SmartCloud Notes Faces End of Life – Where to Go Next

Earlier this summer, IBM and HCL Technologies completed a deal that has, no pun intended, left many organizations’ cloud futures up in the air. Under the deal, which began making headlines last December, HCL purchased a chunk of IBM’s collaboration, commerce, digital experience, and security software portfolio, including its Notes and Domino services. Initially, customers hoped the move meant a brighter future for Notes and Domino. Instead, HCL announced that, as of July 2020, it would no longer support several of these newly acquired technologies, including SmartCloud Notes.

Come July 2020, SmartCloud Notes will hit end of life, leaving organizations without a cloud-based tool for their email, calendar, and directory needs among other things. This means a migration is in store for those currently calling SmartCloud Notes home.

First, let’s consider what that migration should entail. Then, we’ll look at the possible landing spaces available in a post-SmartCloud Notes world.    

Plotting a course away from SmartCloud Notes

Wherever workloads are set to land, getting them there from SmartCloud Notes won’t be as simple as flipping a switch. Here’s how our Data Center and our Cloud & Workspace teams typically handle these projects:

• Discovery – It’s important to take time to review the basics. Those overseeing a migration should understand what exactly is in an environment, who’s using what, and how they’re using it. This not only ensures a complete and orderly move, but it reduces the negative impact on end users and operations.
• Design – Changes can make users at all levels of the organization uneasy. The best way to avoid this is to make them part of the process early and often. Representatives from across the organization can help draw up plans for a new home that makes sense for their team and for the company as a whole.
• Cost Analysis – Those leaving SmartCloud Notes already know how cloud pricing works and how to keep it in check. A move to a new cloud home likely won’t hold many surprises, though it will be worth reviewing the differences between the two. Moving to any other home, however, brings with it a host of newfound expenses, all of which will need to be addressed and budgeted for accordingly.
• Migration Planning – As mentioned, wherever workloads and mailboxes are destined to live, it takes time getting them there, particularly in larger organizations. Organizations must develop a phased approach, one in which their current SmartCloud Notes environment plays nicely with a future home. A methodical approach, backed by reliable interoperability, allows the day-to-day efforts of an organization to continue unimpeded.   
• Deployment – Even with meticulous planning, migrations can always throw a curveball to those managing them. Organizations will need to make sure they have resources with the time and skill needed to address any such issue as it crops up in order to keep a migration on track.

Where to move before SmartCloud Notes goes end of life   

So, what are organizations leaving SmartCloud Notes behind for, exactly? Probably the simplest and more highly adopted choice is to look for another cloud-based home for their applications, email, calendars, etc. One such option is Microsoft 365. This platform unites Microsoft’s industry-leading Office 365 productivity platform with advanced security and device management capabilities. In short, it does everything organizations relied upon SmartCloud Notes for with a heightened emphasis on security.    

Moving to Microsoft 365 and staying in the cloud allows organizations to replicate – and even enhance – the work environment they were most used to prior to HCL’s decision to pull the plug on SmartCloud Notes. However, it’s not the only option. Organizations can also choose to move on from the cloud and bring their workflows back to Earth, so to speak, either in-house or to a co-lo site. Doing so will require a substantial investment for the hardware and software needed to handle the influx of repatriated data. There are also expenses like cooling the new equipment and hiring additional resources to manage it to consider.

Still, for some, bringing their SmartCloud Notes workloads back on-prem or into a co-lo site will ultimately make the most sense for them. It’s just a matter of weighing organizational needs against the pros and cons of each option. 

Next Steps: Let us help you plan your post-SmartCloud Notes future

Need help deciding the right course for your organization prior to SmartCloud Notes’ July 2020 end of life date? Arraya can help. Our Data Center and Cloud & Workspace teams have the experience and insight needed to plan, architect and execute a post-SmartCloud Notes strategy designed for your objectives. Start a dialogue with them by visiting https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/.

We want to hear from you! Let us know what you think of this blog by way of social media. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay up to date with our industry insights and unique IT events.