How can Blackberries pull exchange email without a Blackberry Server? 2

[Mizugori]

Okay, first I know very little about Blackberries. I just haven't had to work with them much. It has been my assumption that a "Blackberry server" is a program that you install on a server and it somehow taps into exchange and forwards email to your Blackberry phone. Is this conception not accurate? Also, do you have to buy this software, or can you get it for free if you buy several Blackberries?

Moving on to why I posted, someone who works here has a Blackberry and they told me they get their email on it. I thought that's strange, there is no Blackberry server here. How does that work? The person told me there is a setting on the phone for if you don't have a blackberry server but I just don't fundamentally understand how that's possible... does the phone access a vpn connection to get into the office network or something?? How can it pull email from our exchange??

Any light that can be shed on this would be greatly appreciated, thanks!!

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

They can use BIS services where they access it through their Webmail account.

________________________________________
Achieving a perception of high intelligence level can only be limited by your manipulation skills of the Google algorithm!

 

[mofusjtf]

There are essentially three ways...(at least that is all I'm aware of)

1. Using a Blackberry server. Which uses MAPI and Send on Behalf' rights through AD. This method allows the user to get their entire mailbox, calendar, contacts, tasks, etc. to their Blackberry.

2. Blackberry Internet Service which uses Outlook Web Access. This method gives the user access to their inbox only over the air. To get Calendar updates and contacts they need to connect the Blackberry to their workstation and sync via desktop manager. So if the user already knows the OWA address, they simply enter that into the Blackberry along with their un/pw and it will automatically find and configured the Blackerry to talk to the server via OWA.

3. You can use Desktop Manager to forward mail to the Blackberry when it is not cradled.

 

[58sniper]

They can use BIS services where they access it through their Webmail account.

VERY bad idea. BIS transmits user credentials in the clear (plain text). It's also a heavy hitter on activity. I always block the IPs of the BIS servers at the firewall. Use a BES installed on a separate box to access Exchange. Keep in mind that your IOPS increase ~600% on your Exchange storage for BES users.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

I have it blocked as well. But if someone else wants to use it; it is not on my equipment and they should read up on it accordingly about the security of its usage

________________________________________
Achieving a perception of high intelligence level can only be limited by your manipulation skills of the Google algorithm!

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

These are the IP's I block currently; but I still allow port 25 due to email coming from blackberry email accounts were being blocked. I also use the IT Policy > Security Policy Group > Firewall Block Incoming Messages = BlackBerry Internet Service Messages
to block the usage of outside email on company blackberry devices.

BIS IP's to block at firewall:

206.53.144.0 - 206.53.159.255
216.9.240.0 - 216.9.255.255
67.233.64.0 - 67.223.95.255

________________________________________
Achieving a perception of high intelligence level can only be limited by your manipulation skills of the Google algorithm!

 

[58sniper]

Here's the list I use, although I only see attempts on some of them:

http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/micr...UE_1_1&dialogID=37238322&stateId=0 0 37236493

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

That was the list I started with; but it killed the wireless (OTA) activations of our blackberries.

________________________________________
Achieving a perception of high intelligence level can only be limited by your manipulation skills of the Google algorithm!

 

[mofusjtf]

Yes, I agree. BES is the way to go when using Blackberryies in a Corp. environment. Much more secure and gives you much more control over the devices without needing to put your hands on them.

I'm in the process of trying to migrate a lot of my customers away from BIS to BES Pro Express. But of course Blackberry has two different data plans and most BIS users have the personal data plan which is cheaper than the BES plan. In my cast a lot of my customers supply a cell phone allowance to their staff.

I personally prefer using Activesync and Windows Mobile with a purchased SSL cert. Much easier and no addition software or serves to purchase. And only one type of data plan. Exchange 2k7 has much improved Activesync control though it still has a way to go to catch BES.

 

[58sniper]

You can use ActiveSync on Blackberry devices with a third party agent on the devices.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[mofusjtf]

Pat, do you have a link to this. I did not know this.

 

[dfb627]

I have been using Blackberry Desktop Redirector for about 8 months. Good free solution. Yoe can sync calendar and tasks via usb connection.

 

[58sniper]

http://www.astrasync.com/

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[mofusjtf]

Thanks Pat.

 

[58sniper]

Thanks for the star!

I have been using Blackberry Desktop Redirector for about 8 months. Good free solution. Yoe can sync calendar and tasks via usb connection.

But that's impractical when you have more than a single user; it requires the redirector be running all the time, which doesn't work well for laptop users; it provides not only no advantage over BES, it's actually more complex and cumbersome to administer.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[wahnula]

Pat,

How does Astrasync compare to BES as far as ease and quality of implementation and administration? Do you know if it will allow viewing/synching/editing of Public Folders?

I am at the point of needing to start using SOMETHING to get Exchange email to a couple of BlackBerrys in my org. I have been thinking of BES + Add2Exchange to get Public Folders visible to my users.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[58sniper]

From my understanding (I've never used the product, but have had some communications with the company), AstraSync runs on the device as an agent. It basically turns the Blackberry into an EAS capable device. It's licensed per device in the ~$40 range. A huge advantage is you don't need another server like you do with BES. You also don't have all the MAPI overhead on the Exchange server like you do with BES. You also don't have the IOPS drain on your storage like you do with BES.

I'm not sure on the Public Folder access.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[mofusjtf]

Tony,

As far as I know, no mobile device can synchronize public folders without a third party software.

One I have looked at (but not used) is Add2Exchange. It bolts onto your Exchange server and synchronizes your public calendar, contacts and/or tasks to your local mailbox. Thus allowing you to see what is on the public folders.

 

[wahnula]

Thanks folks. Since I'm running SBS2003 all the processes are on one box: file server, Exchange, QuickBooks app & DB, BES, SQL, and whatever 3rd party app BES will need to view public folders, this app will be a must for my situation. Luckily, as I said it's a small org and the SBS box is pretty beefy, with dual Opterons that could be upgraded to dual-core. The 4GB of RAM sounded like a lot in 2005, not so today, but the 32-bit SBS is not even coming close to using that.

BES is currently installed and running, but no users actively connected to it (yet). I had some trouble with it, Nextel tech support told me to remove and re-add the (free) user, however BES now says I've used up my "free" account and must purchase another. Oh well. After I've spoken with BES tech support, if I continue to have troubles I'll start a new thread. Thanks again.

Tony

Users helping Users...