In March 2009 we had an eRoom User Group meeting on EMC CenterStage, presented by Eric Knutson of EMC and Malcolm Bliss of Crown Partners. Although we did not record that session, EMC has provided us with webcast links to near-identical presentations given by the same presenters, plus we have the presentations files in PDF:

Following are the Questions and Answers from the session.

 Q. Can you show what the "Room" portion looks like in Centerstage?

Q. Does CenterStage have the same concepts of access control, both by membership (groups/roles) and by item or folder-level access control (restricted access, hidden items)?
Yes, all the eRoom features in this area come through

Q. Can you use the Document Storage product component of CenterStage without the other new Web 2.0 components?
The CenterStage Essentials version is a "limited" release of CenterStage.  It does include storing documents in folder and attachment boxes like in eRoom, plus a few other features.  There is no charge for this version.

Q. I saw the term "data tables" in CenterStage features.  Is that the same as the database function in eRoom?
Yes.  The feature is renamed in CS as "Data Tables" (much to the delight of database purists J ).

Q. Is there a move from EMC to focus more heavily on new technologies (such as web 2.0) and move away from the more recognized features that eRoom has now?
No. CenterStage has been built to leverage all the great features that eRoomers love in it today.  Virtually all eRoom items (like Polls, Databases, etc.) will be made available in CenterStage within the current product roadmap.  It also strives to "marry" the current eRoom features with newer Web 2.0 technologies that are now flourishing (Blogs, RSS, Wikis, etc.).

Q. Can eRoom be converted (upgraded) to CenterStage Essentials (CSE)?
Yes, if you are using eRoom today and want to replace it with CSE, you can convert your data accordingly.  But not all eRoom features are available in CSE, so you would lose them.  If you are using eRoom primarily for document storage, then you may be fine.

Q. Is it possible to use eRoom and CenterStage Essentials (CSE) at the same time?
Yes. An organization could have both applications running in their environment, but there would be no direct connection between them (like eRoom enterprise with Content Server).

Q. Will the updates to the RedCarpet utility for migration go hand in hand with CenterStage changes?
Yes.  RedCarpet and Buldoser Center are "in synch" with CenterStage.  Just note that with each new release of CenterStage, there could be delay of several weeks of the RedCarpet and Buldoser Center releases to ensure that it has been fully tested with the very latest release of CS.

Q. In an eRoom to content server migration using Buldoser Center, how are eRoom databases dealt with (things like field names, drop-down lists etc)?
It is the intention with every feature in eRoom to have it move into CenterStage with the same data.  So an eRoom database will convert to a "data table" in CenterStage, including all fields, records, access control, discussion areas, change logs, attachments, etc.  If there is anything that cannot be converted it will be clearly documented.

Q. How will it be addressed if certain objects throw an error when converting?  Will there be developer support available to support such incidents?
A report is generated after every data conversion pass from eRoom to CenterStage.  It shows what has been copied successfully and what has not.  There is then an opportunity to address the specific objects which failed the conversion.  Then, with RedCarpet, you re-run the entire data conversion batch.  With Buldoser Center, you only need to select the "exceptions" or "failed objects" and re-run those. Yes, blocks of Developer Support hours may be purchased and used to troubleshoot errors.

Q. How will eRoom indexes be migrated? Do we have to re-index all content post migration?
You will need to re-run those indexes in CenterStage.

Q. Does RedCarpet or Buldoser Center also work with Documentum Content Server (not just CenterStage)?
Yes, Buldoser Center was built in large part for migrations to Documentum Content Server.

Q. In the  case of eRoom approval databases, will RedCarpet be able to handle the different stages of approval–in other words, will it bring over all approval steps, even those that are "in progress"?
Yes, RedCarpet is planned to process the different types of eRoom databases, including Issues(approval process) data bases. As long as CenterStage has a corresponding, consistent location or feature where the data can be moved, even details such as approval steps will convert as needed.

Q. Do you support the migration of a Community Member List?  Does CenterStage have an equivalent "community"?
Yes, there is the concept of "local members" in CenterStage (in addition to the LDAP directory), and members from eRoom will be imported accordingly. Group and community member lists will be transferred. “External” eRoom users will be transferred into Documentum as “inline” Documentum users.

Many users have wanted to post various questions on this blog, so you can use this thread to ask them.  If you see a previous posting with a topic that already relates to your question, post it there.  If not, go ahead and use this topic.  –Bill G.

At our eRoom User Group meeting on 4/17/2008, we had a presentation of eRoom 7.4 by Eric Knutson of EMC.  In case you missed, Eric did a similar presentation recently which was recorded with essentially the same information.  eRoom 7.4 has as it’s main feature the addition of Information Rights Management (IRM), which essentially gives you control of documents once they leave the eRoom.

For example, you use an eRoom to manage an RFP process and invite vendors in eRoom to retrieve the RFP document and submit proposals.  The RFP document has proprietary specs that are confidential.  When the vendor retrieves the document from eRoom, you can set it up so that it cannot be copied or printed, and force it to expire after the submission deadline.  There are many uses for this technology for those who need security on a document AFTER it leaves the eRoom.  Other resources on this topic:

• eRoom 7.4 Release Notes (PDF)
• eRug Presentation (PDF)

We also briefly reviewed the “next release” of EMC’s collaboration tools, code named Magellan, but the majority of time was spent on 7.4.  At the end of the meeting we reviewed the survey results from the Jan-2008 meeting.

There are times when eRoom Designers need to “push” information out to users in eRooms.  Perhaps the best example is for support resources.  A Database is a great tool for listing resources for end users, like Educational guides, Quick Reference sheets, Support links, Online training, etc.  A good practice is to make all these resources available in each eRoom.  One way to set this up is to create the primary listing in a “Public” eRoom and then link to it from each eRoom.  An alternative is to “push out” the listing so it appears as a database in each eRoom (instead of just a link).  This is the concept of a RED Configuration, or a “Reverse Enterprise Database.”

Typically, an enterprise database collects data from many eRooms and rolls it up into a central location: many inputs, one summary. In the case of a RED setup, there is just one source of data that is distributed: one input, many summaries.  Setting it up is simple:

1. Create the enterprise database in the facility
2. Create an enterprise database in the “public” eRoom and populate it with data
3. Create an enterprise database Overview (roll-up) in each eRoom

Whenever you update the database in the public eRoom, the changes automatically appear in each eRoom.  There is, of course, the limitation of the Facility.  You cannot “distribute” data in an enterprise database beyond a single facility.  For some eRoom administrators, this will be a showstopper for “universal” databases like the one in this example.  But the concept can still apply for departments who operate within a facility, perhaps for other types of information like an internal policies.  Ultimately, the idea is to seek creative uses of eRoom features, and I have had a number of companies very grateful for this solution.

From the Q&A Vault…What’s the difference between Groups and Roles?

A Group is set up at the Community Level and includes a set of members from the Community List.  For example, Human Resources or Project Alpha Team or IT Managers.  A group can be added as a member to an eRoom and assigned a role like Participant or Observer.  It can also be seen in any member lists in the eRoom.  For example, I can assign a task to “IT Managers” or I can set up a private folder that only allows “Human Resources” to access it.  A group can be added to one or more eRooms, and the membership of that group is controlled by Community Admins only.

A Custom Role is another type of member grouping, but only applies to an individual eRoom.  For example, for an eRoom that is used to publish books, I might have a Role called “Tech Writers” that is used to permit the technical writers access to some documents but not others.  Because it’s a specific need for this eRoom, I would not create it at the community level.  Custom Roles appear in all Member List dialog boxes, so if I want to assign the Tech Writer group to my weekly staff meeting, or assign them a task, I can do that.

By using groups and roles to apply access control, you save a lot of administrative time and strengthen your security measures in the eRoom.  Using Groups and Roles has long been one of our standing best practice recommendations, and I’m sure many Admins and Users can attest to its usefulness.

We had 33 users attend our first eRug Meeting on January 15, 2008.  (Not bad–we thought 20 to 25 would be a good start).  Thanks to Elaine Nearing and Rod Largoza from Wyeth for their help in planning and presenting.  There were two primary topics we discussed:

eRoom Governance, Procurement Process.  Elaine and Rod talked about Wyeth handled their internal process for requesting new eRooms.  They have a fairly sophisticated process because of the volume of eRooms they handle, and they use a custom-built form to log, process, and fulfill requests.  Here’s a thumbnail view (click for a larger image, or get the full size image from the presentation file below):

A Strategic Approach to eRoom Training. I presented from a consultant’s “best practice” view an approach for training eRoom users.  These were the “Guiding Principles” for approaching training:

• Include Best Practices and applicable operational policies, and match content to audience
• Focus on Coordinators
• “Build” training into eRooms with good design
• Identify and deliver to all users the “Essentials”
• Provide JIT, focused training to jumpstart new groups

Rather than republish all the information from the presentation, I’ve provided a short summary of the main topics and attached the slides here for further details.  We are NOT posting the entire recorded conversation, just the slide deck (in PDF format).  Let me know if there any questions on it.

eRug User Group 1/15/08 Meeting Presentation

Having worked at the original eRoom Technology company, I know we had many time when users were brought together in small or large venues to share ideas, get feedback for product enhancements, and generate a lot of enthusiasm for eRoom.  Today, if you are a member of EMC’s support area (PowerLink), you can get some of these benefits.  However, most companies are limited to a handful of authorized users who have access to these forums and other resources.  Having an eRoom User Group open to anyone is something I’ve wanted to do for a while, so I was grateful the folks at Wyeth approached me at the EMC World Conference with this very idea.  For details and registration see http://www.openvine.com/eRoomUserGroup.htm.

I know many eRoom users are passionate about the product and looking to network with others, so this will be welcomed by many.  Help spread the word to other eRoom users in your company and by all means, give us your ideas and suggestions for how to make this valuable!

Problem:

When trying to access an eRoom Recycle Bin, you get the error “Unfortunately, eRoom was unable to generate the page you requested, because an object could not be found.”

Solution:

Option1: Go to the eRoom Settings and disable the Recycle Bin (apply settings), then re-enable it.  Try to access it now.

Option2: The Site Admin can access the eRoom Recycle Bin via the Site Settings in eRoom Server MMC, and can often see the Recycle Bin from there.  At the point it should be emptied.  If it cannot be seen from the eRoom Server, then try…

Option3: Contact EMC Support.  It”s likely they will send you a script which should repair th problem.  If that still doesn’t work, they may ask you to send them some files so their engineering group can troubleshoot it.

Q. We had a question asked recently by a client about deleted names in member lists.  When creating a new database entry, a field called “Requested By” (Member List field) contained many names marked as “deleted”.  How does this happen and how can they be removed?

A. This can happen if users are removed as members from the eRoom, but they have been specifically selected to be part of a pick list in a database field (in this case the “Requested By” field). In this case, the users were deleted inadvertantly (appears local user accounts were replaced with a Directory synchronization), because they should have remained in the eRoom.  Re-adding the deleted users from the Community List (using the new accounts) to the eRoom did not fix the problem because it was the “legacy” (deleted) users that were part of the database field selection.  The solution, therefore, was to go back to the database field, remove the checkmarks next to any names marked as “deleted”, and then select the correct names.  The deleted names will then no longer show up in the list.

QUESTION. This question comes from a user in Massachuetts: “When I import into an eRoom database from a CSV file, is there any danger in overwriting what has already been imported? Or will the information just continue to be added to the database?”

ANSWER. No danger of overwriting information.  eRoom always adds records to the eRoom database, never overwriting any data.  But know that you can have duplicate records because of this–if you are importing an “incremental” version of the CSV file.  eRoom will also, before executing the import, provide a summary of the # of records and fields imported, giving you the chance to cancel.