RIM Launches BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0, Teams with HP

Research In Motion (RIM) today announced the availability of the next generation of its secure, push-based server software for business mobility designed to improve the productivity of mobile workers while meeting the demands of large-scale, mission critical enterprise deployments.

 

The solution– the BlackBerry (News - Alert) Enterprise Server 5.0 – enables a secure, centrally managed link between BlackBerry smartphones and enterprise systems, applications, corporate phone environments (with BlackBerry Mobile Voice System) and wireless networks, according to the company.

 

“BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 significantly raises the bar for advanced IT manageability, high availability, system monitoring and reporting,” said Mike Lazaridis, president and Co-CEO at RIM. “It has undergone testing in real world environments for over a year and is available now for customers.”

 

The latest version offers additional IT administration controls and integrates RIM push technology with Microsoft (News - Alert) Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novell Groupwise and is designed to provide highly secure access to e-mail, organizer data, instant messaging, voice browser and other enterprise applications.

 

RIM’s latest effort also focuses on role-based controls, identifying “disallowed” applications and scheduling deployments. 

 

As smartphones take on greater relevance in the enterprise and deployments grow, the demands on IT departments grow exponentially, making manageability, control and high availability must-haves in the supporting mobile infrastructure, according to said Chris Hazelton, Research Director, Mobile and Wireless at The 451 Group (News - Alert).

 

“The smartphone is essential for enterprises looking to improve employee productivity, accessibility, and responsiveness in today’s economic environment,” Hazelton said.

It also provides advanced security features and administrative tools that simplify the management and use of the BlackBerry solution within the enterprise.

 

The upgrade is part of a bigger overall plan from the Canadian company, which has also included launching an App store.

 

 

“The benefits of BES 5.0 are a redefined administration console which boosts productivity of support personnel and users,” wrote Tehrani. “Features like a web-based admin screen and tools to roll out upgrades at off-hours will make support teams happy because they will not be forced to come into the office on weekends to upgrade.”

 

Also today, RIM and Hewlett-Packard announced a broad strategic pact. As TMCnet reported, RIM and HP said they will collaborate on a number of features. The companies plan to design and sell business software together for RIM's BlackBerry smartphones and will design and launch new software to improve productivity among business people who need to work while on the move, according to the companies.

 

“As businesses look for new ways to increase service levels, reduce operational costs and improve productivity, they can meet these challenges by transforming how they manage the infrastructure that powers their mobile workforces,” said Ann Livermore, executive vice president, Technology Solutions (News - Alert) Group, HP, in a statement. “Emerging models of communications and collaboration have created an opportunity for RIM and HP to provide service-based mobile solutions that deliver value to customers.”