What are my Exchange+Blackberry options?

[ArdentIT]

Hi everyone,

I am wondering what my options are for a request that I have received - some of the information I have got at the moment is a little unclear and I am waiting on clarification on some points but I wanted to get an idea of what options I have at the moment, if my understanding is correct.

Please excuse any misunderstandings, I have never dealt with Blackberries before.

A company has its main Exchange server in Italy, and a satellite office in the UK. Currently, the UK offices polls for mail via POP3 using Outlook or Outlook Express ().

They currently sync with their Blackberries by effectively forwarding all incoming new mail to their Blackberry email address (xxxyyyzzz@vodafone.co.uk for example - not sure if it is Vodafone though).

The problems they have is that when they get back into the office, none of the emails they have read on their phones have been marked as read on their PCs and the only way to have a record of any emails they have sent is to bcc themselves in.

The other problem they have is they have no local backups of the email store.

This, obviously, is less than ideal.

So I was looking at some options for them and this is what I have come up with.

1. Cheapest.
Enable OWA on the Italian server and sync the Blackberries via RPC over HTTPS and request copies of mailbox backups weekly

Pros : Simple, extremely low cost – basically only labour to configure
Cons : Reliant on Italy to do the backups, no calendar or contacts synchronisation.

2. Mid Range
Install SBS server in UK office, redirect current MX records to point to that server, take email handling inhouse. Sync via RPC over HTTPs

Pros : Local backup, local administration.
Cons : No calendar/contact synchronisation

3. Mid Range II
Install SBS server in UK office, redirect current MX records to point to that server, take email handling inhouse. Sync via Blackberry Desktop Manager if possible.

Pros : Complete synchronisation, no more expensive than the other mid range option
Cons : Seem to be none

4. Expensive
Install SBS server in UK office, redirect current MX records to point to that server, take email handling inhouse. Sync via BES.

Pros : Complete synchronisation, very customisable.
Cons : Cost


How does that look? What am I missing? What have I basically failed to understand Are there other options I can look at to possibly recommend?

Thanks in advance - and be gentle

[Delaware]

Activesync Direct Push is a tool that can help you for the same. Try the below steps. First install Exchange SP2 and then click on Start > All Programs > Microsoft Exchange > System Manger. Then go in Global Settings > Mobile Services. Right click and choose Properties. Check that everything should be ticked. Then go on Start > Run > and type dsa.msc. Locate The User object > Right click > Properties > Exchange Features. You have to ensure Outlook Mobile Access, Unser Initiated Synchronization, and Up-to-date notification are enabled. Set up and test https for OWA Externally.