🏠/notes.ini Parameters/Server_Restricted

Server_Restricted

Parameter: Server_Restricted
Short description: Enables or disables server access. When access is restricted, the server no longer accepts new open-database requests; administrators can still open databases.

Profile

Parameter
Server_Restricted
Category
Security / TLS (server access / maintenance)
Available since
At least 9.0.1 (HCL documentation)
GUI equivalent
According to HCL no direct GUI option. Settable in the Configuration document on the NOTES.INI Settings tab.
Possible values
0, 1, 2 (HCL product documentation) and 3, 4 (HCL KB0033359)

Description

According to HCL product documentation, Server_Restricted enables or disables access to the Domino server. When access is disabled, the server no longer accepts new open-database requests. Important note from the HCL docs: administrators can still open databases even when this variable restricts server access.
Values from the HCL product documentation:
  • 0 — Server access is not restricted.
  • 1 — Server access is restricted for the current server session. The setting is cleared when the server is restarted.
  • 2 — Server access is permanently restricted, even after a server restart.
Extended values from HCL KB0033359 (SPR# MIAS8A2HUH):
  • 3 — Behaves like 1 (session restriction), but additionally blocks replication from ID files that do not belong to an administrator.
  • 4 — Behaves like 2 (persistent), but additionally blocks replication of non-administrator IDs.
Important per HCL KB0033359: values 1 and 2 only prevent non-administrators from opening databases on the server — they do not prevent replication. Only values 3 and 4 also block replication unless it comes from an administrator ID.

Example configuration

Maintenance during a session (released at next server restart):
Server_Restricted=1
Persistent maintenance (across restarts, manually reset later):
Server_Restricted=2
Full lockdown including replication, persistent:
Server_Restricted=4
Runtime activation via the server console (no restart required):
set config Server_Restricted=1
Release after maintenance is complete:
set config Server_Restricted=0
With Server_Restricted=2, the server remains locked for non-administrators even after a restart — typical behavior during a maintenance window. Replication continues at this level.

Notes & pitfalls

  • For values 1 and 2, replication is not blocked per HCL KB0033359; only 3 and 4 exclude replication for non-administrators.
  • Value 1 is automatically reset on server restart; 2 and 4 remain persistent.
  • According to an HCL community response, Server_Restricted only affects NRPC connections — HTTP, IMAP, and POP3 client requests are not restricted by it.
  • Cluster context: in a Domino cluster, Server_Restricted is the preferred way to deliberately trigger failover — together with replicated databases, clients are transparently redirected to another cluster member.
  • Setting via set config Server_Restricted=… typically takes effect immediately; a server restart is not required.

Sources (HCL Product Documentation & Customer Support)