Posts tagged BES
BES vs. BESx Explained
Apr 14th
CrackBerry put up a great post today detailing the lowdown on the differences between BES and RIM’s more recent alternative BESx. For those of you who aren’t familiar with BES or BESx, the largest and most compelling difference is that BESx is free, while BES can cost thousands of dollars based on how many BlackBerry users you are supporting. There are of course more differences than that and CrackBerry goes on to explain them:
So what are the differences between BES and BESx?
- Cost - BESx is free with unlimited licenses; BES is Cdn $4,799 for software & 20 CALs
- If you install BESx on the same box as Exchange you’re limited to 75 users
- IT Policy – BES has over 450 IT policies available; BESx has 35 IT policies
- Unless you’re the CIA 99% of the IT policies you gain in the BES are unnecessary
- High Availability – not available on BESx
- Simply, High Availability is the ability to have a backup BES ready to go on a different box to automatically pick-up the load if your primary BES goes down
- Enterprise Transporter Tool – not available on BESx
- If you are a small business don’t feel left out because you can’t have the Enterprise Transporter Tool. You probably won’t have an environment where this tool is actually necessary.
- Support for Blackberry Add-on products – on BESx you can’t have add-on tools like BoxTone or Zenprise. More details to come after WES2010 on BES add-on tools.
BESx has some pretty compelling features that could potentially replace the need for an expensive BES setup. That is of course unless you need an ultra-high security setup for some crazy, covert heist you’re trying to pull. But for the rest of us corporate users, this may work just fine. Hit the read link for the full article from CrackBerry to decide whether BESx is right for you.
BESX Made Official
Feb 16th
Press Release
RIM Introduces BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express
Free New BlackBerry Software for Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Windows Small Business Server Allows Companies to Empower All Employees with Wireless Access to Their Corporate Email Without Compromising Security or Manageability
WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Feb. 16, 2010) – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today introduced BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express – free new server software that wirelessly and securely synchronizes BlackBerry smartphones with Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server.
The new BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express software will be provided free of charge in order to address two key market opportunities. First, the software offers economical advantages to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) that desire the enterprise-grade security and manageability of BlackBerry Enterprise Server but don’t require all of its advanced features. Second, more and more consumers are purchasing BlackBerry smartphones and the free BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express software provides a cost-effective solution that enables IT departments to meet the growing demand from employees to be able to connect their personal BlackBerry smartphones to their work email.
BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express works with Microsoft Exchange 2010, 2007 and 2003 and Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2008 and 2003 to provide users with secure, push-based, wireless access to email, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks, as well as other business applications and enterprise systems behind the firewall. Importantly, the new server software utilizes the same robust security architecture found in BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
“Today we are announcing an exciting new offering that further expands the market opportunity for the BlackBerry platform,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, Research In Motion. “In a marketplace where smartphones are becoming ubiquitous, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express significantly raises the bar by providing a cost-effective solution that allows companies of all sizes to support enterprise-grade mobile connectivity for all employees without compromising security or manageability.”
With BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express connected to Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server, BlackBerry smartphone users will be able to:
- Wirelessly synchronize their email, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks
- Manage email folders and search email on the mail server remotely
- Book meetings and appointments, check availability and forward calendar attachments
- Set an out-of-office reply
- Edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files using Documents To Go
- Access files stored on the company network
- Use mobile applications to access business systems behind the firewall
For IT administrators, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express also offers the following:
- Runs on the same physical or virtual server as the Microsoft mail server or on its own server. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is also certified for use with VMware ESX
- Over 35 IT controls and policies, including the ability to remotely wipe a smartphone and enforce and reset passwords
- A Web-based interface that allows remote administration and makes it easy to install the software, connect BlackBerry smartphones and apply usage policies
BlackBerry Enterprise Server v5 continues to be the recommended solution for deployments that require additional security policies, monitoring features or high availability. BlackBerry Enterprise Server also continues to be required for certain other enterprise solutions such as BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (for bringing desk phone functionality to BlackBerry smartphones), BlackBerry Clients for Microsoft Office Communications Server and IBM Lotus Sametime (for enterprise instant messaging), IBM Lotus Connections (for enterprise social networking), IBM Lotus Quickr (for document sharing and collaboration), and Chalk Pushcast Software (for corporate podcasting).
BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is expected to be available as a free download in March. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com/besexpress
Sourced via Crackberry.com
RIM’s got some big plans for MWC?
Feb 14th
Seems like Microsoft isn’t the only company with a few big announcements planned for Mondays MWC (Mobile World Conference) in Barcelona, Spain. Our friends over at BoyGeniusReport are reporting there being a lot of information floating around about a BIS and BES “alternative” or something that mixes the both as a free option to users that are already on BIS but still want a BES infrastructure of sorts.
We are hearing that this is a “re-launch” version of “Blackberry Enterprise Server Express”, if anyone is unfamiliar with a “BES” or Blackberry Enterprise Server, it is an “OTA” (Over the Air) syncing option for corporate Blackberry customers to run along side their exchange servers. It enables all aspects of the Blackberry to be wirelessly backed up and controlled by the corporate IT policies set in place. Up to now, there is no free option for consumer or “BIS” (Blackberry Internet Service) to customers to do this. Re-launching this would offer users free and unlimited syncs without requiring that dedicated server.
Although a fantastic idea, RIM has always been hesitant to launch this based on its potential to eat into their Enterprise customer sales. Realizing that times are changing and that a solution to this is essential, I’m glad to see they are taking the appropriate steps. While nothing is confirmed and so many rumors tend to cause a “broken telephone” effect, let’s see what RIM announces tomorrow. What do you think? Leave us a comment!
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