Deciding whether to use the Notes client
All users have access to cloud mail automatically through a browser. Before you prepare to onboard users, decide whether you want them to use the optional IBM® Notes® client in addition to or instead of a browser-based client.
About this task
- With a browser-based client, users get access to new features automatically as they are available in the service.
- IT departments save money by avoiding the need to upgrade and maintain Notes clients.
- Browser-based clients are easy to use and there is often little training needed.
- Most Notes clients features are available in the SmartCloud Notes web client that is provided automatically.
A recommended approach is to start all users in the service with a browser-based client. After users become familiar with it, you have a better sense of which users, if any, still need the Notes client. The following table describes some reasons to use the Notes client, as well as alternative options.
| Reason | Considerations and alternatives |
|---|---|
| Users need access to IBM Domino® applications on-premises. | IBM Client Application Access (ICAA) is an alternative option for IBM Verse and SmartCloud Notes web users. ICAA provides these users with access to on-premises Notes applications. |
| Users need access to mail when disconnected from the network. | Currently, only the Notes
client supports local, disconnected access to mail. Local mail file access is provided through
managed mail replicas (in hybrid environments) or standard local mail file replicas (in service-only
environments). Before you choose the Notes client for this reason, consider that with the increased use of mobile devices, some users might no longer require offline access through notebooks or desktops. |
| Internet connections are slow. | In hybrid environments, users with slow Internet connections, for example, users with limited bandwidth connections, see better performance if they use managed mail replicas on Notes clients. In service-only environments, these users benefit from using standard local mail file replicas on Notes clients. |
| Users are starting with new mail files in the service and want access to old mail archived on-premises. | Currently, accessing mail that is archived on-premises requires a Notes client. (The mail must be archived before the move to cloud mail.) |
| Users want features that are available only with the Notes client. | Consider that the web client offers many of the same features as Notes. For a feature comparison, see the technote Comparison tables of features between IBM Notes, IBM iNotes®, and IBM SmartCloud Notes web. |
| In hybrid environments, users want to manage (be delegates for) the mail files of on-premises users. | Managing on-premises mail files of users who are not provisioned for the service requires the Notes client. |
