[Derekius]

A client of mine has tasked me with a BES install for 150ish users. The client strongly prefers that users are not required to do anything at all (not even Enterprise Activation). Is it possible to add a user to a BES, then specify a PIN of their Blackberry (assuming I get a list of device PINs) and remotely force Enterprise Activation? My gut feeling is that this would not be possible, because if it were, I would be able to punch in someone's PIN that might not want to associate with a BES, and more or less take it over. I just haven't found any proof either way on this.

Also, I recently installed a BES Express 4.1 at home to use for testing, and had a question about viewing folders on my handheld. I used to have a 7100i on a BES, and I was able to open Messages, click the trackwheel, and hit View Folder. This would show me the folder list of my Exchange mailbox, and I could select a folder and view messages in said folder. On my new 8830, associated with the BES Express at home, when I hit View Folder, I don't even see my mailbox. My options are: Browser Messages, Missed Calls, Phone Call Logs, SMS Inbox, SMS Outbox, SMS SIM Card Inbox, and WAP Push Messages. I have confirmed that Desktop is set as the default CMIME messaging service, but is there something I'm missing here?

[x14]

You cannot remotely perform an Enterprise Activation.

[Jadey]

AFAIK you cannot remotely activate a BES without user intervention. You need them to participate on OTA Enterprise Activation, OR if you can get the devices onsite you can plug them into BES server and provision, but for the security issues you mentioned, don't think you can do the whole thing wirelessly without intervention.

Cannot help with other query, soz, never used BES Express...

[hdawg]

The closest thing you can do is to activate them yourself, lock it, and ship it.

[bertiebassett]

Originally Posted by hdawg

The closest thing you can do is to activate them yourself, lock it, and ship it.

Agreed that works.

Remember that you can choose the password for activation. So with the support of their IT helpdesk guy (or you if that's your bag) then setup the 150 accounts on the BES and set them all to the same default pw. I use FRED for qwerty and L for suretype keyboards.

Then it's just a case of getting them puppies out the box, charging and activating.

How hard is to ask a use to charge it, turn it on and put in their email address and a simple password - surely if you do some screenshots of how to do that and put that in the box with the device then you're all set.

[Derekius]

I didn't think it was possible, but I thought if anyone knew, someone on this site would. I don't know why the client is so adament about no user interaction, but I installed a BES Express over the weekend at home, and when I added my own user account, it automatically filled in the PIN, and performed a wireless activation wihtout me touching the device. I later realized this was because I was already using Desktop Manager to manually synch everything, and had chose I use a BES during the install of Desktop Manager (although I didnt yet have a BES).

The users all use Desktpo Manager to perform manual synch's, but the Desktop Manager was not installed the same on each machine. Some of them chose I use a BES, and some of them chose BIS. When I get the BES up and running, if I add a user that chose BIS on the Desktop Manager setup, will the BES still be able to pull that PIN in and perform a wireless enterprise activation? If this is getting too convoluted, I can just call RIM, and hopefully someone there will know.

[ladydi]

It shouldn't matter what they are doing now. You add their account to the BES and set an activation password. Once they go through activation, the BES will take over from there and they shouldn't ever need to use desktop manager (for any syncing).

I suspect your client has some people who are reluctant to be on a BES and he just wants it done - but if they already have the BB's, then they will have to go through the activation process or you will have to physically take it from them and activate it. If user reluctance is the issue, you can tell your client that he is going to have to grow a spine because the users can choose to wipe the device at anytime - effectively pulling it off the BES.

[Derekius]

I understand how to generate/set activation passwords and send them, but when I setup my own BES Express at home and added my own account, it auto-populated my PIN because I was already using Desktop Manager. It seems that if a user is already using Desktop Manager, and chose to use a BES during the install, when the user is added to the BES, their PIN is auto-populated (must be tied to the MAPI profile or something). My question is if a user installed the Desktop Manager and chose to use BIS, not BES, will the PIN still auto-populate when they are added to the BES?

[Jadey]

Originally Posted by Derekius

My question is if a user installed the Desktop Manager and chose to use BIS, not BES, will the PIN still auto-populate when they are added to the BES?

I don't know for sure but would ASSUME not. When you install Desktop Manager for BES (and I am talking Domino world here, so could be different for Exchange / GWise) then the program has to be pointed at the BES server, and settings are created to read from the notes.ini file for Domino user information. If you install DTop Manager for BIS, I am not sure whether this missing function of adding a BES server would stop users being able to activate. An exchange admin could probably answer this better. I'll shut up now.

[Dookie]

I have a solution for you, it's what i'm diong for our site.
I have installed Desktop Manager on my PC, I have admin rights for all mailboxes. Then anytime i've got device for a user - i'll create MAPI profile for him at my laptop, start DM with that profile, connect BB and let it activate. I'm not filling any password, the device is activated and will just prompt the user to enter new password. Then I rip battery out, put it in the box, give to the user. He inserts sim card, enters new pwd and off he goes....

[Jadey]

Originally Posted by Dookie

I have admin rights for all mailboxes.

Eeek!
SarbOx compliance would probably rule this out totally.

[Dookie]

Originally Posted by Jadey

Eeek!
SarbOx compliance would probably rule this out totally.

Well, i have them because i'm also Exchange server admin, so i need them to my work.

[hdawg]

I'm pretty darn sure my account doesn't have full privs on every mailbox; perhaps you've done this out of convenience for yourself?

[Dookie]

Originally Posted by hdawg

I'm pretty darn sure my account doesn't have full privs on every mailbox; perhaps you've done this out of convenience for yourself?

Nope. Try to move mailbox, work with MFCMAPI tool and so on without those rights.

[hdawg]

Ahhh, I perform those tasks with an administrative account; not my own account.

[Derekius]

The biggest problem in this is that I will not have physical access to every device. The client company already has 150 Blackberry users, using BIS, and these users are all over the country (some of them frequently travel to Europe as well). Asking them to ship their Blackberries to me for this is obviously not an option, which is cool with me, since I didn't really want to do it anyway.

Because I installed a BESx at home, I was offered a complimentary support incident, and have taken advantage of that and submitted a ticket with RIM to get an answer. I will post back for those who are curious.

[Dookie]

Originally Posted by hdawg

Ahhh, I perform those tasks with an administrative account; not my own account.

Well, that's exactly what i'm doing. My normal user account does not have that rights
But when you try to open outlook with other profile, it will prompt you for your admin account - that's the way.

[bertiebassett]

Originally Posted by Derekius

The biggest problem in this is that I will not have physical access to every device. The client company already has 150 Blackberry users, using BIS, .

how the hell did they ever get to 150 devices on BIS - you'd just spend all day troubleshooting the mailforward/3rd party connection issue. let alone the multitude of benefits their missing out on by not having BES

no wonder why their prissy end-users don't want to do an activate - are you going to enforce a wipe handheld first to clear out all the BIS service books? Watch for the carrier not having fully upgraded all mobile #s to the enterprise plan too..

with managemt decision making like that I'd run a mile fast in the other direction...you're just going to have one big ball ache, and can only come out of it looking 'ok' rather than 'great'