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How can we prompt Web app users when we need to take down the server?

Is there any way in Domino to prompt Web application users every time we need to down the server? For instance, due to a certain problem (HTTP crash, etc.), the server needs to be down, but using the command "tell HTTP show users" from the console, it appears that some users' sessions are still active, and we'd like to inform those users that the server is about to be temporarily shut down. Or perhaps there's a way of using Web page redirection? Need your advice and tips on this. Thank you.
I cannot think of a way to do this, for several reasons: HTTP is a "pull" protocol; a user has to request something from the Web server in order to get information back. In effect, what you want to do is push a pop-up window to all users announcing that the server is going down. Even if you could do this, you probably don't want to, since it might overwrite something else the user is doing on a different Web site.

If anyone else knows a way to force a message out to all connected web sessions, please let me know.

This was first published in January 2004

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