[acoustix]

Based on what I'm reading and hearing about BB OS 10 and Playbook OS, I'm guessing that these devices will never be supported on BES. I'm assuming that these devices will only be managed through BB Fusion.

Can anyone confirm this or add any info?

[jsconyers]

That is my understanding as well.

[Beckr2]

Hi acoustix! QNZ devices will not be supported by BES. It will require RIM's version called BDS or Blackberry Debive server. RIM will also release what they call UDS, which stands for Universal Device Server. UDS will manage non-Blackberry devices. Mobile Fusion will be the platform which will provide a one screen access point to manage BDS, UDS, and BES.

[Beckr2]

Doh! I meant BDS. Sorry for my horrible typing.

[knottyrope]

learn more here
BlackBerry - Mobile Fusion - Manage BlackBerry iOS & Android Devices

[jslawell]

If I update all my phones to BB10, will I only need BDS and Mobile Fusion? At that point I can retire the BES?

[jsconyers]

Correct. However, if you allow personal devices on your network, and they bring in a legacy BB, they won't be able to connect to BDS.

[NJBlackBerry]

I wonder how many large corporations with an established (and dwindling) BlackBerry base even have Mobile Fusion on their roadmaps.

[jsconyers]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

I wonder how many large corporations with an established (and dwindling) BlackBerry base even have Mobile Fusion on their roadmaps.

We are not a large corporation, but this is not on our roadmap. It currently does not support GroupWise.

[acoustix]

Followup question: Will the BlackBerry Fusion software also manage existing BlackBerry handhelds (OS 7.1 and previous), or will we still need to run BES?

[jsconyers]

Originally Posted by acoustix

Followup question: Will the BlackBerry Fusion software also manage existing BlackBerry handhelds (OS 7.1 and previous), or will we still need to run BES?

You will need to run BES.

[OVERKILL]

This is retarded (sorry to be blunt).

We are a bit of a mixed device organization, having a BES, along with iPhones and are looking at some Windows Mobile phones. The BES and what it offers is what keeps us with our RIM devices. But of course the BES software wasn't inexpensive. Now we need to roll-out an entire new software platform, which of course likely means more servers (hardware $$$) to continue on with RIM devices going forward if we want the same sort of manageability that we have with our current devices? And RIM thinks this is reasonable?

When you are already losing market share to your competitors, and you have a specific enterprise user-base who has already invested in your proprietary software so they have an interest in continuing to use your devices, it is not a wise move to alienate and anger those customers by telling them that going forward, if they want to continue to use your devices, they now have to re-invest in MORE proprietary software!

I KNOW my manager is not going to OK that purchase, it just makes the Windows and Apple devices look that much more appealing.

This is a HORRIBLE move by RIM.

Mobile Fusion for iPhone and Android? I get that. But for future RIM devices, when the customers using them have already invested heavily in BES? No, that is simply not wise.

[jsconyers]

If the new BB10 devices are anything like the Playbook, and I believe they will be, you should be able to throw them on ActiveSync and possibly use any MDM you currently are using. Thus eliminating the need for Mobile Fusion altogether.

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by jsconyers

If the new BB10 devices are anything like the Playbook, and I believe they will be, you should be able to throw them on ActiveSync and possibly use any MDM you currently are using. Thus eliminating the need for Mobile Fusion altogether.

Right, but this essentially obsoletes my BES, so what is the motivation to stick with RIM devices going forward if my BES won't manage them? And if I want the same level of control going forward with RIM devices that the BES currently offers, I have to buy this product?

You can see what I'm getting at right? There are organizations that already have a fair bit of money invested in BES software and the hardware to run it. Their motivation to stick with RIM devices is this investment. If they have to buy new software (and potentially hardware) to manage the new crop of RIM devices, what is to stop them from changing platforms all together?

And then there are mixed organizations like yours and mine that have a BES in place and perhaps leverage an MDM to handle "the herd", but at least part of the tie to continue on with the RIM devices is the investment in the BES. If that investment is obsoleted, then the BB becomes nothing more than another ActiveSync device with nothing to set it apart from its Apple, Android and Windows Mobile peers.

That's my gripe. If they retained BES support, than those already invested in BES would be motivated to roll out the BB OS 10 devices in place of more IOS, Android and Windows Mobile devices.

[jsconyers]

I see your point clearly, and that's pretty much the dilemma I am facing right now. My director is not to fond of RIM lately and this fiasco is making his decision to move away from RIM quite easy. The fact that it doesn't support GroupWise yet, makes that decision much easier for him.

[NJBlackBerry]

And if it is an ActiveSync device, what happens to the old "security security" myth?
This is a terribly thought out plan. Well, guess we will see what happens.

I'm sure a lot of CIOs are thinking "I can't wait for those new BB 10 devices to hit"...

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

And if it is an ActiveSync device, what happens to the old "security security" myth?
This is a terribly thought out plan. Well, guess we will see what happens.

I'm sure a lot of CIOs are thinking "I can't wait for those new BB 10 devices to hit"...

Precisely.

I consider myself pretty "loyal" to RIM. I've been using a BB since the 950 (I recall you saying the same thing). However, I'm seriously considering the Lumia 900 right now. I KNOW we won't be spending any more money on RIM software going forward as an organization. Sure, we'll keep around the BES for the older devices and the cheap data-only plan ones. However, a few of the execs (and the president) are all using iPhones now. Having supported all the major platforms at this point, the one I'd consider moving my personal device to is Windows. I never thought I'd be saying that.......

[jsconyers]

Originally Posted by jsconyers

I see your point clearly, and that's pretty much the dilemma I am facing right now. My director is not to fond of RIM lately and this fiasco is making his decision to move away from RIM quite easy. The fact that it doesn't support GroupWise yet, makes that decision much easier for him.

Well that didn't take long. My director asked me yesterday evening to compile a sheet of what it would cost to move away from BlackBerry, data plans, device costs, server costs, license fees, support contracts, etc.

[NJBlackBerry]

RIM has bet what is left of the ranch on the BB 10 devices.
While the faithful will no doubt be pleased, RIMs core business customers will continue the drift away...

We've had an ActiveSync infrastructure in place for several years. We had to make it more robust and fault tolerant. As the number of BBs dwindles...

[alphasports]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL

Precisely.

I consider myself pretty "loyal" to RIM. I've been using a BB since the 950 (I recall you saying the same thing). However, I'm seriously considering the Lumia 900 right now.

FYI the Lumia 900 won't run on the new WP8 platform

Nokia woes expected to worsen as Lumia won't run Windows Phone 8

As a once-loyal BB user and currently bored iPhone user, I also like the Lumia, but not with this kind of nonsense going on.