[aaliyah'sfather]

We are currently attempting to implement Intranet/Internet browsing using the MDS browser on our BB system (without much luck so farxxx8230;)

Our setup is based on a segmented network architecture which means that the BES is behind a firewall from the other corporate servers. We also use a remote MDS Connection service Server (same location as the BES).

The MDS CS server is configured to use a proxy server (via a PAC file) for all web content requests i.e the URL expression is .*://.*(:\d*)?(/.*)*(\?.*)?

The firewall between the MDS CS and the corporate proxy server is configured to allow the MDS CS to communicate with the proxy on proxy listen port e.g. 8080.

The policy settings relating to the browser are as follows:

Allow Browser = TRUE
Allow IBS Browser = FALSE
Allow Other Browser Services = FALSE
Disable Auto Synchronization in Browser = TRUE
Disable Java Script in Browser = TRUE
Download Images URL = NULL (NOT SET)
Download Themes URL = NULL (NOT SET)
Download Tunes URL = NULL (NOT SET)
MDS Browser BSM Enabled = FALSE
MDS Browser Domains = NULL (NOT SET)
MDS Browser HTML Tables Enabled = FALSE
MDS Browser JavaScript Enabled = FALSE
MDS Browser Style Sheets Enabled = FALSE
MDS Browser Title = Company MDS Browser
MDS Browser Use Separate Icon = TRUE
Home Page Address = http://companyintranet
Home Page Address is Read-Only = TRUE

On the MDS servers, all services are showing as running.

On the BES, the MDS CS server is showing as running.

The test user has been enabled to use MDS, i.e xxx8220;Enable Connection and Collaboration Servicesxxx8221;.

When we try and browse to the internet/intranet, the user gets the following error on the device:

xxx8220;HTTP Error 503: Service Unavailable
The server is currently unable to handle your request due to a temporary overloading or maintenance of the server. Please try loading a different page. Contact your service provider if this problem persists.
Details
MDS Service Unavailable: u2xxx8221;

I cant find any articles for an "u2" error. The Blackberry KB BlackBerry Search Results is the closest match, but have checked all the possibilities.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Also is there a way to check that the MDS can access the web for example via the proxy, from the server?

BES version: 4.1.3
Handheld version: 4.2

[sferical]

Can you tell us how you've set your proxy configuration in the BES?

[aaliyah'sfather]

Here are my proxy configuration steps..

Start Blackberry Manager on the BES server then select the remote MDS instance

1. On the Connection Service tab, click Edit Properties.
2. Click Proxy.
3. Double-click Proxy Mappings.
4. Click New.
5. In the Universal Resource Locator field, type the URL expression that you want the proxy mapping rule to control (use the default .*://.*(:\d*)?(/.*)*(\?.*)? String)
6. In the Description field, type xxx8220;Company Proxy URL expressionxxx8221;.
7. Double-click Proxy String.
8. Click New.
9. In the Proxy Type drop-down list, Click PAC.
10. Double-click the Proxy String field and type http://companypacfileserver:80/pac/companypacfile.pac

[sferical]

aaliyah'sfather,

You say you have a seperate MDS CS server. Is the BES configured to use this other MDS server in Server > Settings or is it set to use it's own MDS server.

So have you got one or two MDS CS servers showing uo in the BB Manager?

Can Internet Explorer on the BES / MDS CS server browse OK when using that Pac file?

[aaliyah'sfather]

Originally Posted by sferical

aaliyah'sfather,

You say you have a seperate MDS CS server. Is the BES configured to use this other MDS server in Server > Settings or is it set to use it's own MDS server.

So have you got one or two MDS CS servers showing uo in the BB Manager?

Can Internet Explorer on the BES / MDS CS server browse OK when using that Pac file?

if by "Server > Settings" you mean the "MDS CS to BES Mapping" then yes it is set to use the remote MDS service. If I have missed a configuration, please let me know. The local service is stopped and the mapping tick is removed.

There are two MDS_CS servers showing up in the BB manager, with the local one's status as stoopped and the remote MDS server status is "running".

[sferical]

OK, that seems OK. Have you tried with the local MDS started?

Does IE work with that PAC file?

[aaliyah'sfather]

Originally Posted by sferical

OK, that seems OK. Have you tried with the local MDS started?

Does IE work with that PAC file?

Will try the local MDS tomorrow morning. IE on the server does work with the pac file. Also tried changing the setting on the BES to use a DIRECT connection to the proxy, still got the same error.

I need to better understand the log files to determine if the request from the device is reaching the dispatcher service on the BES, and if the Dispatcher is sending the request to the remote MDS. And then if the MDS is contacting the proxy etc. I have looked at the disptacher logs and the MDS log ("servername_MDAT...") but cant quite understand it all.

[sferical]

If you configure it to use the local MDS server instead of the remote one does that work at all? Just to try an narrow down where the problem is.

[aaliyah'sfather]

Originally Posted by sferical

If you configure it to use the local MDS server instead of the remote one does that work at all? Just to try an narrow down where the problem is.

We have some success.

I haven't started the local MDS CS server/service, just "enabled Blackberry MDS connection Service" on the BES server. This now allows us to browse the web.

Now my requirement is to disable the local MDS service and only use the remote MDS. Therefore the local MDS has been removed from the BES to CS mapping, the service is stopped both from the BES manager and the Windows service (disabled).

My question therefore is, to use a remote MDS, do you still need to enable Blackberry MDS connection Service on the BES and what is the difference of enabling the MDS CS to starting the MDS CS server/service?

[sferical]

I've got a feeling you have to have the local MDS CS enabled and running. This then passes the traffic the the other MDS CS server which fulfills the request. I suppose you can test this by setting the proxy in the remote CS and leaving the local CS proxy settings blank. If it gets the page then there you go.

Having said that I think there is also a way of getting the Dispatcher to pass traffic straight the the remote CS but don't know with digging through RIM's kb's.

[aaliyah'sfather]

Received email from RIM to confirm my error.

"The MDS Connection Service must be enabled at the server level for it to function regardless of which MDS-CS service is being used."