A Guide to BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES)

The following article explains the function of a BlackBerry Enterprise Server and its benefits for organisations in empowering their mobile workforce.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) is a necessary component for organisations looking to integrate BlackBerry devices into their operations. Designed specifically to meet the needs of any enterprise, it provides a secure link between devices, applications and corporate data.

The Server centralises email redirection and connects devices to messaging and collaboration software, such as Microsoft Exchange. BES servers perform the following functions:

• Check each user's mailbox for new mail.
• Apply filters to messages, controlling how the BlackBerry service relays messages to the user's device.
• Compress and encrypt new messages and deliver them to the handheld over the Internet.
• Receives messages which have been composed on the handset and then decrypts these, before placing them in the user's Outbox for the Microsoft Exchange Server to deliver.

Security features

Advanced encryption standard (AES) and Triple data encryption standard (Triple DES) technology ensures the confidentiality of wirelessly transmitted data from behind the firewall to wireless devices. Supporting over 450 over-the-air wireless IT policies, BES meets with even the toughest IT system requirements. 

Ease of management

Typically, a BlackBerry Enterprise Server is managed within an organisation by the network administrator. When the service is outsourced to a hosting provider such as Genesis, it is fully managed alongside the Microsoft Exchange Server to provide a complete mobile email solution.

As with all other hosted SaaS, the main advantage of outsourcing BES hosting is that it takes away the hassle and responsibility of maintaining an in house server. Outsourcing also removes the need for the purchase of costly hardware and software.

Integration with MS Exchange Server

When combined with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, BES offers an enterprise-class email client. Utilising the industry-standard Microsoft Outlook platform, users can send and receive emails, access calendar and contacts on the move. Increasingly, the modern workforce is reliant on the ability to share and collaborate on work tasks whilst away from the office. By integrating Microsoft Exchange hosting with your BlackBerry devices, you can give workers remote access to the Microsoft Office Suite of applications.