in security and when combined with a set of zero-trust rules, they can prevent most data breaches and cyberattacks. What’s more, they include a set of tools to counter the infamous human factor.

“No matter how good the low-code tool is, there’s still a chance that employees will be tempted to create applications beyond the security radar,” Jonathan Reed writes in Security Intelligence. “For this reason, built-in permissions go a long way in maintaining good governance.” Proper training, testing and gate-keeping are key here.

For years, HCL Domino has set a standard for security in the app dev world. It’s so reliable, safe and secure that accounting firms and banks trust their audit processes to Domino Leap.

What can I do with no code? What can I build with a low-code platform?

A no-code platform lets employees create their own tools to help them do their jobs better and more efficiently. Rather than putting in a request to the IT department to come up with a solution to improve workflow, they can do it themselves — in any aspect of the business ecosystem.

From tracking expenses to the submission and approval of documents to case management and candidate recruitment, a high-performance low-code platform such as HCL Domino Leap enables the workforce to easily implement workplace enhancements and gain real-time insights that drive innovation. Check out the Domino Leap showroom to see what’s possible.

How long does it take to put a low-code platform into place?

Switching to a low-code platform transforms businesses, but it is not a time-consuming process. It can be up and running in days, not the weeks or months that adopting a new platform often takes.

Right out of the box, Domino Leap is complete and fully secure in one install — an all-in-one application server ready to help start solving business challenges. The latest version offers low code and a host of features that make it easier than ever to tap the full potential of citizen developers while improving employee and customer experiences.

The best news? Update to the latest version of HCL Domino to take full advantage of this visionary solution.

Will low code replace programmers?

Low code puts app-building capability in the hands of novice developers and designers instead of relying on seasoned software engineers. But it doesn’t eliminate the need for coding or for sophisticated programming experts.

That means that programmers will be less relied upon by the general workforce for all IT-related requests and can focus on higher-level issues like planning, architecture, DevOps, and security.

By mitigating the risk of shadow IT, low-code platforms further un-burden IT professionals from having to perform low-level but necessary tasks — speeding up development time and improving productivity and employee satisfaction.

Does digital transformation require coding?

The rise of no-code and low-code platforms has transformed the work traditionally performed by professional developers, but coding is still very much a valued and necessary part of the move toward digital transformation.

Low code automates thousands of basic tasks, but software engineering skills are still required for high-level innovation, custom development of consumer applications, and other vital initiatives.

In today’s business landscape, speed is of the essence. As organizations continue to prioritize digital transformation, they are increasingly turning to low-code platforms to speed up that initiative.

Is low-code development faster?

The success of low-code platforms in speeding up the app-development process has transformed the business world in recent years. What used to take weeks or months of traditional development can now be accomplished and put into practice in a matter of hours or even minutes.

HCL Domino Leap enables citizen developers to build applications with ready-made components — such as customer lead capture, special customer offers or business dashboards — in minutes. With minimal effort, employees can make their apps mobile and web-ready, meeting customers (and their colleagues) where they are and giving them the accessibility they want. Once an app is finished, it then can be turned into a template for others to use.

Is low code scalable? How customizable is a low-code platform?

Scalability is a key feature of any high-performance low-code/no-code development platform. An agile, intuitive interface and ease of use means employees can continually come up with new solutions and processes based on up-to-the-minute insights without the involvement of a company’s IT professionals. Whether it’s a mining operation or a clothing retailer, end users can create industry-specific apps that maximize efficiency and tap their own creative potential.

No code includes pre-configured visual tools that make it easy for business users with no formal software training to develop custom apps — without writing a single line of code. Guided by a user experience that takes them through the process, citizen developers can easily customize the way their apps look and function. As businesses grow, they can leverage more citizen developers to collaborate and improve their workflows.

HCL Domino Leap offers enterprises a low-code development platform that accelerates the design, building, and deployment of applications while eliminating the need to revamp old systems or hire new personnel to adopt a new platform.

The drive toward digitization and the rise of citizen developers across the business landscape have raised low-code development to a position of strategic importance. Low code’s many advantages — ease of use, security, productivity improvement — align with goals and objectives of organizations challenged to keep pace with the ever-increasing speed of application delivery.

Low code offers a solution that taps the potential of a company’s resources — both human and digital — leading to improved outcomes across the board. Give HCL Domino Leap a try now!

We are excited to share that HCL Domino has been selected as a leader in several G2 categories in their Winter 2023 report! G2 is a global peer review site that scores products based on reviews gathered from nearly 2M users.

• Top 50 Best Development Products of 2023 – This recognition is earned based on the analysis of HCL Domino’s product Satisfaction and Market Presence scores within its category.
  
• Momentum Leader Application Development Platform – Products in the Leader Tier in the Momentum Grid rank in the top 25% of their category’s product by their users.
• Rapid Application Development Leader – Products in the Leader quadrant in the Grid® Report are rated highly by G2 users and have substantial Satisfaction and Market Presence scores.
• Low-code Development Platform Leader – Products in the Leader quadrant in the Grid® Report are rated highly by G2 users and have substantial Satisfaction and Market Presence scores

Here are some G2 customer quotes from 2023 reviews for Domino:

• “Domino is most secure and easy to use”
• “…an underrated piece of software with exceptional ROI…”
• “From CRM to BigData, it solved most of our business challenges!”
• “Hands down, still the best low code collaborative system”
• “The most integrated, easiest to use collab solution. Absolute portability, clustering, security, low code development in one integrated solution.”
• “You can create complex applications in a very fast way which leaves the competition far behind. The Domino server is very performant and doesn’t need many resources, even when 1000s of users connect at the same time. Thanks to the backward compatibility, upgrading a piece of cake. And then I’m not even mentioning the power of replication.”

Leave a HCL Domino G2 Review:
Learn more about what other users have to say (or leave your own review of HCL Domino) on G2’s HCL Domino review page! To all our customers who gave reviews…thank you! These reviews help us evaluate our products, and we look forward to building on the experience that earned us these badges.

Organizations are driven to adopt citizen development due to the increased demand for software and the need for more skilled developers. Through citizen development programs, non-technical employees can develop unique software applications for themselves or their teams with little to no coding experience.

The most common citizen development areas are customer service, finance, operations, and HR. This framework increases the number of developers available to your business and adds knowledge and an original perspective to the software development process.

 

What is Citizen Development?

When non-IT-trained staff members use low-code/no-code (LCNC) platforms to create business-critical applications, this approach is known as “citizen development.” It approves applications made using citizen development techniques.

This separates the meaning of citizen development from that of shadow IT. Non-IT experts, known as citizen developers, look for low-code or no-code solutions to solve their problems.

As digital agility develops, more employees become citizen developers and produce their applications. Citizen developers can be found in many organizations’ human resources, R&D, finance, and customer service divisions.

 

Who is a Citizen Developer?

A citizen developer is an employee who uses low-code or no-code platforms to build software applications for their team or others without the help of IT. Rather than being a role, a citizen developer is a personality. They use development techniques that IT has approved and sanctioned while they create programs in runtime environments.

Each citizen programmer possesses unique skills and expertise in specialized domains but needs more coding experience. They are change-driven problem solvers with a basic understanding of technology. Drag-and-drop interfaces are used by the users of no-code and low-code platforms to implement their ideas.

 

The Need for a Citizen Development Platform

Efficiency and productivity have increased for companies that invest time and money in the citizen development community. Earlier, businesses used to waste time waiting for IT specialists to fix a problem, but nowadays, citizen development platforms have become a regular procedure in many application development organizations.

Also, any employee who learns and understands the use of LCNC platforms can create software or teach a fellow employee, expanding the community of citizen developers. Any business process becomes more efficient in both situations.

 

Benefits of Citizen development

Citizen development helps build business agility and enhances sustainability. Some of the major benefits of citizen development in an organization are:

Enhanced Agility
Citizen developers may create solutions in a fraction of the time required by conventional software development techniques, responding promptly to changing business needs. Companies can stay one step ahead of the competition and quickly change directions to take on new challenges.

Affordable Solutions
Citizen developers can build solutions faster and inexpensively with low-code and no-code platforms than with conventional software development techniques. Because of this, it is simpler for businesses to keep within their budgets and maximize their investment.

Efficiency and New Ideas
The field of application development is expanding every day. A business that wants to stay current must frequently produce new applications. Organizations can create apps that respond to changing requirements and market demands due to LCNC and citizen development. To build apps that adapt to new needs and market demands much faster than before. Citizen application development motivates innovation and fosters creative thinking.

Speed
The time it takes to release new apps is reduced by citizen development. For example, app users can provide immediate feedback to citizen developers who are developing it. They are capable of making corrections on their own if something needs mending. Since non-IT experts are more familiar with business requirements and difficulties, their solutions typically provide better problem-solving and improved customer experiences.

Better user experience
Citizen developers can develop solutions specifically targeted to end customers’ needs due to their distinctive perspective. As a result, users have a better experience using the products, and adoption rates are higher.

Greater Innovation
Companies can access a fresh source of innovation and creativity by enabling citizen developers. This results in increased innovation and the development of unique solutions that can drive growth and competitiveness.

Improved Alignment with Business Goals
Citizen developers can develop solutions per the organization’s goals because they thoroughly understand the business and its objectives. Better results and more effective resource use are the results of this.

Businesses that invest in citizen developers stand to gain significantly from cost savings, enhanced agility, an improved user experience, increased innovation, and better alignment with corporate objectives. For businesses of all sizes, the advent of the citizen developer movement heralds a new era in software development. Accept this modification and benefit from a more productive and efficient development process.

 

HCL Domino – An Ideal Platform for Citizen Developers

HCL Domino, a rapid application development platform, continues evolving to meet the needs of the modern business — it’s collaborative, low-code, mobile, and web-ready.

The latest release of Domino, v12.0.2, makes it easy to develop robust, secure, and enterprise-grade workflow-based applications.

HCL Domino empowers you to become a citizen developer by providing a low-code platform that enables you to create custom business applications, automate processes, and streamline collaboration without requiring extensive technical skills.  And helping citizen developers across verticals build applications up to 60-70% faster to automate their manual processes and drive efficiency, productivity, and transparency. Click here for a demo.

Shoptalk US is just around the corner! We invite YOU to join us for this exciting three-day conference from March 26th to March 29th in Las Vegas. With over 8,000 attendees, 500+ speakers, and 300+ exhibitors, Shoptalk US is the retail industry’s premier event of the year. By attending, you’ll learn from industry leaders, gain new ideas, and network with peers to stay ahead of the game in retail.

The dedicated HCL Customer Experience team will be there, and we are offering YOU the chance to sign up in advance for 1-1 meetings with the team! We look forward to sharing insights with you on how to transform your digital commerce strategy and drive growth in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace.

Our expertise in the retail industry has already helped some of the biggest brands unlock growth with our commerce solutions. We’re excited that several of our HCL Commerce customers, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Lowe’s, Boots/Walgreen Alliance, and IKEA, will be keynote speakers at the event.

And that’s not all: We have a special treat in store! Visit our coffee cart for a FREE cup of coffee!

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn, connect, and grow your business! Let’s grab a cup of coffee together, and let’s discuss how HCL Commerce can help you transform your digital commerce strategy and drive growth.

Send an email to David Lebowitz, Steven Drane or Sierra Bhatia and let’s pre-book a 1-1 meeting at Shoptalk US!

Learn more about Shoptalk here.

Load balancing refers to efficiently distributing incoming network traffic across a group of backend servers, also known as a “server farm” or “server pool.”

A load balancer acts as the “traffic cop” sitting in front of your servers and routing client requests across all servers capable of fulfilling those requests in a manner that maximizes speed and capacity utilization and ensures that no one server is overworked, which could degrade performance. If a single server goes down, the load balancer redirects traffic to the remaining online servers. When a new server is added to the server group, the load balancer automatically starts to send requests to it.

In this manner, a load balancer performs the following functions:

• Distributes client requests or network load efficiently across multiple servers
• Ensures high availability and reliability by sending requests only to servers that are online
• Provides the flexibility to add or subtract servers as demand dictates

HCL Compass also offers the capability to configure load balancing, to distribute the client requests across all available Compass Web (CQWeb) servers.

This blog discusses about how to load balance two Compass web servers using an IBM HTTP Server 9.0.0.11 that is using the WebSphere plugin.

Host details:

Host-1: ending with number 26921

OS: Windows Standard 2019 64Bit

Host-2: ending with number 35411

OS: Windows Standard 2019 64Bit

Environment details:

HCL Compass version: 2.2.0

WAS/IHS version: 9.0.0.11

Prerequisites:

* The following applications installed and configured on both hosts;

WAS-9.0.0.11 and IHS-9.0.0.11

Compass – 2.2.0

* Compass Web server profiles created and configured on both hosts

Important Note: We have considered the first Compass Web Server Host-1 itself as the load balancer host. You can consider a third host for configuring load balancing, in addition to the number of Compass web servers you include as a part of load balancing.

Procedure for configuring load balancing begins from here:

1. Setup Session Affinity:

Session affinity directs requests from a given client to a specific application server. The application state maintained in the HTTP session is accessed in the HTTP session cache, which is local to the application server. Session affinity provides higher performance than database persistence of the session object, alone. Without session affinity, session requests must be obtained from the database if they are sent to a server that does not have the session object in the local cache. To configure a unique HTTP session clone ID using the WebSphere Integrated Solutions Console (ISC), complete the following steps for each WebSphere application server on Host-1 and Host-2.

On Host-1 launch the WebSphere ISC Console: Go to Start -> All Programs -> IBM WebSphere -> IBM WebSphere Application Server V9.0 -> Profiles -> cqwebprofile -> Administrative console

Login as admin

Go To Servers > Server Types > WebSphere Application Servers > server1

Click on Configuration > Web Container Settings > Web container

Then click on Customer properties:

Under Preferences, click and click “New…”.

In the Name field enter “HttpSessionCloneId”.

In the Value field enter a unique value for the server (cqw26921). The unique value must be 8 to 9 alphanumeric characters.

In the optional Description field enter “ClearQuest web server 26921”.

Click on OK.

Click Save to save the configuration changes directly to the master configuration.

2.. Repeat the same steps on Host-2:

Note: Make sure the value of HttpSessionCloneId is 8 characters – cqw26921 & cqw35411 , as per documentation – https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/was/8.5.5?topic=iwspi-configuring-simple-load-balancing-across-multiple-application-server-profiles

3. Restart the WebSphere Application servers 26921 and 35411.

4. Generate the plugin-cfg.xml file for each application server (HOST-1 & HOST-2) using the WebSphere Integrated Solution console.

Launch the WebSphere ISC on Host-1:

Login as user “admin”

Go to Servers -> Server Types and click on “Web servers”.

Check the box beside “webserver1”

Click “Generate Plug-in” and a plugin-cfg.xml file will be created.

Note: A plugin-cfg.xml file was created. Please note its location in the messages section near the top of ISC.

Stop the IHS service on this server if it already started.

Copy this generated plugin-cfg.xml file located at

C:\Program Files\HCL\Compass\cqweb\cqwebprofile\config\cells\dfltCell\nodes\HOST-1-node\servers\webserver1\plugin-cfg.xml

To

C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1\ HOST-1-plugin-cfg.xml

Then rename the file C:\Program Files\HCL\Compass\cqweb\cqwebprofile\config\cells\dfltCell\nodes\HOST-1 -node\servers\webserver1\plugin-cfg.xml to something else , ex. plugin-cfg-original.xml

Repeat the same steps to generate a plugin-cfg.xml file on server Host-2

Then move a copy of this file HOST-2-plugin-cfg.xml to the first host HOST-1 under the folder

C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1\

Then rename the file C:\Program Files\HCL\Compass\cqweb\cqwebprofile\config\cells\dfltCell\nodes\HOST-1-node\servers\webserver1\plugin-cfg.xml to something else, ex. plugin-cfg-original.xml

5. Edit both HOST-1-plugin-cfg.xml and HOST-2-plugin-cfg.xml located in C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1 .

Change “localhost” to the target server’s actual IP address or its Full Qualified Domain name.

5.1. In the file – HOST-2-plugin-cfg.xml ;

Change this:

<Server CloneID=”cqw26921″ ConnectTimeout=”5″ ExtendedHandshake=”false” MaxConnections=”-1″ Name=”dfltNode_server1″ ServerIOTimeout=”900″ WaitForContinue=”false”>

<Transport ConnectionTTL=”28″ Hostname=”localhost” Port=”12080″ Protocol=”http”/>

<Transport ConnectionTTL=”28″ Hostname=”localhost” Port=”12443″ Protocol=”https”>

<Property Name=”keyring” Value=”C:\Program Files\ibm\WebSphere\Plugins/config/webserver1/plugin-key.kdb”/>

<Property Name=”stashfile” Value=”C:\Program Files\ibm\WebSphere\Plugins/config/webserver1/plugin-key.sth”/>

</Transport>

</Server>

To this:

<Server CloneID=”cqw26921″ ConnectTimeout=”5″ ExtendedHandshake=”false” MaxConnections=”-1″ Name=”dfltNode_server1″ ServerIOTimeout=”900″ WaitForContinue=”false”>

<Transport ConnectionTTL=”28″ Hostname=”<host-2 ip address>” Port=”12080″ Protocol=”http”/>

<Transport ConnectionTTL=”28″ Hostname=”=”<host-2 ip address>” Port=”12443″ Protocol=”https”>

<Property Name=”keyring” Value=”C:\Program Files\ibm\WebSphere\Plugins/config/webserver1/plugin-key.kdb”/>

<Property Name=”stashfile” Value=”C:\Program Files\ibm\WebSphere\Plugins/config/webserver1/plugin-key.sth”/>

</Transport>

</Server>

5.2. (If the HOST-1 server’s IP address was <host-1 ip address> then for HOST-1-plugin-cfg.xml)

Change this:

<Server CloneID=”cqw35411″ ConnectTimeout=”5″ ExtendedHandshake=”false” MaxConnections=”-1″ Name=”dfltNode_server1″ ServerIOTimeout=”900″ WaitForContinue=”false”>

<Transport ConnectionTTL=”28″ Hostname=”localhost” Port=”12080″ Protocol=”http”/>

<Transport ConnectionTTL=”28″ Hostname=”localhost” Port=”12443″ Protocol=”https”>

<Property Name=”keyring” Value=”C:\Program Files\ibm\WebSphere\Plugins/config/webserver1/plugin-key.kdb”/>

<Property Name=”stashfile” Value=”C:\Program Files\ibm\WebSphere\Plugins/config/webserver1/plugin-key.sth”/>

</Transport>

</Server>

To this:

<Server CloneID=”cqw35411″ ConnectTimeout=”5″ ExtendedHandshake=”false” MaxConnections=”-1″ Name=”dfltNode_server1″ ServerIOTimeout=”900″ WaitForContinue=”false”>

<Transport ConnectionTTL=”28″ Hostname=”<host-1 ip address>” Port=”12080″ Protocol=”http”/>

<Transport ConnectionTTL=”28″ Hostname=”<host-1 ip address>” Port=”12443″ Protocol=”https”>

<Property Name=”keyring” Value=”C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins/config/webserver1/plugin-key.kdb”/>

<Property Name=”stashfile” Value=”C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins/config/webserver1/plugin-key.sth”/>

</Transport>

</Server>

Save the files.

6. On HOST-1 if C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1\plugin-cfg.xml exists then rename it (plugin-cfg.xml.original) or move it to a non-working directory.

7. We need to merge the two plugin files: HOST-1-plugin-cfg.xml and HOST-2-plugin-cfg.xml

Use the pluginCfgMerge tool to combine the plugin-cfg.xml files. Open a DOS command window on the NJMYCLDDW95811 server and go to C:\Program Files (x86)\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\bin and enter the command:

C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\bin>pluginCfgMerge.bat “C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1\HOST-1-plugin-cfg.xml” “C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1\HOST-2-plugin-cfg.xml” plugin-cfg.xml

Merging:

Found file C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1\HOST-1-plugin-cfg.xml: true

Merging a non-ODC generated plugin-cfg.xml

Found file C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1\HOST-2-plugin-cfg.xml: true

Merged plugin config file written to plugin-cfg.xml

Merge Complete

C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\bin>

Move the resulting plugin-cfg.xml file to C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1

8. Copy the key database file, plugin-key.kdb and the sth file plugin-key.sth located at

C:\Program Files\HCL\Compass\cqweb\cqwebprofile\config\cells\dfltCell\nodes\HOST-1-node\servers\webserver1

on the HOST-1 server to:

C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1 on the HOST-1.

Note: Before you copy these files, you will see that the same files are already existing in the folder C:\Program Files\IBM\WebSphere\Plugins\config\webserver1. You will need to first rename these files to something else, ex. Plugin-key-original.kdb and plugin-key-original.sth

Copy the key database file, plugin-key.kdb located at

C:\Program Files\HCL\Compass\cqweb\cqwebprofile\config\cells\dfltCell\nodes\HOST-2.NONPROD.HCLPNP.COM-node\servers\webserver1

on the server HOST-2 to a temporary location on the server HOST-1.

On the HOST-1 open the IBM Key Management utility.

Click on Key Database File > Open, then click on Browse and explore to the path where you have saved the kdb file copied from Host-2:

Enter the password that you had set while creating this database file on Host-2:

It will now show you the kdb file you imported in the ‘Filename’ field and ‘default’ under the ‘Personal Certificates’ field, as shown below:

Select ‘Signer Certificates’ option from the drop down and click on ‘Extract’, as shown below:

Add the recently created arm file to the database file:

Start the IHS service on Host-1 that was stopped earlier.

This completes the configuration of load balancer on Compass web servers.

To test the load balancing, you need to logon to the Compass Web URL on both hosts , i.e. https://Host-1/cqweb/ and https://<Host-2>/cqweb/ , and for both these URLs it shows the same process ID, as mentioned below:

Cqrpc process is running on Host-2, and the process id is 17608 as seen in the below screen:

When you access the CQWeb URL – https://Host-1/cqweb/ as Compass admin user, and it shows the process id of cqrpc.exe process running on Host-2, i.e. 17608 as seen below:

Note: Go to CQWeb Site Administration > Monitoring, to see these details

You can now access the CQWeb URL on Host-2 i.e., https://Host-2/cqweb/ and it also shows the same process id 17608 running on host-2, as seen in the below screen:

Reference:

https://help.hcltechsw.com/compass/2.2.0/com.hcl.compass.doc/webhelp/oxy_ex-1/com.ibm.rational.clearquest.webadmin.doc/topics/c_cqwsvr_load_balance_config.html

This executive conversation by Digital Commerce 360 with Senior Director of Product Management, HCL Commerce, Brian Gillespie first appeared in the Digital Commerce 360 report Methods to Mastering E-commerce Marketplaces. Download the full report here.

B2B e-commerce is more competitive than ever, and many companies are turning to marketplace strategies to gain a competitive edge. Marketplaces offer companies an opportunity to both expand their product assortment and their reach with very little business risk. To discuss a modular approach to building a robust e-commerce site that leverages the power of marketplaces, Digital Commerce 360 spoke with Brian Gillespie, senior director of product management at HCL Commerce.

What is driving the growth of B2B marketplaces?
B2B companies are looking for ways to rise above the competition, and creating easier, more satisfying customer experiences is one way they’re doing that. Marketplaces make it easy for B2B companies to offer their buyers a one-stop shop. They give B2B buyers more product options while allowing B2B companies to expand the breadth of their offering, and they also offer more flexibility around the supply chain.

For example, one large automotive company implemented a marketplace to create an all encompassed parts and accessories shop for both its B2B and B2C customers. The company has brought all of its partners and distributors onto the marketplace, where customers can go to purchase both physical and digital goods from a single location — simplifying the experience for everyone.

How have marketplace technologies evolved in recent years?
Marketplaces used to be an afterthought from a commerce perspective. You had to stand up a B2B e-commerce site and then contract with a third-party vendor to implement a marketplace that needed to be integrated with commerce platform. It was a complex process.

Now, marketplaces are native in e-commerce solutions. You no longer need third-party integrations or to synchronize data across different platforms. It’s a single solution with all the tooling in place, so they’re very easy to stand up without the support of IT.

What typical challenges do B2B companies face when implementing marketplace initiatives?
It’s important to make sure your organization is ready for marketplaces. There are a lot of back-end processes that challenge companies: How do you negotiate with your suppliers from contractual standpoint? How do you settle and handle payments across the organization? There are a lot of complexities on the commerce side which is solved with the new marketplace solution, however, organizations need to look at business processes such as the back-end payments and accounts receivable.

What strategies or technologies help them overcome these challenges?
Composable commerce lets B2B companies piece together e-commerce sites with the features they need for their business, but then they have to tie these pieces together from different vendors. HCL Commerce takes that same modular approach, but it comes from a single vendor, HCL. Each feature — including marketplaces — is its own module, and then we ensure everything works together (search, promotions, B2B pricing, contracts, entitlements, buying experience, business tooling, etc.).

The B2B organizations no longer have to stitch everything together. Additionally, with everything in a single platform, all the data is in one place — giving companies and customers visibility into inventory, product information and pricing.

Marketplaces no longer have to be complex. With a single solution, you can get them up and running quickly and easily.

Download the full report here.