For years, IBM has allowed Administrators to store data outside of the standard Notes\Data path, just many are not aware of it.
If you are running out of space on your Domino servers, you may want to store your user mail files or Domino applications on cheaper storage devices, or if you are archiving for Compliance, maybe you want these files stored away somewhere outside of Domino.
The big question is then how do your users access this data?
Enter into the picture, Domino "Directory Links". This handy little feature allows you store data pretty much anywhere you want to and then allows the users to access it file the Application - Open dialog box just like they normally would.
In early versions of Lotus Notes, you could create a text file in Notepad with a drive path, name the file with a .dir extention and place it in your data directory and you were set.
In the newer versions of Lotus Notes, inside the Administrator client you have an easy way to create these.
- Go to the Files tab and select your Notes\data path.
- On the right side, expand Tools and Folder and choose 'New Link'
- Inside the Folder Link window, give a name. You do not need to put the .dir at the end.
- Select "folder"
- Enter the path to where the data will be stored
- Click OK.
Your new Directory Link is now created. Going to the Application - Open dialog box will show this just like any other folder.
You could also use this method for a database that needs moved to another location. Just select 'Database' in step 4.