[muzakman]

How are you seasoned admins doing? I have been reviewing this site for a several days and noticed tons of wonderful information. I am fairly new at my current position (Telcom Engineer) which encorporates about 600 BB Users on BES 4.0. Im no stranger to the BB or BES coming from a wireless background. Difference now is I have to manage a BES vs. educate potential customers on its use and capabilities. This an extrememly large enviornment and needs alot of repair.

Can anyone give me some best practices, Common IT policys for an environment this size, any other useful tips would be greatly appreciated.

Also, any easy way of tracking 300 devices in the field for a field tech team? Asset tracking tools for BB, tracking modules?



Thanks guys and gals.....

[x14]

Best thing would be to attend the Wireless Enterprise Symposium in May.

But for the basic run BES 4.1, run handheld software 4.0 or better on all BlackBerry, enforce passwords.

[ladydi]

+1 to above.

What kind of asset tracking do you need? The PIN is associated with the user in the bb manager. And I don't know about you, but I haven't yet had a user who didn't know where there BB was, lol. And its practically the end of the world if it they break it.

[rliebsch]

tracking in the field got me thinking:
with GPS on the new 8800's, it'd be kinda neat to be able to get the location of the device.

+1 to above though, no one EVER loses their blackberry (accidentally). Though "I lost it" usually means, "I was ready for an upgrade and you weren't going to give me one."

The management interfaces give you loads of great info, PIN, Serial, Phone number, Carrier/Providor/Network, etc. I wish my systems and laptop management utilities were so verbose.

Training and Education: many people fall so head over heals for the device, they end up letting you know what they need/want next.

Best Practices: the documentation is pretty thorough, but reading this forum is better. There are a few posts which are invaluable crib notes versions of the long winded documents.

[x14]

Originally Posted by rliebsch

Though "I lost it" usually means, "I was ready for an upgrade and you weren't going to give me one."

Ditto on that. I've "accidentally" dropped my 7290 a couple of time but the darn thing won't break. So I gotta loose it if I want a replacement.

[stuwhite]

For tracking, you want to look at all the companies providing asset mgmt s/ware and see if they have a mobile add-on. LANDesk is a top app and has a mobile add-on but the issue is all these systems need to install an agent on the BB and be able to check its status and re-install if removed. You aren't going to want to allow that so it may not be that easy.

On the other hand, the handheld manager shows you every device assigned to a user account and you have tons of connection info from the manager so do you really need asset tracking for BBs?

[jrbes]

For alerting\monitoring - Boxtone is probably the best way to go (pricey though).

WES is a great way to get up-to-speed on the latest,greatest for BES and for meeting the great folks on this board.

[stuwhite]

Yeah I forgot to say that going to WES is a _really_ good idea and will help you tons. This will be my first time there but we can already see the benefits it will bring. Plus, you get to meet me ;->

[DarthBBerry]

Originally Posted by rliebsch

+1 to above though, no one EVER loses their blackberry (accidentally). Though "I lost it" usually means, "I was ready for an upgrade and you weren't going to give me one."

+another to that.
I had a user who wanted a new 8703 only because it was new and shiny. There was nothing wrong with their current device that they had for only a few months. And they had taken very good care of it. I wasn't going to replace it only because they wanted one. "You can get a new one if something happens to it like you flush it down a toilet or run over it with your car."

The next day at 8am they come to my office, hold out the Blackberry to me in a plastic baggie and state (in monotone): I-dropped-my-Black-berry-in-the-toilet-and-I-need-a-replacment-right-away." Yeah, sure ya did.

Some people, ya know?

[DarthBBerry]

Originally Posted by stuwhite

Plus, you get to meet me ;->

Only after they meet me first.
Hello, DarthBBerry. Telecom Sith Lord. Damn glad to meet you.
Hello, DarthBBerry. Telecom Sith Lord. Damn glad to meet you.
Hello, DarthBBerry. Telecom Sith Lord. Damn glad to meet you.

Zing!

[stuwhite]

Originally Posted by DarthBBerry

Only after they meet me first.
Hello, DarthBBerry. Telecom Sith Lord. Damn glad to meet you.
Hello, DarthBBerry. Telecom Sith Lord. Damn glad to meet you.
Hello, DarthBBerry. Telecom Sith Lord. Damn glad to meet you.

Zing!

Dream on boy, the Brits are coming!!!!!

[DarthBBerry]

Originally Posted by stuwhite

Dream on boy, the Brits are coming!!!!!

HEH!

Back the original post, WES will help you a bunch. All your questions and more for an entire week.

Stu, you need to use your Blackberry Messenger more; now that you have one.