How to see Lotus Notes database structure?

Question

In advance thanks for help. I was searching a lot but didn't find answer.

So I have several Lotus Notes .NSF databases and I need to transfer all the documents into DB2 data warehouse using Lotus Notes Agent. I also have LOG.NSF file.

Now how do I figure exactly what tables do I need to create in the DB2, I mean how do I see clear structure of those .NSF files so I can then configure Agent?

Also, I was told I need to separate elements myself, which are in format xxxxx/xxxxx/xxxxx/xxxxx, etc. Where do I find this path with "/"? Is It in LOG.NSF?

Thanks again.

Answer 1

You can use Lotus Notes, Domino Designer, and NotesPeek to explore the physical structure and contents of the NSF files. But moving data from Notes to an RDBMS system requires understanding the logical structure of the data. That's not something that people who have never seen the application can really help you with. Notes is an incredibly powerful tool. There is no concept of 'elements in the format xxx/xxx/xxx/xxx' in Notes, but there are loads of ways a developer could use Notes features to put that concept into an application.

Answer 2

Lotus Notes documents store unstructured data, so there is no schema to see. Every document legally could have different "columns" of data.

Views will be your biggest ally. You can create views to display the data in the documents and gain an understanding of what items (re: columns) exist and what data each contains.

Answer 3

As others already have said, you need to understand the particular application(s) you want to export the data for. Also, since it sounds like you are very new to Notes (i.e. the talk about "element in the format xxxxx/xxxxx/xxxxx/xxxxx" and not understanding that log.nsf is just another database, logging server activity), I don't think you should attempt to write an agent to export the data.

However, there is no need for that, as there already are tools that will let you export Notes data into other formats, for example XML. I have written one myself, you can find it here: http://www.texasswede.com/home.nsf/Page/Notes%20XML%20Exporter

That tool does not tell you anything about the business logic of the application, something you should understand before exporting any data.

Oh, and it would also be nice if you updated your profile with a real name, your location and perhaps a presentation where you tell about your skills, etc. That latter makes it much easier to answer questions, when we know your skill level.

Answer 4

If you're simply looking to migrate the attachments out to a single-instance warehouse, it's already part of Domino. It's called DOLS, Domino Off-Line Storage. I haven't the foggiest idea how it works, as I don't have DB2, and its function doesn't match what my firm wishes to accomplish.