BB Connection via Exchange Server

[grd]

Hi

Apologies
Forgive me if this is not the correct forum but I am a complete newbie to the world of Blackberries and I’m not sure where to place this query. I’m sure I will be moved if deemed necessary.

Introduction
I am IT Manager to a small company. We are running MS Server 2003 with Exchange Server as part of the Small Business Server setup and Outlook 2003 on the client machines.

Problem
I have been asked by one of our partners for a Blackberry to retrieve and send his e-mails as he spends a lot of time out of the office without his laptop. He also has the facility to use Outlook Web Access but I guess that isn’t cool enough.

Question
Is it possible to have a single or maybe several, once others have seen it, Blackberries linked to our system via the Exchange Server and syncronised with his laptop ideally without major cost and/or setup issues? In this question, I’m assuming it would be possible to have all your emails, sent and received, together on both laptop and Blackberry.

What will the minimum requirements be if this is possible?


Regards

Graham

PS what are the chances of RIM, or at least the Blackberry system not surviving the recent court case in the States?

[hbomb341]

Hi
PS what are the chances of RIM, or at least the Blackberry system not surviving the recent court case in the States?

Well I think it is SLIM, since the case was settled last Friday. You must of been locked in a server room or under a rock.

You are in luck a Blackberry can get e-mail VIA OWA. You just have to configure his BIS account to download his e-mail. OR if you have a POP server again the BIS can be configured to downlaod from there.

Feel free to PM/PIN/E-mail me if you have any questions or need help. Also, this is a GREAT place for answer jsut search first.

[grd]

Well I think it is SLIM, since the case was settled last Friday. You must of been locked in a server room or under a rock..

Thanks for your response.

Sorry, but have been working on my "other" full time job of being a quantity surveyor in between my part time job of new shower room installer and was not aware the case had been settled - I assume RIM ended up having to pay a fortune.

You are in luck a Blackberry can get e-mail VIA OWA. You just have to configure his BIS account to download his e-mail. OR if you have a POP server again the BIS can be configured to downlaod from there..

Equally sorry, should have been clearer. We are not running POP mail but SMTP hosted on our Server internally.

You are starting to lose me now - BIS = Blackberry Internet Service right? You are saying it can be configured to effectively access our system directly to synchronise e-mails in Exchange? Is this without any other software/hardware?

I have now seen a diagram on the Blackberry web site indicating a BES in front of an Exchange Server. From what you are indicating this is not necessary.

Graham

[hbomb341]

YES BIS does = Blackberry Internet Service it cna be configed to access "personal" email (POP, OWA, iNotes). There is up to a 15 minite lag between receaving the message and showing up on the BB. But a BES is expensive and for a small setup not worth the trouble. Another option is to forward all email to the device it will get an address of its own like @<hidden> and just setup the Reply-To address to be his e-mail address. This would be an instant option. I would recomend searching you will find all of the options on here.

[grd]

OK

Forwarding is not really an option. I will need full two way synchronisation on inbox and sent items to avoid confusion.

I wasn't advocating the BES just hoping it wasn't necessary.

Do you know where the 15 minute lag comes from? I guess it must be a BB thing as I have seen mention of it elsewhere.

It's getting late and so off home now - will check up in the morning.

Thanks for your help.

Graham

[hbomb341]

The lag is from the BIS server "polling" your email server. Kind of a normal email client thing.