If you work at an organization that uses a
Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server, then you
can now acquire the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) Express software
for free.
A BES is a server that typically sits behind your
organization's firewall and securely connects your BlackBerry to
corporate email and data, as well as wirelessly synchronizes (shares)
contacts, calendar, tasks, and memo items between your corporate
computer and your BlackBerry.
BES allows your organization to gain all the benefits
of a BlackBerry Server with no additional software costs. This saves
thousands of dollars over the old pricing model by Research In Motion.
You might want to let your IT group know about this great new deal if
you use BlackBerry devices at your work place.
You should be able to support up to 75 BlackBerry
users on the same box as your email server. You can support up to 2,000
users by putting the BES Express software on a separate server.
1. How to Get the BES Express software?
To acquire BES Express, go to www.blackberry.com, and follow these steps:
Click the Software link at the top.
Then follow the on-screen steps to start the free download.
Once
the software is downloaded, the administrator uses a web-based console
to set up and administer all users. See Figure 2.
2. Benefits of Being Connected to a BlackBerry Server
Individuals and small office BlackBerry users can get
easy access to a BES. Just perform a web search for "hosted BES" or
"hosted blackberry enterprise server" to locate a number of providers.
|
See the previous BES Express section for information on free BES software.
|
|
Connecting your BlackBerry to a BES (v4.0 and higher) will give you all of the following benefits.
2.1. Strong Encryption of Email within Your Organization
All email sent from your BlackBerry to other users in
your organization will be fully encrypted with military-grade
Triple-DES encryption provided by the server.
2.2. Full Two-Way Wireless Synchronization
Full two-way wireless updates between your BlackBerry and corporate desktop account for:
Address Book
Calendar
Task List
MemoPad (Notes)
This means you will be able to add new information or
make changes to anything in your Address Book, Calendar, Task List, or
MemoPad on your BlackBerry and in minutes it will appear on your desktop
computer.
2.3. Securely Connect to Your Corporate Data
The BES server provides a highly secure connection to
corporate data behind your firewall. This can provide productivity
benefits to your organization by providing access to view and update
important information in the field.
2.4. Push Applications Wirelessly to All Your BlackBerry Users
The BES administrator can create software
configurations for groups of users and push them out wirelessly to any
or all BlackBerry users. This saves on IT support costs.
2.5. Global Address List Lookup
Using GAL Lookup (Lookup
for short), you can immediately look up anyone in your organization
from your BlackBerry, even if there thousands of people at your
organization.
2.6. Out-of-Office Auto Reply and Email Signature
Your Out-of-Office reply and Email Signatures are
things you can adjust right from your BlackBerry if you are connected to
a BlackBerry Server. Go to Messages (Email), press the Menu key, and select Email Settings to adjust these items.
2.7. Meeting Invitations
Just like on your desktop computer, you may check
people's availability; you can invite attendees to meetings you schedule
right on your BlackBerry. And, just like on your desktop, you may
accept, decline, or tentatively accept meeting invitations you receive
on your BlackBerry.
NOTE
Sending and responding to meeting
invitations is a feature available even without having your BlackBerry
tied to a BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
