Blackberry integration

[atlee]

Blackberry Enterprise Server Express requires Exchange. We are going with Zimbra partly to avoid Exchange. I can't wait to see how this plumbing works.

[ColeCash]

Indeed, BES does need Exchange in order to install. It is one of the prerequisites. Also, there are some MS items like IIS that need to be installed. However, you do not need to purchase Exchange since you only need to install the system tools to install the BES. The system tools only act as a MAPI client to connect back to the mail server. I don't know exactly how Zimbra is working this but I would assume that the Exchange system tools would be able to find the Zimbra server and connect to the BESAdmin account through a MAPI connection back to ZCS. Again, I don't really know very much about how Zimbra plans to make this work but I have done a good number of BES installs for various companies.

[brwatters]

How can this be considered a solution when the solution continues to depend on a Microsoft product/solution ??

BRW

[sam]

We certainly do not want to have a dependancy on MS Exchange when using BES against Zimbra.

Its best to wait for some official information and documentation before speculating. We understand you are eager for more information and will release it to you as soon as possible.

[brwatters]

Sam,

Thanks for the update .. thats good news that Zimbra is on the same page with kicking anything Microsoft out the door, Its the very same here and one of the number one reasons we use Zimbra today.

BRW

[PeterH]

To add a little 'spice' to this thread:
we've recently chosen Zimbra as our new platform for messaging, coming from Lotus Domino. Now in the middle of migrating our users from several domains and ... testing zimbra mobile against various devices and clients as alternatives for our Domino-Blackberry integration via BES4Domino-server. As it is: coming from BES, or better: being on BES still, especially the various clients are 'not quite' up to comparison with native BES (not very new info I suppose..).
A little more info on the integration-module would be (widely) appreciated on we also would be keen on participating in a beta-program if you're looking for volunteers..
Seriously: going to Notify adds a lot to the TCO of the messaging solution (relatively) and next to cool it'd be an interesting cost-saver for companies if a native zimbra-solution would be available, moreover since communication between server and device (always (!) via RIM as noted earlier in this thread) adds to the cost of the solution per device/user (which we consider appropriate in our opinion for the extra value the blackberry still offers)

Anyway.. Looking forward to this extension a lot!!
Cheers,
Peter

[brwatters]

Peter,

I like you look forward to hearing really good news very very soon from Zimbra on how they will deploy Blackberry's as was advertised years ago .. It seems to keep changing but I am sure its because we are getting no real info from Zimbra thus we are only left to speculate as to what's being done and how.

I for one look forward to the day real soon that Zimbra/Yahoo makes the announcement that Blackberry's are supported natively.

BRW

[brwatters]

Ok.. now I am bummed .. Look what OpenExchange now has ..

Open-Xchange Server 5 gets BlackBerry client | BlackBerry Cool

Sure hope someone at Zimbra is paying attention??

BRW

[gmsmith]

Originally Posted by brwatters

Ok.. now I am bummed .. Look what OpenExchange now has ..

Open-Xchange Server 5 gets BlackBerry client | BlackBerry Cool

Sure hope someone at Zimbra is paying attention??

BRW

*yawn*

Perhaps you have missed the Zimbra J2ME or the impending BES functionality with ZCS 5.0...

Not sure I would want to deal with a third party app, I think I would rather stick with functionality delivered by the software vendor that wrote the package I am using...but to each their own I guess.

[brwatters]

I could not agree with you more in wanting to NOT deal with any third party apps .. However I still am not clear with the BES part of the Zimbra solution .. It still sounds like one requires the BES server to talk with Zimbra rather than the Blackerrys talking directly to the Zimbra server .. Have I yet again missed something ??

BRW