BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 is the ideal method of deploying, managing and securing BlackBerry 10 smartphones. It delivers rich enterprise mobility management features, BlackBerry Balance, BlackBerry World for Work, and other capabilities that businesses need to realize their full mobility potential. But, we recognize that some customers or groups of users may have their mobility management and connectivity needs met by using a basic ActiveSync connection on a supported mail server without the use of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. We are pleased to be able to support this connectivity model with BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

We’ve talked quite a bit about ActiveSync in the past here on the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog, so make sure that you’ve also taken a look at our past blog posts:

• How to Connect Your BlackBerry PlayBook to Enterprise Email with ActiveSync
• Hey BlackBerry, what about BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express?
• Does BlackBerry Compromise on Security by Using ActiveSync? The answer is No, and here’s why…

Using ActiveSync to Connect and Manage BlackBerry 10 Smartphones

It’s quite likely that you’re using a Microsoft Exchange server, an IBM Lotus Domino server, or a Novell GroupWise mail server. BlackBerry 10 smartphones (and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets) can connect to any of these mail servers as long as ActiveSync is enabled. If you’re using Microsoft Office 365, we’ve got a great Knowledge Base article (KB33522) that walks you through the process. You’ll need to make sure that your mail server is enabled for ActiveSync, grab your BlackBerry 10 smartphone, and add a new account.

To review what versions of ActiveSync are support on BlackBerry 10 smartphones and the specific policies supported, see our BlackBerry Knowledge Base article. You can also learn more about BlackBerry 10 and ActiveSync support for IBM Domino and Traveler environments. Lastly, we’ve got all of the details on BlackBerry 10 ActiveSync support for Novell GroupWise environments.

Adding an ActiveSync Enabled Account on Your BlackBerry 10 Smartphone

Adding an ActiveSync enabled email account to your BlackBerry 10 smartphone is simple and straightforward.

1. While viewing the home screen, swipe down from the top of the screen
2. Select Settings > Accounts
   • If this is your first account, select the Advanced icon that appears along the bottom toolbar.
   • If you have other accounts already, select Add Account followed by selecting Advanced
3. Select Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync from the Advanced Setup options (for all ActiveSync based accounts regardless of mail platform)
4. Enter in the required information, which includes:
   • Username
   • Email Address
   • Password
   • Server Address
   • Port (443 by default)

Note: optional fields include Description, Domain, toggles for SSL, VPN, and Push, as well as the Sync Timeframe.

1. Tap Next to finish configuring the account, and then tap Done.

That’s it! You should now have a BlackBerry 10 smartphone configured with work email via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. To remove an account, check out the instructions at the bottom of our Inside BlackBerry Help Blog post on email, contacts, calendar, and social networking accounts.

We haven’t forgotten about small businesses – we love the passion and drive that small business owners and employees have for taking on challenges and working towards their goals. We have a rich history with SMB’s. In fact, we recently launched the Better Business Hub in the United Kingdom designed exclusively for small businesses looking to improve their mobility and use of social media.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express was a revolutionary product that helped businesses get up and running with corporate email and manage BlackBerry smartphones – all for free.

For those businesses using BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express to manage BlackBerry smartphones, we’ll be continuing to support you and to support BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express with updates through to 2015; that’s a promise. But, the mobile landscape is changing – and we’ve heard that straight from our customers.

The Need for Multi-platform Management

Particularly if a Bring Your Own Device model is being adopted, as is the case in many small businesses, you’re likely beginning to see multiple devices being brought into the workplace. Tablets, BlackBerry, iOS and Android devices, and all manner of personally preferred mobile ware are making appearances that pose challenges to centralized management and connectivity to corporate email services.

The Addition of ActiveSync Functionality for BlackBerry 10 Devices

We’ve worked to help keep you prepared to tackle this changing mobile landscape in two particular ways. First, we’ve adopted Microsoft® ActiveSync protocols to allow connectivity of BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets straight into your mail servers at no cost. No extra servers or software required. And, you get to manage the devices using the built-in ActiveSync policies. From my perspective, this actually makes things much easier.

Is ActiveSync with BlackBerry 10 secure? We’ve answered that question in a recent blog post from our Senior Director of Enterprise Product Management.

Say Goodbye to Server Licensing Costs

For those looking to step up their mobility management game and take on multi-platform smartphones and tablets, BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, launched this week, is the evolution of our enterprise mobility management innovation. Our portfolio of management products has been streamlined, and efforts poured into providing free and direct connectivity with ActiveSync, and the enterprise server option for staying on top of a diverse mobile landscape. To make it easier for our customers to adopt BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, we have removed the server component of the licensing and moved to a device license only model. BES 10 device licenses are very cost effective – only $99 USD per device with bulk discounts.

At the end of the day…

You have options. Your end users can connect their BlackBerry 10 devices either directly (for free) using ActiveSync or using BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 for enhanced management capabilities and behind the firewall application access without expensive VPN infrastructure. Try out BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 today at: http://www.blackberry.com/bes10

We’ve streamlined and consolidated our various management products into a solution set that has the capability to meet the needs of small and large businesses alike, with a strong focus on the changing mobile landscape and helping you to address future challenges. Both RIM and our customers are adapting, innovating, and moving forward.

Communication is crucial. We welcome your questions on these topics, as we know that they’re a concern for you. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Today a free software update has been made available for Wi-Fi® BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets. This release brings with it many new features for business customers and IT administrators that make the tablet a seriously enterprise-ready device and a productivity powerhouse. Combined with BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion and the coming BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10, managing BlackBerry PlayBook tablets just got a whole lot more functional. I’m excited to walk through what’s new when it comes to both management and security as well as features for business end users. Read on for the full scoop!

Features for Business End Users

Print To Go® across Wi-Fi networks

Judging by our LinkedIn® recommendation page, there are quite a few fans of the Print To Go app out there. We’ve also had a lot of suggestions for additional features since the initial launch. With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1, you now have the ability to deliver documents from your PC to a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet that may be connected on a completely different network, providing a true solution for rapid document transfer to your tablet.

Text Messaging with BlackBerry Bridge

Text messaging or SMS is now supported as a BlackBerry Bridge™ application. Head to the BlackBerry Bridge folder on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s home screen and get started interacting with SMS.

Improved Android Runtime

One of my favorite features on my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is the Android™ runtime and all of the fantastic apps that it places at my fingertips. With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1, the experience is improved and even more seamless with features like multi-window applications for a feel consistent with the overall OS, support for the HD cameras on the tablet, and in-app payments for value added experiences.

Portrait Orientation for Messages, Calendar, and Contacts

I often use portrait mode when I’m reading e-books on my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet or playing games like Cut the Rope HD – and now this functionality extends to the native mail, calendar, and contacts applications. This gives you the flexibility and choice in how you want to view information and interact with the tablet. The layout intelligently arranges the data onscreen to display critical information in portrait mode, and automatically returning to the expanded view in landscape mode.

Folder and Sync Management

Folders within an email account connected through ActiveSync can now be synchronized individually. You can quickly toggle on/off for each folder to round out the mail management experience on the device. If you use an IMAP email account, you can also now get full access to your mail folders. These features together with the current functionality provide a complete mail organization tool in the Messages app.

Streamlined setup and software update experience

When setting up a brand new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and running through the out-of-box experience, a Wi-Fi connection is no longer required. Software updates can also be delayed until a later time – and when you do need to update your software, patch-based updating is now supported, which significantly lowers the file size of the updates and increases the speed of the operation.

Management and Security Features

Over-the-air (OTA) enrollment with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion

Employees using BlackBerry PlayBook tablets for work can now enroll with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion wirelessly. Once connected and enrolled, enterprise configurations such as email, Wi-Fi, VPN profiles, or enterprise apps can be pushed directly to the device by IT administrators. With this new feature, you can bring BlackBerry PlayBook tablets onto your corporate network quickly and easily.

New IT policies for added security

IT policies are crucial for enabling IT administrators to manage the wireless devices at play within their organizations. We’ve added new IT policies that administrators can take advantage of through BlackBerry Mobile Fusion. These include the ability to enable full device encryption and to disable development mode for enterprise-connected BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

ActiveSync Certification Management

Certificate-based authentication can now be configured in order to allow access to work email, calendar, and address book data. These can be securely installed to the tablets over the air with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, which utilizes Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP).

Full device encryption, including personal data

From the Options menu on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, you can now enable “Full Device Encryption” by navigating to Security and then Encryption. This secures the data on both the work and personal perimeters of the device with AES 256-bit encryption for ultimate data protection.

What are you waiting for?

Get the update! You will automatically receive a software update notification on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet status ribbon, or you can check for the software update at any time by going to the settings menu under “Software Updates” and tapping “Check for Updates”. Then follow the steps to update.

What’s your favorite feature in the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1 update? Share in the comments below.

I’m Jeff Holleran, the Senior Director for Enterprise Product Management here at RIM. Since the launch of BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0, which includes a native email and PIM client that is based on Microsoft’s Exchange ActiveSync protocol, one of the frequent questions that I am asked is, “Why ActiveSync?”

There are a number of reasons that RIM made the choice to go with ActiveSync as the sync engine for our next generation of messaging on BlackBerry tablets and smartphones. Over the past decade, ActiveSync has matured as a protocol. We are able to use ActiveSync to provide a capable sync engine that is supported for both the traditional Enterprise email platforms that RIM currently supports, and for additional email platforms that support the Microsoft ActiveSync protocol. This ability to build a single sync engine increases the reach of BlackBerry devices, while reducing the complexity of the custom sync engine that exists in today’s BlackBerry® Enterprise Server (BES). By selecting ActiveSync, we are able to provide a set of additional options for email connectivity to our customers including growth to support multiple devices for each user. In addition, we increased scalability with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion when compared to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Customers also have expressed interest in taking advantage of different levels of security, from the basics that come with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync through to the advanced security and controls that come with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion and the BlackBerry Infrastructure.

What this change didn’t mean was a move away from our core BlackBerry DNA: our full end-to-end encrypted email solution that our customers have come to depend upon. In particular, there is no need to open additional firewall ports or make any other changes that would cause an IT group to change their infrastructure. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion allows each PlayBook (and BlackBerry 10 in the future) user to connect through the secure BlackBerry Infrastructure. This configuration provides the same level of security as today’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server solution, with the encrypted message traffic flowing between the device and the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion server behind the firewall. The only difference is that we connect to the email server using the ActiveSync interface instead of the proprietary MAPI protocol that we used previously. Some customers may not realize that ActiveSync is enabled on their Microsoft Exchange server by default and no changes are required to get a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet up and running on BlackBerry Mobile Fusion.

How does all of this work?

From an end-user perspective, the steps to connect are straightforward. Conceptually, from a management perspective, there are three options to connect your ActiveSync-enabled BlackBerry PlayBook into your work messaging environment (and these steps will also work for BlackBerry 10 smartphones when they are in market):

1. Direct Connection – If the ActiveSync interface of your email server is exposed to the Internet, a user can simply configure their account by adding the email address and password of the account from their PlayBook. This will provide full email and PIM connectivity and adhere to ActiveSync configured policies (listed in the Knowledge Base article below):
Read more: Exchange ActiveSync support for the BlackBerry PlayBook

2. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion managed – An administrator can enable and configure an end user to use BlackBerry Mobile Fusion for device management, and provision the email settings so that when a user activates their PlayBook, their corporate email is configured, a work perimeter is created, and the IT policies set on the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion server are adhered to. Once the device is managed by BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, the ActiveSync policies are no longer applied or adhered to with the exception of the wipe command. This option also supports management of a BlackBerry PlayBook connected into a hosted email system (i.e. Microsoft Office 365).
Read more: ActiveSync policy behavior when a tablet is activated on BlackBerry Device Service

3. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion with Mobile Data Services (MDS) – Similar to a BlackBerry Mobile Fusion activation, this option differs in that all work traffic on the device can be configured to route through the MDS component of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, effectively extending the boundary of the corporate network to include the BlackBerry PlayBook without the need for a VPN solution or exposing ActiveSync to the Internet to allow for email/PIM access. One outbound connection over port 3101 provides secure connectivity to your PlayBook users for secure remote access to email and applications – just like the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. This is the solution recommended for security-conscious organizations that need to protect their corporate data.
Read more:

• Security Technical Overview – BlackBerry Device Service 6.0 and BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet 2.0.1
• BlackBerry MDS Connection Service Helps Make Connectivity a Simple Task

In order to understand the connectivity and Email/PIM synchronization differences between BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, let’s first take a look at a BlackBerry 7 smartphone connected to a BlackBerry Enterprise Server:

The BlackBerry 7 smartphone connects to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server using a 256-bit AES encrypted connection that carries email and PIM traffic from the server behind the firewall to the BlackBerry smartphone. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server connects to the email server using native email vendor-specific protocols.

Examining the connection to the BlackBerry PlayBook below, you can see the same BlackBerry DNA in place; we maintain the 256-bit AES encryption between secure endpoints on the PlayBook and BlackBerry Mobile Fusion server when using the MDS functionality to route the traffic.

The key difference is that instead of using the Mobile Fusion server to translate the native messaging protocols into BlackBerry messaging traffic, the PlayBook is making a connection directly into the mail server using ActiveSync protocols to synchronize email and PIM data to the device. This connection is then encapsulated within the 256-bit AES encrypted BlackBerry security connection ensuring that the same level of security that you have depended on for BB7.0 devices is also delivered on the BlackBerry PlayBook.

The use of ActiveSync also provides support for customers who are using hosted or cloud-based email providers. End users are able to access their email while the IT group is able to maintain device security, as well as providing behind the firewall access to the Intranet and other applications.

Our Enterprise customers are very pleased that we have continued to use the trusted connectivity model in use today. With this model, there is no need to expose ActiveSync to the Internet or increase the investment in VPN solutions to include mobile devices—the PlayBook is simply able to access and synchronize email and PIM data from the server behind the firewall. Of course, email isn’t the only data that can be accessed. When using the MDS functions of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, employees also have the ability to access enterprise data and applications that are hosted behind the firewall.

This same architecture will be in place to support the launch of BlackBerry 10 devices. We’ve made a small change to the synchronization engine, and we continue to leverage the convenient connectivity and world-class security that the BlackBerry solution has provided our enterprise and government customers for over a decade.

In summary, BlackBerry is as secure as ever.

• We are using ActiveSync to give us greater flexibility and scalability to support more devices per user and more email platforms
• The use of ActiveSync gives customers greater choice in how they connect BlackBerry PlayBooks and BlackBerry 10 smartphones to server-based, hosted and cloud email systems
• The secure BlackBerry DNA remains; single outbound connection over port 3101, 256-bit AES encryption between server and device, no need to invest in additional VPNs and no need to expose corporate data to the internet

Essentially, Microsoft ActiveSync on BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 allows you to connect to popular free mail platforms such as Gmail from Google or Microsoft Live Mail, but also provides the option to integrate with your work email if your business uses Microsoft Exchange or other popular mail servers that utilize ActiveSync.

A Note on Security

While you can likely connect your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to your corporate email server using Microsoft ActiveSync, this is by no means the most secure solution. To securely and manageably connect a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to your mail server, the best route to take is through the BlackBerry® Device Service component of BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion. This provides end-to-end encryption, device management capabilities, remote wipe, and much more.

How to Connect with ActiveSync

Note: You may be required to setup a device password and “work” partition. But don’t sweat it; with BlackBerry Balance technology included, you’re well set-up for personal and work use of the tablet.

1. Tap > Accounts > Add New Account > Email, Calendar, and Contacts
a. Enter your enterprise email address and password. [Your enterprise password is typically the password you use to log in to your work computer]
2. Tap Continue.
3. Type a description for the email address and change any synchronization settings.
4. Tap Save.

The Account Setup process, detailed above, may return an error stating that “Please check your username and password and try again”. The two most common causes for this are:

a) The username or password entered is incorrect.
Tap Show Password to ensure the password was entered properly.
b) The Autodiscover Service for your company’s Microsoft Exchange Server is not available.
Use the Advanced Setup process to manually enter in configuration details for your account.

What is the Autodiscover Service? The Autodiscover service simplifies the provisioning of your mobile device by returning the required system settings after you enter your e-mail address and password.

Configuring your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to access your enterprise email through Advanced Setup:

1. Tap > Accounts > Add New Account > Email, Calendar, and Contacts
2. Tap Advanced Setup.
3. Tap Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.
a. Enter the appropriate information into all of the fields marked with an asterisk. You may have to consult your IT Help Desk for this information.
4. Adjust the remaining sections as appropriate.
5. Tap Continue.
6. Type a description for the email address and change any synchronization settings.
7. Tap Save.

If you run into any issues, feel free to check out the Support & Documentation section of the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion website. If you have an IT department, they may need to review the Exchange ActiveSync configuration or guide you through importing a certificate to your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

Do you have corporate mail set up on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet? How has it improved your ability to take care of work on the go? Share in the comments.

• Is RIM getting rid of BlackBerry Enterprise Server?
• What does the inclusion of Microsoft® ActiveSync® protocols mean for security?
• Can iOS and Android devices (both tablets and smartphones) be managed with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion? Will the management be secure?
• How will BlackBerry® 10 devices be managed?

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion: BlackBerry Enterprise Server and More

BlackBerry Enterprise Server has a rich history and is recognized as the most secure enterprise mobility device management solution available. Since its inception, the solution has grown in functionality, scalability, and a wide variety of other feature sets, and is now on version 5.0.3.

In the meantime, things in the market have gotten a bit messy and more than a bit challenging for IT administrators, IT specialists, and CIOs. Organizations are under pressure to support a wide variety of devices from multiple manufacturers, as well as multiple form factors, with tablets gaining steam as business tools. As a longstanding pillar of MDM in the enterprise, we’ve worked to provide a clean, simple, and secure solution to help you manage whatever gets thrown your way. This is BlackBerry Mobile Fusion. It’s a huge leap forward for device management, and it’s built on the valued security model introduced with BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The evolution of BlackBerry Enterprise Server is BlackBerry Mobile Fusion.

Microsoft ActiveSync: What’s the Deal?

With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet adds support for Microsoft ActiveSync technology. ActiveSync is a common email/PIM synchronization and transport protocol, which is used by Microsoft® Exchange and other on-premise and cloud mail/messaging providers. Microsoft ActiveSync on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is designed to allow consumers to connect to popular mail platforms such as Gmail® or Windows Live™. Individuals and small businesses can also use its transport functions for integration with Microsoft® Exchange, IBM® Lotus® Notes Traveler, and other Microsoft ActiveSync enabled systems.

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion leverages Microsoft ActiveSync as an email and PIM sync protocol while providing enterprises with many of the same advantages that a BlackBerry Enterprise Server does for a BlackBerry smartphone. Namely, a straightforward yet highly secure connectivity model: proven BlackBerry end-to-end 256-bit encryption, and a behind-the-firewall path for applications, the browser, email, and PIM.

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion and Corporate Data Security

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is designed to establish and maintain a BlackBerry Secure Connection from the business network to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, leveraging the unique RIM infrastructure that IT departments around the world know and trust. Additionally, BlackBerry® Balance™ technology on BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 and enabled BlackBerry® smartphones is designed to create a secure corporate perimeter so that all corporate applications and data remain secure on a device and separate from personal data.

With BlackBerry Balance and secure enterprise connectivity, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion provides leading platform-level security for BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and future BlackBerry 10 devices (smartphones and tablets), enabling administrators to manage, secure, and audit corporate data and applications, while preserving a seamless and personal user experience.

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is also designed to enable companies to push applications directly to end users, or make them available for users to optionally download. The apps will conveniently appear in a tab labeled “Work” in BlackBerry App World™. End users get the rich app experience they expect, while enterprise data is kept separate and secure.

Managing iOS and Android Devices

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion extends the BlackBerry mobile device management to iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion supports the latest MDM capabilities available in iOS and Android, and is designed to enable administrators to apply corporate policies and configurations to manage and secure these devices. Additionally, customers will be able to leverage the application management capabilities of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion to manage the distribution of mobile applications to employees on these platforms.

Customers can of course leverage their existing investments, relationships, and support agreements with RIM to consistently and securely manage the personal and company owned mobile devices used by employees.

BlackBerry 10: How Mobile Fusion Prepares You for the Future

The benefits that BlackBerry Mobile Fusion provides customers today for managing the deployment and use of BlackBerry PlayBook tablets will also apply when BlackBerry 10 devices arrive later this year. This means that customers can deploy BlackBerry Mobile Fusion now knowing that managing future BlackBerry 10 devices will be seamless.

Conclusion: One MDM Solution to Manage Them All

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is a unified, multi-platform, mobile device management solution. It will provide one place to manage BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and future BlackBerry 10 devices (tablets and smartphones), as well as iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

Building on a foundation of over 10 years of experience in mobile device management (MDM), BlackBerry Mobile Fusion makes RIM the best partner for MDM solutions. This means that enterprise customers only have to contact one trusted global vendor for support.

-Alan Panezic, VP Enterprise Product Management, Research In Motion