[Edna20]

I'm not sure where to start on this one. Basically my boss seems to be against using BES. Currently everyone in my company that wishes to have access to our corporate email is advised to purchase a phone with Windows Mobile so that they can sync with our exchange server. The company, at this time, does not issue any devices. On some levels this makes sense considering that the company doesn't have to pay any extra for any additional software to allow OTA syncing with the Exchange server. So what arguments could be used to convince him that BES would either be a better solution (maybe safer?) or at least a comparable solution?

[amukhey]

1. Do your devices support BlackBerry Connect -this would need to be installed on each handheld to connect to the bes to send and receive messages using their handheld.

2. BES server has a layer of security for its devices, I am unsure if BB connect provides the same type / level being that its an add on to a device...

3. Its easier and more convinient to have one central place for your handhelds rather than for example, 50 windows mobile with diff providers and diff connections to mail server, how do you troubleshoot that if you are a one man team?

4. How is the performance of Email on the windows mobile without a bes server?

5. More control of the handheld.

6. Enforce policy and control on who can use what feature that would either make or break the security in your company.

These are just some thoughts...I am at work and cant really go into the extent of it. I am for a BES Solution when it comes to handhelds, makes life more convenient.

[|||||||]

Originally Posted by amukhey

2. BES server has a layer of security for its devices, I am unsure if BB connect provides the same type / level being that its an add on to a device...

BBConnect has end to end 3DES encryption but no IT policies for say passwords at the moment.

[PlatzDa]

Connections using mobile devices other than BBs (e.g. Treo, Q, etc.) are really simple if you run Exchange and Outlook Web Access. Virtually no central management function and fewer servers. However, in our organization at least, these devices are less reliable than BBs. You can also set security policies in Exchange (handheld passwords, etc.). It's sort of a set it and forget it situation, again assuming you use OWA...

[bertiebassett]

Edna20

Can you be a little more specific
a) do you want to go BBConnect on the WMobile devices or go to an all BB model.
b) Do you see parallel running of the BES with WM5 or a cutover scenario.
c) Is there a budget?
d) what are your co's hot buttons - security, manageability, being an all MSFT shop, cost control?
e) How many users total on mail servers, what proportion or absolute numbers need/want mobile email.
f) What country are you in/ what carriers do you have/ what plans are available

My personal view is that BB knocks WM5 dead, but that's becasue WM5 devices suck and attempts to get a WM5 solution working for serveral customer fails due to firewall or orther issues - it feels like less "plug and play" than BB

A key question is "who pays the service bills" - had a call from a customer today on WM5 complaining about one of his users spending $450 in one month on roaming data - my quick reply of switch to BB which has a flat rate c. $99 when roaming plan (all you can use) would definately help. However in the USA you tend to roam less so this benefit might be less than the additional $$$ for the BB plan.

Surely you'd get some savings by aggregating all the devices/sims into a corporate plan with your fave carrier?

[hookedOnBB]

Also the BB Handheld can eb locked or killed if it is lost or stolen

[Aroc]

Here was why we went BES -

1. Managability - one admin can practically do it alone. BB is an end-to-end solution. handhelds, monthly BB Data plan (with internation coverage available), BES server. Some deployments will have one admin in charge of 100s or 1000s of Blackberry devices and mutiple BES servers. I don't see numbers like that with WM. Though I'm sure they're out there. The BB solution is so easy, a caveman can do it.

2. Reliability - though some of this depends on the quality of the admin. I suppose you can make a WM deployment pretty stable if you control much of the aspect. But the BB and BES make this even easier.

3. Executive buy in - our CFO wanted a BB. So the next day, I had my $5K PO for a BES server approved. I'd been trying to sell it to senior management for about a year with no success. Sponsorship by an executive helped.

Assuming you can't get #3 (which is the magic bullet) we need to figure out what your needs are. First, why are you considering BES? I wanted #1 and #2. Well, #2 mostly. Is either #1 or #2 a hot button for either you or your boss? That's a major selling point. If it's taking more than one person to support these WM handhelds, you might have your win there. Since the salary saving of having the second or third admin doing something else instead of PDA support will pay for any BES server.

Having BES is good and all. But there has to be a business case for it. We can help you find it. First answer us, why do you want BES? Then from there we can answer why your boss will want BES.

From his point of view, his stance does make sense! He already has the MS infrastructure. So RIM BES is added cost. He doesn't pay for WM handhelds, so the cost savings of BB vs WM handhelds is a non-starter for him. Adding BES (even BES Express) is adding another layer of complexity and a possible source of unreliabilty (since running a BES server is one more Windows Service that needs to be maintained). That is a source of cost based on admin time and salary. (BES is fairly reliable, but we'll ignore that for now). All you've done is increase is server and maintenance costs, increased his admin support costs, and further limited the users' selections of handhelds to just BB devices or ones with BB Connect Software. No wonder he's not convinced.

So much email (even confidential email) is transmitted in the clear via plain text, it isn't even funny. So arguing for BB's 3DES encryption is likely to get you nowhere. But! Do put that as a bullet point on your sales pitch. I still think your best bet is to argue for points #1 and #2 in your (and your boss') favor. His people costs are likely to outstrip his server and hardware/software maintenance costs. You have to show the BB solution just works where your MS Exchange server does not. IF that is not that case - and you have some wicked-reliable WM<-->Exchange set up, then you probably have a non-starter here. Which brings us back to the real question, what's your business case for BES?

[Aroc]

Originally Posted by Edna20

So what arguments could be used to convince him that BES would (be) at least a comparable solution?

That won't fly with any boss I've worked for. Say you have a $80K MS Exchange deployment. Now you can bring that up to $85K and still have a comparable deployment. Why spend the extra $5K? How does that help the business? That would be better spent on a company picnic or something that will generate revenue for you. Not on something that generates revenue for RIM!

So, why have your come to us today. You can be honest. Is it because you're spending half of your time supporting WM devices? Just looking for a new toy (BES server)? Have you deployed any WM devices yet? I get a suspecion that you haven' and you're trying to make sure your boss is making the right decision here. If that's the case, you'll likely need to let him deploy at least a couple WM devices. That way if the support costs are high, you can show him that with first hand evidence. It won't matter much to him what my support costs are. I'm not on your team, and you don't have my network. To it's apples to oranges.

On paper both solutions should work. I bet this is where he is coming from. There's no guarantee than WM/Exchange is unreliable and BB/BES is not.

[Chopper]

One thing for sure is that it would be against our company policy. Holding company information on personnel hardware is a big no, how do you know its deleted if they leave the company and then sell the device or just loose it? We don't allow personnel computers or laptops on our network either.

Our policies are strict but we have our reasons and thats to protect the business, other peoples information and our infrastructure.

BB's can be managed far easier. Why not speak to you local provider and let your boss try one out, Orange did it for us. We were lucky though, one of our sister offices were able to host the mailbox etc. Now we have our own server and devices managed by us (me).

[Edna20]

Thanks everyone for all the great input. From reading everything here, at this point in time it's probably not even worth trying to convince him otherwise.

We are a very small company which is why the company itself is not issuing ANY device WM or BB. So Aroc hit the nail on the head with the fact that right now the company can tell us to purchase our own device and plan if we want to and to get something that is WM or BBConnect compatible because that adds no cost to them.

I do know that he had some misconceptions on how BB's worked. I didn't have the conversation directly with him (another of my co-workers did) but I believe he thinks that the only way to use BB's is by using a hosting solution. He mentioned that one of the reasons that he's strongly opposed is that all of your email gets redirected to another server outside of our company. Which for us would not be the case. So one of things that I wanted to do is gather the facts and inform him.

I think for now I will have to wait and see if it seems that the company is going to start issuing devices and then jump in and pitch the BB solution to him. Based on Arocs above post, #1 would be a very strong argument for us since we only have 2 admins that support everything. Also, I missed the boat on #3 since we used to have 2 owners and one of them insisted on having a BB (which is why I thought we already had BES when I got one). Now we have 1 owner (the boss we are talking about here) and he is anti-BB :(

My reason for wanting them to go that route is that I've used several devices now to get my corporate email and so far I've liked the BB the best (and I'm not even able to use it at it's full potential!). It's a lot of little things that make me like it more so I'm not going to get into all of them.

I guess at the next happy hour when the boss is around, I'll bust out my eye catching Pearl and start playing with it. He'll get gadget envy when he glances down at his ginormous Treo and he'll ask me what phone I have. Then I'll lunge at him and start blurting out the sales pitch for BB's It always helps to have a plan, right?

[Aroc]

I've sold many of things to my boss and my boss' boss over happy hour. It works. Also the gadget envy thing does work. Especially if you're dealing with a gadget freak. ;)

REmember with BES in house, all of the email sent off your network is 3DES (triple DES) encrypted and can only be decrypted by the target handheld. RIM cannot read your email and attachments. Remember the U.S. Gov't and Military uses these devices (which got thru RIM in Waterloo, ON, Canada). It it's encrypted sufficiently for .gov and .mil, it should be good enough for most private U.S. companies.

Also consider BES Express. It's a special type of server. You get the first user for free and each additional user (up to 15) is just $100/ea up to 15. Once you hit 15, you can pay the price ($3.5K ??) to upgrade to full BES. So that's a great product to get you started with. It's targeting the same space you and your boss are in. It keeps in initial costs low. So that's something to think about.

[Edna20]

The gov't thing was my other point to make to him. We do government contracting and that is the reason that he is concerned about security. Our cleints would probably feel better knowing that we are using the same method they are for mobile email and that we have control over it. Currently, it seems that we are at a huge security risk because the admins don't even know who in the company is using handhelds or how! Heck, I've had desktop redirector running for a couple of days now (well trying to anyway) which has got the be the least secure method of all?? However, if I point that out to him now, he may very well lock down my ability to use the Pearl at all so shhhhh.

[ladydi]

I can't believe your boss is saying employees should use their own devices and worrying baout data security int e same breath!! talk about unsecure! And windows mobile devices are a nightmare. They crash constantly and lose their connections and do funny things until you reboot them.

My boyfriend and I both have 8700's and we have a friend who works for M$ and he is jealous of our BB's but can't upgrade for fear of losing his job or promotions.

I agree with Aroc. Start with BB express, its the cheapest way to get into it.

[adalta]

I agree with the BESX. If you have the time, ask your boss to run a trial with the BB for about a month. Most carriers have a 30 day return policy.

Once you have the BB, download BESX with the included free license and download VMware server and the Windows Server 2003 trial and nod32 trial.

Install it on an extra workstation and give it to your boss for a couple weeks.