ESCAPE VELOCITY :: IBM in the cloud: extst.ibm.com

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IBM in the cloud: extst.ibm.com

I renamed that server community to 'Pit of Despair' in my Sametime client. True story.

I know that there are a lot of hard-working smart people at IBM, but this is absolutely ridiculous. Sametime is a rock solid product, especially on Domino 8. So the fact that anyone trying to do business with IBM through IM ever sees this message is an embarrassment. Seriously, if you guys can't fix this, why would I ever trust you to run any cloud service?

Nobody ever gets that message on the Bleedyellow IM server, do they?

IBM, here's all you have to do: pick up a phone, dial 770 720 1300 and say "yes we can." Lotus 911 will give you a Sametime server for external communication within 72 hours. All you have to do is give us an LDAP binding and change a DNS entry.

I'll leave comments open in case anyone wants to share stories about that wretched server.

Posted by Nathan T Freeman On | Digg This | Permalink

Comments

1 - Nathan, it has been a while since I have even been able to log on to extst.ibm.com and actually see anyone online. Let me know if your phone rings, because I really hope they fix this soon.

Posted by Mitch Cohen At 08:32:18 AM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

2 - It's been like this for about 4 years now. wrote about it many times in the partner forum and blogged about it a while back.

{ Link }

IBM just doesn't care, I can see no other reason.

Posted by Carl Tyler At 08:43:36 AM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

3 - "IBM, here's all you have to do: pick up a phone, dial 770 720 1300 and say "yes we can."
Emoticon

Posted by Denny At 09:17:57 AM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

4 - For some reason it works when you use the ST Web Client better than when you use the standard client or Notes emebedded ST client. Anyway I agree with Carl, IBM doesn't see a major benefit so they just ignore it.

Posted by Luis Guirigay At 10:21:11 AM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

5 - The IBM's CIO office has just completed a major internal overhaul of our existing Sametime infrastructure... moving to the current release. I've just asked the delivery manager when we can expect them to do the same with the Gateway. Will let you know what I hear.

Posted by John Del Pizzo At 11:04:53 AM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

6 - @5 - We've been hearing that for a while, y'know. Emoticon

Posted by Nathan T. Freeman At 11:27:36 AM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

7 - But this isnt a gateway! I do not connect my Sametime server to extst not do I connect the Sametime Gatweway to extst. It is a Sametime server that used to run 3.1. The gateway is an entirely different beast and connectivity point. It seems the authentication gets broken and the versions that are supported always seem to get set back

Posted by Chris Miller At 12:00:04 PM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

8 - @6 - I know. Emoticon

Word from the CIO's office is that "upgrading the Gateway and improving extst.ibm.com" is first on the priority list for 2009. Of course, I can't translate that into a specific timeline... but we hear you.

Posted by John Del Pizzo At 12:35:32 PM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

9 - @7 I keep telling you this Chris...

It's an IBM Sametime Server that connects to a gateway that connects to the internal IBM system.

The problem isn't really the Sametime server its the gateway it connects to.

@6 Agreed, people have changed jobs and still not got this fixed, heard lots of commitments over the last 4 years, but nothing in the way of actual progress.

Posted by Carl Tyler At 01:32:24 PM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

10 - Due to an unprecedented call volume, the server you are trying to access is unavailable, please try again at a later date.

I noticed it being a little flaky last week, but it's been fine the last day or 2.

Really, does IBM need a BP to come in and upgrade THEIR servers? Don;t they have any ISSL people just hanging around?

Posted by Keith Brooks At 10:56:04 PM On 11/19/2008 | - Website - |

11 - LMAO at mouseover text for the image!

Posted by Erik Brooks At 09:20:20 AM On 11/20/2008 | - Website - |

11 Aug

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