A Domino upgrade moves your Domino servers, Notes clients and applications to a current HCL release, today Domino 14.5 or Domino 2026 (14.5.1). Most environments can upgrade directly from older versions, and existing applications generally keep working. Success depends on an accurate inventory, testing applications and add-ons in a lab, and upgrading in the right order: administration and hub servers first, then mail and application servers, then clients.
Upgrades are one of the most common projects our Domino consultants deliver, across every version of Lotus Domino, IBM Domino and HCL Domino. This guide covers why to upgrade now, what the current releases add, and a step by step upgrade plan.
Support status is the main driver. HCL ended standard support for older versions, and Extended Support is a paid, limited option rather than a long term plan.
| Version | Standard support | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Domino 9.0.x and 10.0.x | Ended June 1, 2024 | Paid Extended Support available until June 30, 2030, limited to usage questions and existing fixes |
| Domino 11.0.x | Ended June 26, 2025 | Same paid Extended Support option, through June 30, 2030 |
| Domino 12.0.2 and 14 | Current releases | Supported upgrade targets, but behind the latest features |
| Domino 14.5 and 2026 (14.5.1) | Latest releases | Domino IQ, modern authentication and current security fixes |
Check HCL’s product lifecycle page for the dates that apply to your exact versions and contracts. Beyond support, current releases close security vulnerabilities, support current operating systems, and are what auditors and cyber insurance questionnaires increasingly expect.
| Area | What current releases add |
|---|---|
| AI | Domino IQ runs AI inference inside your Domino environment, callable from LotusScript (14.5 and later) |
| Authentication | Passkeys and OIDC sign in (14.5), with OIDC login in the Notes client (14.5.1) |
| Administration | License administration database, automated client and server updates, container deployment options |
| Security | Current fix packs, cryptography and operating system support |
| Web and mobile | HCL Verse webmail, HCL Nomad for browser access to Notes applications, Traveler updates |
For a fuller view of the platform, see HCL Domino Server explained.
| Method | How it works | Fits when |
|---|---|---|
| In place | Install the new release over the existing one on the same server | Hardware and operating system already meet the new requirements |
| Operating system or hardware first, then in place | Bring the server up to the new requirements, confirm it runs well, then upgrade Domino | The current platform can be upgraded to meet requirements |
| New hardware, same server identity | Install the new release on new hardware and move the server’s data and ID | The old hardware cannot meet requirements and a short outage is acceptable |
| Side by side | Build a new server, replicate databases and move users and applications to it | Downtime must be minimal or there is too much data to copy quickly |
| Container replacement | Start a new container image against the existing data volume | Domino already runs in containers |
HCL advises against upgrading hardware and Domino at the same time, because separating the two makes problems easier to isolate.
Domino 14.5 no longer includes the iNotes web client; HCL Verse is the webmail client going forward. If users rely on iNotes, plan the move to Verse, including any customizations and redirects, as part of the upgrade.
| Factor | Lower effort | Higher effort |
|---|---|---|
| Starting version | 12.0.2 or 14 | 9.0.x or 10.0.x |
| Number of servers | A few servers at one site | Dozens of servers across regions and clusters |
| Applications | Standard mail and a few applications | Hundreds of custom applications and integrations |
| Add-ons | Few third-party tools | Backup, archiving, security and Sametime or Traveler dependencies |
| Clients | Centrally managed clients | Unmanaged desktops in many locations |
Planning a Domino upgrade?
RockTeam’s US based Domino Administrators plan, test and deliver upgrades across all versions of Lotus, IBM and HCL Domino, from single servers to global clusters. RockTeam is an official HCL Business Partner. Start with a no cost assessment.
Talk to a Domino ConsultantIn most cases, yes. Servers can generally be upgraded directly to a current release without installing each version in between, but test applications, templates and add-ons in a lab first and follow HCL’s upgrade guide for your starting version.
Most Notes and Domino applications run unchanged on current releases. Test business critical applications, agents and integrations before upgrading production servers.
No. Servers are usually upgraded first and clients follow in waves. Older supported Notes clients continue to work with newer servers.
Standard support has ended for these versions. HCL offers paid Extended Support until June 30, 2030, limited to usage questions and existing fixes, so new security issues may not be addressed.
It depends on the starting version, number of servers, applications and add-ons. A small environment can be upgraded in days; large, multi-region environments are usually upgraded in planned phases over weeks.
