Blackberry device and Exchange 2000 problem

[mucous]

Hello,

I have an issue with a new Blackberry device (model 7280) and our Exchange 2000 mail. Blackberry is new to me and I admit I know nothing...

The trouble is a user in the office got one of these devices and asked that I set it up to retieve email via our Outlook Web Access. We are not running any Blackberry server software, it just logs in the same as if one is using OWA in a browser. Thew trouble is that every time the device retrieves email, it marks all of the user's messages as read in Outlook on her computer. This is a major aggravation for her, not to mention she's the CEO of our organization.

I am wondering if others have had this experience and how the trouble may be solved. I've contacted her service vendor with no luck, and the folks at R.I.M. are asking for cash just to get support.

Thanks for all advice!

 

[Davetoo]

Just curious, but if she's reading them on the Blackberry, then it seems obvious that they should be marked as read in Outlook.

Sounds like an issue with Blackberry, not Exchange in either case.

I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[mucous]

Yep, I understand that. The trouble is when the Blackberry fetches her email from our exchange server, all unread messages in her Outlook instantly become read. This is something you can sit there and watch happen. I originally thought she may have been reading them on the device and making this happen also. There is something going on during the "fetch" process that's making this happen. As far as I know, there isn't anything in Outlook, OWA, or the Exchange server to remedy this. I feel it's the blackberry's issue for obvious reasons. Setting up the device creates a "web page" that you specify the OWA info in. Once it's setup, it similar to using OWA except it gets "copies" of the user's mailbox and drops them into this "web page" once there, the Blackberry connects to that web page rather than to the Exchange server. It's actually the web page that fetches the mail, not the device itself. I've been all through the settings on the web page to determine if there's something there, but I haven't found anything. The web page runs on her service provider's end.

That's why I'm checking in here now. Hope I'm not talking in too many circles

 

[mattjurado]

Have you called her phone service provider? They should have technical support, I had to contact Nextel once.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[zoeythecat]

Why is she synchronizing with Outlook Web Access? I'm not familiar with Blackberry but I know that Palm Pilots and other handhelds cannot synchronize with Outlook Web Access (needs to be with the full version of Microsoft Outlook such as 2000 or 2003). Perhaps you can do this with the Blackberry device. There must be some option from within the Blackberry software that is causing this. Have you reviewed all the options? Perhaps you need to uncheck something.

 

[mucous]

I am working on setting up the "desktop redirector" software that came with the device. It was recommended that this may solve a lot of the troubles we're seeing. My main concern was that it had be on a computer that's up 24X7 to do it's work. After consideration, I installed the softeware and Outlook on a backup server we run in the office. I'm still working on this, but appreciate your suggestions and may be back with more questions. Frankly, I just don't have any mileage or experience with these things, so it's a learning experience as I go along. Just want to get her up and running because it's pulling me from doing other duties.

 

[mucous]

The OWA setup seemed to be the best way to go at first. We were up and running pretty quickly going this way. The only trouble is with the messages showing as read on her laptop in Outlook. I found a discussion group for PDA's and BlackBerries and was told there, that the read messages issue may be a problem with this type of configuration. There are no settings on the BlackBerry that I can find to solve it, so the desktop redirector is my next try. The discussion board I found seemed to imply this issue would clear up using the redirector software.

 

[Zelandakh]

The redirector software is ok but the PC needs to be on 24x7.

Why not go for the server software and then you can give out the Blackberry devices like confetti.

 

[mucous]

Is there any cost associated with the Blackberry server? Our office is small and cheap! This one user is probably the only one in the office that will have one. Also...do I understand things correctly saying the Blackberry server will be running on our Exchange server or can it be set up on another computer?

Thanks

 

[tmt7734]

They way blackberrry works with OWA will indeed cause the messages to be read, think of it like pop3. BES "blackberry enterprise server" is the way to go but it is pricey. $1000 for 5 users, $250 per user after 5, cheaper if you buy more at once. It works really well and has some other features for accessing data sources, global address book searching, etc. If you decide to go BES, do not purchase from retailer or RIM directly, you'll get no tech support, RIM charges you a yearly fee for support. Buy it from AT&T wireless if they are your provider, they have great tech support. No sure about T-mobile or verizon, but cingular has weak support for BES.

If you are not going to have multple users, probably cheaper to setup desktop redirector on a old machine and let it run

 

[mucous]

Great info tmt7734. We're kind of tight on having an old machine, but I think I can come up with something. I did get started setting up on our backup server, but the software shuts down whenever I log off, so the old computer option is looking better all the time. We've got some dead machines lying around. I can digi through them and piece something together. Thank to you and everyone for your help!

 

[mahdvic]

Did you ever find a solution I have a pretty decent one for this