[jibi]

BlackBerryCool » Special Report: BlackBerry Technical Seminar recap

I figured more of you would have been discussing all this by now, but...

Anyhow, enjoy my latest article.

[BrooklynzFinest]

Any ideas when SP3 & SP4 for 4.1 will be released?

[jibi]

read the article? look at the pictures?

[BBAdmin]

Just give me that web based BES Management console and I'm happy!!!

[jibi]

Originally Posted by BBAdmin

Just give me that web based BES Management console and I'm happy!!!

heard that. i'm even happier that it's being intro'd into a service pack rather than a major release. this means that early adoption should be higher through the 'minor' update channel than it would be for those major release stability adopters (pushing the web-based BBM to early 2008 before implementation into a production environment).

[rliebsch]

I am just now getting around to upgrading my BES. Things have been busy as the company expands, you know the drill...

Anyway, with 5.0 due out in Q3, is it worth me spending up upgrade to 4.1 right now?

This is a call for comments and suggestions.

thanks much

[jibi]

How many users do you have? Honestly, it'll be Q1-Q2 before 5.0 would be considered, by most, as production-ready. I waited until SP2 to upgrade our production environment to BES 4.1. Most give it to atleast SP1 before upgrading in a production environment. With these post-4.1 features now apparently being included in 4.1, I think the decision is fairly easy to make, for now. Then again, things could change, these features not be included in BES 4.1 service packs and delayed to 5.0 and you're out some money. Although I absolutely adore RIM and their devices and server solutions, their planned product deliveries tend to change quite a bit.

...with a small userbase, you could get TSupport, which would include the upgrade, for cheaper than the cost of a one-time upgrade.

[DarthBBerry]

Know what bothers me a bit about the codenames ARGON and NEON? They are gases. Does this mean RIM is full of inert gas? What does this mean for the next releases of BES? Oh noes!

[rliebsch]

I have 60 handhelds right now. Just finished a mass upgrade to 8700 and 8100. Small beans, I know. But very important globe trotting beans.

In parallel we are upgrading our network feed to 10Mbit. Which means a new router. Which also leads to VoIP and unified messaging - voicemail in inbox, subsequently on the handheld...

I am just trying to mitigate cost not only of software, hardware, training, but also sanity.

[tankee531]

is it necessary to patch the service packs in sequence (SP1 to SP2 then SP3)? or can we skip service packs (SP1 to SP3)?

[jibi]

Originally Posted by tankee531

is it necessary to patch the service packs in sequence (SP1 to SP2 then SP3)? or can we skip service packs (SP1 to SP3)?

Service Packs are cumulative to the last major release. Hot Fixes are cumulative to the last service pack. So you can skip from 4.1.1 to 4.1.3 without concern. I cannot recall a time that a SP had a minimum, non-base requirement for the upgrade to be applicable, although it may have happened.

[jibi]

Originally Posted by rliebsch

I am just trying to mitigate cost not only of software, hardware, training, but also sanity.

wow. all that by yourself, or do you have someone to help? talk about one hell of a nice undertaking and learning experience, one way or the other. needless to say, i'd suggest waiting a month or two (post-SP3) then looking at the costs for TSupport - it'll run you ~$1600. that will include your upgrade to 4.1 and the eventual upgrade to 5.0... all within the year. the reason i'm suggesting you wait until SP3 is to see if they include all of these features in it or push it back to SP4. if they push the introduction of them to SP4, then 5.0 will be out around the same time and it may be more justifiable to shell out $1,000 for the one-time upgrade to that version. i'd personally suggest going the route that will atleast give you day-time support and free upgrades (any time you want to download the software), but that's just my opinion.

[rliebsch]

TSupport would be that little per year?

Why oh why haven't I been told this before. It would be very helpful I have so many oddities which I have had to find out on my own. This of course is very time consuming. Not to mention each one time upgrade is 1K.

edited.
Thanks for the tip jibi.
I did the smart thing and looked it up
I still wonder though, isn't THIS forum just as good as the support. I mean sure we love getting the software......

[tankee531]

@jibi

thanks !

[jibi]

Originally Posted by rliebsch

I still wonder though, isn't THIS forum just as good as the support. I mean sure we love getting the software......

While I agree that this forum has a LOT of useful information, it does not and should not take the place of having an avenue for contacting the vendor directly (even if it's just from the CYOA/CYOB point of view).

The only drawback to RIM's plans is that it's absolutely too expensive for larger roll-outs due to the device fees. Our support fees are the number one reason why we've started implementing Direct Push as an alternative (support is free). They will have increased over $11,000 from 2 years ago to this year's renewal (and doubled since last year) due to growth in the environment (additional servers and lots of users). Having to pay for device support for an enterprise server solution is not exactly 'ideal', imo.

You may want to look at your carrier(s) for some sort of support (and software assurance upgrades), especially if you purchased BES from them and your devices. Even with the small userbase, it could still be an option to take.

CDW Product Overview: RIM TSupport Tx2 - could play 'dumb' and save yourself some money by not claiming active CALs used.

[autsoldnow]

I think the best thing for RIM would be form a partnership with Microsoft and have Exchange manage all RIM devices. I am sure they could agree to something regarding the licensing as Microsoft already dings people heavly on their Exchange product.

I would be a major plus if Cougar (SBS 2007/8 64bit) Premium Edition was the only package that shipped with the RIM technology in Exchange, this would give small to medium businesses the chance to incorporate either RIM or Windows type devices (or both) into their everyday business.

Lastly RIM wouldn't have to spend all the money they do now developing BES. This would give RIM a better chance to spend the much time they need to develop better hand held phone devices then the ones they currently have now. Look how long it took RIM to develop and release a phone that has a camera in it, Plam and other makers have been doing this for years now, the one thing Plam has that RIM doesn't right now is their keyboard is fully QWERTY supportive were as the Pearl isn't, the Plam has a touch screen and supports SD cards.

Regards,
Andrew

[CanuckBB]

Originally Posted by autsoldnow

I think the best thing for RIM would be form a partnership with Microsoft and have Exchange manage all RIM devices. I am sure they could agree to something regarding the licensing as Microsoft already dings people heavly on their Exchange product.

I would be a major plus if Cougar (SBS 2007/8 64bit) Premium Edition was the only package that shipped with the RIM technology in Exchange, this would give small to medium businesses the chance to incorporate either RIM or Windows type devices (or both) into their everyday business.

Lastly RIM wouldn't have to spend all the money they do now developing BES. This would give RIM a better chance to spend the much time they need to develop better hand held phone devices then the ones they currently have now. Look how long it took RIM to develop and release a phone that has a camera in it, Plam and other makers have been doing this for years now, the one thing Plam has that RIM doesn't right now is their keyboard is fully QWERTY supportive were as the Pearl isn't, the Plam has a touch screen and supports SD cards.

Regards,
Andrew

WADR Andrew, this statement is flawed on so many levels.

- What is MS incentive to develop software to support devices that compete with their WM5 sales?

- I don't trust MS to keep up with RIM devices.

- RIM's primary market is Enterprise. Exchange is not the end-all and be-all of messaging. A lot of large corps, especially in the financial industry run Domino, why would RIM abandon this?

- Nothing wrong with RIM handhelds. They took forever to come up with a BB with camera because their primary market was not demanding it.

- A lot of people like the SureType keyboard. I have a 7100, and while not a big fan of that keyboard, I do appreciate the form factor.

[silver_2000]

Originally Posted by CanuckBB

WADR Andrew, this statement is flawed on so many levels.

- What is MS incentive to develop software to support devices that compete with their WM5 sales?

- I don't trust MS to keep up with RIM devices.

- RIM's primary market is Enterprise. Exchange is not the end-all and be-all of messaging. A lot of large corps, especially in the financial industry run Domino, why would RIM abandon this?

- Nothing wrong with RIM handhelds. They took forever to come up with a BB with camera because their primary market was not demanding it.

- A lot of people like the SureType keyboard. I have a 7100, and while not a big fan of that keyboard, I do appreciate the form factor.

yeah - what he said - what a narrow view of the BES world

I dont see the advantage of having MS responsible for yet one more piece of the enterprise puzzle. We run domino but even if we didnt - I want to be able to choose the best solution for push email

[bertiebassett]

Originally Posted by autsoldnow

I think the best thing for RIM would be form a partnership with Microsoft and have Exchange manage all RIM devices. I am sure they could agree to something regarding the licensing as Microsoft already dings people heavly on their Exchange product.

I would be a major plus if Cougar (SBS 2007/8 64bit) Premium Edition was the only package that shipped with the RIM technology in Exchange, this would give small to medium businesses the chance to incorporate either RIM or Windows type devices (or both) into their everyday business.

Lastly RIM wouldn't have to spend all the money they do now developing BES. This would give RIM a better chance to spend the much time they need to develop better hand held phone devices then the ones they currently have now. Look how long it took RIM to develop and release a phone that has a camera in it, Plam and other makers have been doing this for years now, the one thing Plam has that RIM doesn't right now is their keyboard is fully QWERTY supportive were as the Pearl isn't, the Plam has a touch screen and supports SD cards.

Regards,
Andrew

No way..

and quite frankly a very odd view of the world for a BB person. Not that I'm a conspiracy theorist but it was strange that about the time MSFT was paying $$$millions for advertising WM5 they also rolled out a 'security update' that would turn off all BB until the permissions were changed on enterprise manager.

MSFT has been trying to catchup in wireless email space for years and (IMHO) still completely suck compared to BB - why you'd want MSFT to have more control over BB...never

Besides no one ever heard of Groupwise?

bb

[autsoldnow]

Originally Posted by bertiebassett

No way..

and quite frankly a very odd view of the world for a BB person. Not that I'm a conspiracy theorist but it was strange that about the time MSFT was paying $$$millions for advertising WM5 they also rolled out a 'security update' that would turn off all BB until the permissions were changed on enterprise manager.

MSFT has been trying to catchup in wireless email space for years and (IMHO) still completely suck compared to BB - why you'd want MSFT to have more control over BB...never

Besides no one ever heard of Groupwise?

bb

Microsoft is gearing up for WM6 which is a huge leap forward from WM5 and does more than BES will ever do. I am just saying it maybe wise for a company that is falling behind in their cell phone technology to out source who manages their email system which will give them more time to make better phones.

Regards,
Andrew