A Blackberry is a personal communications device developed,
distributed, and serviced by Research in Motion(RIM),
a Canadian company headquartered in Waterloo, OntarioA .Blackberry can provide
email, text messaging, web browsing, and telephone service. It is an example of
a convergent device. A BlackBerry is an end-to-end wireless email solution that
allows access to your Outlook Inbox, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks
with full wireless synchronization. The BlackBerry Server constantly
communicates with the campus Exchange server (that talks to Outlook, among
other email clients).As soon as something comes into your Outlook for Exchange
email, the BlackBerry server gets a copy and sends it to your device through
the Internet. Your device receives that information through the Internet using
your carrier's preferred network.
The process works in reverse when you make changes on your
BlackBerry device that need to be copied into your Outlook account, e.g., if
you send a message that needs to be copied to your Sent items, or if you add a
contact to your Contacts list. The Blackberry can be set up and operated
wirelessly without ever being connected physically to a computer. RIM currently
offers BlackBerry e-mail service to non-BlackBerry devices, such as the Palm
Treo, through the BlackBerry Connect software. The original BlackBerry device
had a monochrome display, but all current models have color displays .
Research in Motion provides the native email system for the
Blackberry. However, RIM has cooperated with Microsoft, IBM, and Novell to
provide full two-way email integration with Outlook, Notes, and GroupWise,
respectively. Standard features on a Blackberry include calendar, tasks, notes,
alarm clock, calculator, and some games. Third party applications can be
downloaded to extend its capability. Some models available from Nextel, Sprint,
and maybe other carriers, provide GPS and cellular “walkie-talkie” service as
well. Most Blackberry are Bluetooth capable, allowing for the use of wireless
Bluetooth headsets to handle telephone calls. Because the Blackberry relies on
the cellular telephone network, it is only available through cell
phone carriers .And, like cell phones, each carrier has its own unique
models. The typical cost of a Blackberry is $250-$300
Introduction
of BlackBerry Technology:
BlackBerry handhelds are integrated into an organization's
e-mail system through a software package called " BlackBerry Enterprise
Server " (BES). Versions of BES are available for Microsoft
Exchange, Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise. While individual users
may be able to use a wireless provider's e-mail services without having to
install BES themselves, organizations with multiple users usually run BES on
their own network. Some third-party companies provide hosted BES solutions.
Every BlackBerry has a unique id called BlackBerry PIN which is used to
identify the device to the BES. BES can act as a sort of e-mail relay for
corporate accounts so that users always have access to their e-mail. The
software monitors the user's local "inbox", and when a new message
comes in, it picks up the message and passes it to RIM's Network Operations
Center (NOC).
The messages are then relayed to the user's wireless
provider, which in turn delivers them to the user's BlackBerry device. This is
called "push e-mail," because all new e-mails, contacts and calendar
entries are "pushed" out to the BlackBerry device automatically, as
opposed to the user synchronizing the data by hand. Device storage also enables
the mobile user to access all data offline in areas without wireless service.
As soon as the user connects again, the BES sends the latest data. An included
feature in the newer models of the BlackBerry is the ability for it to track
your current location through Trilateration.
One can view the online maps on the phone and see current
location denoted by a flashing dot. However, accuracy of BlackBerry
trilateration is less than that of GPS due to a number of factors, including
cell tower blockage by large buildings, mountains, or distance. BES also
provides handhelds with TCP/IP connectivity accessed through a component called
"Mobile Data Service" (MDS). This allows for custom application
development using data streams on BlackBerry devices based on the Sun
Microsystems Java ME platform. In addition, BES provides security, in the form
of Triple DES or, more recently, AES encryption of all data (both e-mail and
MDS traffic) that travels between the BlackBerry handheld and a BlackBerry
Enterprise Server .
Most providers offer flat monthly pricing for unlimited data
between BlackBerry units and BES. In addition to receiving e-mail,
organizations can make intranets or custom internal applications with unmetered
traffic.
How it works:
As we all know, there is always software behind the
hardware. This holds true for the blackberry as well. Blackberry Server
Software comes in two forms
1. BlackBerry Professional Software (BPS)
2. BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES)
The way that the BlackBerry server works applies to both the
BlackBerry Professional Software (BPS) and the BlackBerry Enterprise Server
(BES)
The basic steps in receiving an email on a blackberry device
are as follows :
1. The email message is sent.
2. Message arrives at your email
server (usually the exchange server) and is sent as normal to your
PC/ Laptop (as in fig 3.1).
3. The BlackBerry server (the mail is delivered using a
"push" concept to the Blackberry Enterprise Server) compresses,
encrypts and forwards the message automatically to your BlackBerry handset.
4. Message arrives at the BlackBerry via the Internet and the
mobile carrier's network.
5. The Blackberry handheld device receives
decrypts and decompresses the email, and alerts the user.
Blackberry Enterprise Server
BlackBerry Enterprise Server is the fully-featured
BlackBerry mobile email service as in fig 3.2.1. It's designed for medium to
large organizations with their own Lotus Domino or Microsoft Exchange servers
for email and mobile data applications, that are going to start with at least
20 users and grow from there.
BlackBerry Enterprise Server lets the user access his/her
email, electronic calendar, tasks list and contacts list as well as any
internal applications or software on their BlackBerry handheld.
The BlackBerry Enterprise Server supports triple DES
security (considered unbreakable) so confidential data is transmitted securely.
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