BES vs Exchange 2003 SP2 ActiveSync - Updates?
 

I'd like to find a recent document (or recent posting I've overlooked) that objectively compares/contrasts BES vs Exchange 2003 SP2 ActiveSync. Thanks.

mee too, but would this not be best asked in the BES forum?

note - BESX 4.1.2 user here..

Would gladly post it on BES Admin forum, and at your prompting have since done so.

Server Admin answers in...
 

Hmm, well I have bothrunning onmy network. Have a crackberry server running BES and working fine. Also have my Treo 600 650s and 700s running through Exchange Server2003 Active Sync.

Comparison: both are "fruit" just different flavors, one apples one oranges?

I prefer having it run off Exchange Server. But the Blackberry users seem happier, more into their devices and learing technology, which helps me.

BlackBerry devices are more simplistic for non techie users to be honest. Having tested Exchange 2003 SP2 heavily I have to say that although MS have figured out how to do the wireless emails side of it, they really haven't grasped device management. Some of our BES clients have hundreds of BlackBerry devices, and they simply could not manage their device fleet as effectively with MS devices as there simply isn't enough device info relayed back server side. MS will argue that BES is middleware, and therefore added cost, but the flip side is that MS devices cost a lot more to buy than BlackBerrys, and therefore what you save server side, you will quickly spend on devices.

Different flavours, certainly, but at this stage Exchange 2K3 SP2 doesn't taste as sweet!!

Honestly, if you're look into a solution NOW, and if the Exchange infrastructure is there already, test it out - no harm, no foul. As mentioned, BES does cost extra, in terms of licensing, support, etc., but right now its a MUCH more superior and mature product, from top to bottom. Security concerns surrounding everything about WM5 devices is rarely, if ever, found in BlackBerry devices. There's a positive, sometimes, to having a propietary solution (for the most part). I do think Microsoft has a bright future ahead of them in this market - Exchange 2007 w/ AJAX OWA and better Direct Push technology should be the first step they'll take; the second being about another 1-2 generations of Windows Mobile OSes. Until that point, I'm against their solution (but I'm open to the future of it).

I posted this in your other thread in the BES section but posting it here too in case you missed it.

http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...sMobile.pdf%22

It's an independent report comissioned by MS but the facts are pretty straight.

An independent report commissioned to Microsoft India's partnership presence? If you're not aware, Wipro is an official Microsoft partner, and basically a Microsoft entity, on pretty much all new wireless and RTC products. That article is NOT unbiased, and I will guarantee that!

I have read the article and just skimmed it again. It is biased toward microsoft and RIM still measures up real close. The docment is almost a year old and RIM has improved on some things in BES 4.1 that it says they lack. Microsoft has made no improvements since then. They don't even address the fact that you can access corporate data with a BB and can't very easily with a PDA running windows mobile.
Now, my take. My support time is much greater setting up Windows Mobile users and half won't sync initially using Active Sync on the device. I can't manage the devices to know who is using Active sync is difficult. Right now I use log parser to at least know who, in my company is using it. The biggest issue is since it uses your corporate login, if you change your password, you have to go change it on the device and if you are like us and you get pop ups when your password is 15 days from expiring, you will no longer sync until you change your password. I can tell me users of this all day but they always forget and we get a phone call. I hate this aspect of it.

RIM is far superier to Windows Mobile 5 and active sync in my opinion, on many fronts.

jibi, you beat me to it man!!!! Independent my @ss!!

Our experience totally corroborates this and extends well beyond set up. Overall support for WM devices is much more time consuming. We don't support them at all and still standardize on Blackberries. MS could definitely gain the lead if they get things straightened out but they're nowehere near there as far as support time required by IT staff.