[juwaack68]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

Good luck getting your BlackBerry connected to your corporate network.

Perhaps your smirking, Nazi IT admin can help you out as we obviously can't or won't.

"Why can't I bring my personal laptop into the office"
"Why do I need to keep entering my stupid password when you lock my PC"
"Why can't I connect whatever I want to to the corporate networK?"

You realize we've heard it before. You don't make the decisions on what is allowed on a corporate network, or what devices are supported. I understand you don't like that.

Keep tilting at windmills.

You forgot the one about people who complain to the IT department that they cannot get Facebook to work correctly on their work PC, while AT WORK. Really, we had that here very recently.

Panda, it's a simple case of only supporting COMPANY resources. Period. If you don't like it, get a different device, or join the IT department so you can save the world.

[jskolm85]

Originally Posted by pandaman

..... See the thing is a blackberry isn't quite the same as a PC. It isn't connected to the whole network and does not pose the same kind of security threat.

wrong

once the BB is connected to the BES server it has a permanent VPN connection to the BES server that gives it full access to you internal network just like a computer. Remote desktop does work at that point and becomes a very big security risk.

And yes, I am an IT administrator. But I do allow the personal devices to connect to our BES. I just make them accept the security policy that I have enforced. Passwords, time out, device wipes... blah blah....

[fonejunkie]

Originally Posted by pandaman

No-one here has explained yet how a privately owned BB device poses more of a security threat than a company owned device, other than the assumed behaviour of the operator. Do all company employees turn into industrial espionage agents when holding a personal BB?

If the company BES enforces their IT policy (which may include BB model ), then it doesn't. But if their policy denies access with certain models, then so be it. This is especially true in the case of new devices that may or may not contain new features and abilities - things for which the admins do not yet have training or information about. The bottom line is it's a matter of the golden rule. They (the corporations) have the gold, so they get to make the rules. That's really all you or I need to know.

[DavidAdams]

Originally Posted by SteveO86

You are right the BES don't care what model the BlackBerry is. However you are probably not being BS'ed

Your company most likely does have a standard IT policy and BlackBerry model(s) for standardization, how happy would you be if they activated your BlackBerry and disabled that nice 3.2 MP camera? Besides as stated aboce it isn't a company employee's job to support your own personal device.

If you want company email that bad, setup a BIS account and forward your work email to it.

Just be careful as there may well be something in the User Acceptance document you signed on joining the company concerning IT equipment and/or email usage that prohibits just such an action. We have such a clause.

[JSanders]

Originally Posted by pandaman

Reading over the thread I can see how I have offended some IT admins, but that was not my intent - sorry!

OH, it was not your intent to physically type the word "Nazi". Obviously you aren't even old enough or mature enough to know how you've just belittled an entire race by evening thinking some BES Admin could even bring about the atrocities brought about by the Nazi regime.

Not your intent--certainly it was. Who has taken control of your mind?

[pandaman]

Originally Posted by JSanders

OH, it was not your intent to physically type the word "Nazi". Obviously you aren't even old enough or mature enough to know how you've just belittled an entire race by evening thinking some BES Admin could even bring about the atrocities brought about by the Nazi regime.

Not your intent--certainly it was. Who has taken control of your mind?

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...nndino.jpg</a>

Sheesh man relax - it was a quote from seinfeld "soup nazi" --> "IT Nazi". OK, if that does not help, then you have my permission to go ahead and replace every instance of the "N" word in this thread with whatever you wish. Don't take things so literally - intent is what matters!

[jskolm85]

Off topic here... sorry... but how do you block the use of BIS access to our mail system? I have search, and have only found suggestions but no definite answer.

[CanadianCrack]

Originally Posted by jskolm85

Off topic here... sorry... but how do you block the use of BIS access to our mail system? I have search, and have only found suggestions but no definite answer.

Are you Panda's IT guy?

[juwaack68]

Panda, look at it this way: IT departments everywhere (along with everyone else) is getting slashed and cut and have dwindling resources. That means less people to support end users, systems, projects, etc.

The company has a policy to support only company supplied devices. This is for a variety of reasons - to keep the b!tching to a minimum about features that are controlled by the IT Policy, to use corporate buying power for lower purchase pricing, to use company paid BES licenses on company devices, etc etc.

Let's say they connect your personal device to the BES. Can you honestly say, with 1000% accuracy, that you will NEVER EVER call them for support? What if your calendar is not syncing properly? Will you fix it yourself? What if your Address Book is not syncing? Will you call them? You will, and as soon as you do, they are utilizing COMPANY resources on your PERSONAL device, and thereby not using those resources on company initiatives. You are wasting 'soft' costs of the company.

That's it.

[skyman84]

Originally Posted by juwaack68

Panda, it's a simple case of only supporting COMPANY resources. Period. If you don't like it, get a different device, or join the IT department so you can save the world.

Perfect point!

And Panda, I'm posative you never meant to offend anyone with the post title, however it may have been a little insesative on your part.

Any ways!

I think we've all got our points accross!

[NJBlackBerry]

Originally Posted by pandaman

Sheesh man relax - it was a quote from seinfeld "soup nazi" --> "IT Nazi". OK, if that does not help, then you have my permission to go ahead and replace every instance of the "N" word in this thread with whatever you wish. Don't take things so literally - intent is what matters!

You're having a bad day.

Soup Nazi is a bit different than an "IT Nazi".

Quit while you're behind.

[pandaman]

Originally Posted by jskolm85

wrong

once the BB is connected to the BES server it has a permanent VPN connection to the BES server that gives it full access to you internal network just like a computer. Remote desktop does work at that point and becomes a very big security risk.

And yes, I am an IT administrator. But I do allow the personal devices to connect to our BES. I just make them accept the security policy that I have enforced. Passwords, time out, device wipes... blah blah....

Well you must be a very reasonable person and you seem to have applied some common-sense and practical interpretation to IT policy. You've put the burden on the users whilst also implementing some safeguards to protect yourself and your company.

This thread has got off track a bit in making comparisons with personal PCs with Blackberries - that's probably my fault as I made the initial comparison. For devices like laptops etc I agree - they are too hard to manage if IT are not in complete control. Whilst a BB technically has a similar amount of potential to be a threat (it is strictly speaking a mobile computing device), the nature of the device mostly precludes it. The average business user is not going to do anything like what he does to his phone as what he does to his laptop (installing programs etc).

This comes back to the main point I've been trying to make - it's about the behaviour of the user of the device, not the device itself.

[fadmin]

Originally Posted by mgerbasio

I can't figure out why there are approved BB devices either especially when the BES admin restricts features anyway. It isn't like you can get a Curve and use the camera if cameras are restricted.

We can't access mail except through a corporate network connection (VPN or office), so, Blackberry BES is it unless I want to get my laptop out.

Regards-Michael G.

This is true only if the devices and BES is at certain level or else they may not be able to block those features.

[JSanders]

Originally Posted by pandaman

This comes back to the main point I've been trying to make - it's about the behaviour of the user of the device, not the device itself.

But that is in itself a wrong assumption as well. For instance--a simple issue where the BES has not been upgraded to enable HTML email on the BES mail. Your device claims it has HTML email. It won't though, on a BES that has not been upgraded and there goes the round and round of the user seeking support from the BES for HTML email, because the device allows it, but the BES does not.

[skyman84]

Originally Posted by JSanders

OH, it was not your intent to physically type the word "Nazi". Obviously you aren't even old enough or mature enough to know how you've just belittled an entire race by evening thinking some BES Admin could even bring about the atrocities brought about by the Nazi regime.

Not your intent--certainly it was. Who has taken control of your mind?

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...nndino.jpg</a>

I think we should invoke Godwins Law here kids!

[pandaman]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

You're having a bad day.

Soup Nazi is a bit different than an "IT Nazi".

Quit while you're behind.

You're right it's different but meant in the same spirit - as a joke.

Judging by the number of posts you've made on this forum I think it's you who needs a break my friend.

[misterbulldog]

Originally Posted by pandaman

I work in this business and I'm double the age of the average person here which is why I probably do not understand their point of view.

What business are you referring to? I sure hope its not security. By now you could have POLITELY asked your BB Admin all of the questions you have asked here and received answers. Probably not the answers you want to hear but, "it is what it is".

[NJBlackBerry]

You're right it's different but meant in the same spirit - as a joke.

Judging by the number of posts you've made on this forum I think it's you who needs a break my friend.

I keep forgetting the calling people Nazis is a joke.
I have to remember that.

BES Admins around the world - IT'S JUST A JOKE!

Don't tell me how to run my life, junior. Go back to the iPhone and learn a bit about security and privacy before you start calling people Nazis, which in most circles is considered an insult and not a joke.

[pandaman]

Originally Posted by juwaack68

Panda, look at it this way: IT departments everywhere (along with everyone else) is getting slashed and cut and have dwindling resources. That means less people to support end users, systems, projects, etc.

The company has a policy to support only company supplied devices. This is for a variety of reasons - to keep the b!tching to a minimum about features that are controlled by the IT Policy, to use corporate buying power for lower purchase pricing, to use company paid BES licenses on company devices, etc etc.

Let's say they connect your personal device to the BES. Can you honestly say, with 1000% accuracy, that you will NEVER EVER call them for support? What if your calendar is not syncing properly? Will you fix it yourself? What if your Address Book is not syncing? Will you call them? You will, and as soon as you do, they are utilizing COMPANY resources on your PERSONAL device, and thereby not using those resources on company initiatives. You are wasting 'soft' costs of the company.

That's it.

You make some good points here - and this touches on a point I also made. I see IT as a support function - it is broadly acknowledged as such in my company (that's why they call it IT support).

I could not guarantee 100% I would not need to call IT about a problem, but why would use of a personal device for business reasons be a problem. If I called them up to ask why facebook or myspace wasn't working then they would be justified in hanging up. But if my address book stopped syncing (company address book that is), how would that be wasting resources, when another BB user with a company owned BB could legitimately ask the same question. It gets back to the whole purpose of the IT support function. They do lots of good stuff that keeps all our equipment running, but at the heart of it all - what is that equipment for ...... to keep the business running ... so we can make money!

[CanuckBB]

Originally Posted by pandaman

4. The only ignorance I see is where IT administrators forget the one reason why they even have a job - to SUPPORT THE USERS, not to act like trolls. You are there to provide a service - to help the people that bring the bacon home!! Don't forget that IT admin is an overhead support function. How naive some people are.

I am here to support company approved hardware and software as part of my job.

My main function is to maintain the integrity and security of the corporate physical infrastructure and data. It is to enforce all corporate directive regarding data security and audit requirements.