We are pleased to announce that BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion 6 Service Pack 2 is now available with updates for Universal Device Service. With Universal Device Service 6.2, enterprises are provided with additional features to securely manage iOS® and Android™ devices in use by their workforce. In addition to quality and performance enhancements, this update helps administrators protect access to Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync®; it adds improvements to ease the deployment in the enterprise and provides management improvements in the administrative console.

New Features in Universal Device Service 6.2

• Gatekeeping for Exchange ActiveSync: provides enterprises with the ability to limit access to Exchange ActiveSync to managed and compliant devices
• Support for Proxy Servers for Outgoing Connections from Universal Device Service: this improvement helps enterprises deploy the Universal Device Service in their existing IT infrastructure
• SCEP Proxy for Certificate Provisioning to Managed Devices: enterprises that want to improve security and user experience using certificate based authentication can now provision certificates to devices from an enterprise CA without the need to expose SCEP to the Internet
• Support for Android devices with Motorola EDM: the Universal Device Service configures the native PIM client on devices that support Motorola Enterprise Device Management
• More Flexible Assignment of Automated Compliance Actions: administrators now have more flexibility in assigning measures to be taken by the system for jailbreaking and app incompliance by users and user groups

Gatekeeping for Exchange ActiveSync

Corporate email is one of the most sensitive repositories of information. As a result, one of the prime concerns enterprise IT administrators have is access to Exchange ActiveSync by devices, which may be out of compliance with the security policies of the organization. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion 6 Service Pack 2 helps IT administrators solve this challenge. Through the integration with Microsoft Exchange servers, Universal Device Service can limit access to Exchange ActiveSync to only those devices that are managed by the Universal Device Service. In the Universal Device Service console, administrators are provided with detailed information about devices that have been granted access or have been blocked from accessing Exchange ActiveSync.

In addition, the Universal Device Service also checks the compliance of managed devices and can use this information to block incompliant devices. In this way, administrators can ensure that access to Exchange ActiveSync will be blocked when devices are jailbroken, and whether users have installed mandatory applications or updates, or if they have installed unapproved applications. Gatekeeping for Exchange ActiveSync is compatible with Microsoft Exchange Server 2010.

Cross-Platform Device Management

The Universal Device Service is an element of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, which provides cross-platform management for BlackBerry devices, as well as devices running the iOS and Android operating systems. Using the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion Studio, administrators are able to manage all devices through a single console.

Get the Update Today

Head over to the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion website to get the update.

What features are you most looking forward to in Universal Device Service 6.2 update? Share in the comments below.

A free service pack update is now available for BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion. The service pack includes enhancements to further help you manage mobile devices in your organization. Updates include BlackBerry® Device Service 6.1, Universal Device Service 6.1, and BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion Studio 6.2.

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is designed to allow you to manage and secure BlackBerry®, iOS, and Android™ smartphones and tablets. The management tool is a unified web-based console called BlackBerry Mobile Fusion Studio. A few of the features include application management, setting user and group policies, and support for BlackBerry® Balance™ technology for BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry Balance technology helps add a layer of security and is designed to allow a user to use a BlackBerry device for both work and personal purposes by helping to keep business information secure and separate from personal information.

New Features Contained in the Service Pack 1 Update

Universal Device Service

• Improved iOS 5 support, including new features for Wi-Fi®, VPN, Microsoft® ActiveSync®, and managed app distribution
• iOS enterprise app distribution via web client
• Simplified error messages and notifications for updates
• Enhancements to iOS device enrollment
• iOS 6 compatibility
• Touchdown email configuration for Android devices (requires update to the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion client from Google Play – available today)

BlackBerry Device Service

• Over The Air (OTA) enrollment directly from a BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet. Once enrolled, enterprise configurations such as email, Wi-Fi, VPN profiles, and enterprise applications can be wirelessly pushed to the device
• Full device encryption option as a new IT policy (including personal and work areas)
• Developer mode can be disabled on enterprise-connected BlackBerry PlayBook tablets
• Support for Microsoft ActiveSync certificate-based authentication

Note: Updates for BlackBerry Device Service that involve functionality for managing BlackBerry PlayBook tablets will become functional after the upcoming release of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1

Regional availability of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion has also been expanded to include additional countries in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. To find out if it’s available in your country, check the list of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion availability.

Stay up to date and get ready for BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10! Download Service Pack 1 today.

Does your organization embrace a BYOD policy? What are some of the challenges that come along with it? Share in the comments below.

What is BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10?

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 represents a consolidation of our enterprise mobility management (EMM) product portfolio, which includes our mobile device management (MDM), security, infrastructure, and app management products. It will prepare your organization for the future of mobile diversity, as well as integrate with your existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) deployment. From a single unified web-based console, BES 10 will manage the following devices:

• BlackBerry 7 OS and prior smartphones
• BlackBerry 10 devices
• BlackBerry PlayBook tablets
• iOS and Android™ smartphones and tablets

BES 10 will be the ultimate management solution for all BlackBerry platform devices, as well as iOS and Android devices. BES 10 will launch with the first BlackBerry 10 devices in Q1 of calendar year 2013.

RIM remains committed to our enterprise customers by providing advanced, innovative, and flexible options for a straight-forward migration to BlackBerry 10 smartphones, as well as cross-platform management of your mobile device deployment.

What will the components and requirements be for BES 10?

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 will be a complete solution that includes several components to manage multiple smartphones and tablets. Management occurs through a single, unified web-based administration console that will provide one place to manage all of the devices listed above.

In addition to the unified management console, the components of BES 10 will initially include current products already in market:

• BlackBerry® Device Service (BDS) – supporting BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and BlackBerry 10 smartphones when they launch in Q1 2013 through the use of Microsoft ActiveSync for email and PIM synchronization
• Universal Device Service (UDS) – providing Enterprise Mobility Management functions for iOS and Android devices
• Integration with existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) 5.0.3 and above

During 2013 we will consolidate the multiple names that we have in our portfolio today into one single product name. The terms “BlackBerry Mobile Fusion”, “BlackBerry Device Service” and “Universal Device Service” will be phased out in favor of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.

What about servers? Will multiple physical deployments be required?

With the initial launch of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, BES 5+ will require its own server, while BlackBerry Device Service and Universal Device Service can reside on separate servers or be combined on the same physical or virtual server. Should you opt to work with virtual servers, we fully support this type of deployment. Today, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion operates in a similar fashion, with BES 5+ requiring one server, and both BDS and UDS able to be deployed on a single server or on separate servers.

The future of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10

The roadmap for BES 10 includes an upgrade currently scheduled for BlackBerry World in May 2013. This upgrade will consolidate BDS and UDS into a single component, and will allow for BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and existing BlackBerry Enterprise Servers (BES 5.0.3+) to run on the same physical server; both seamlessly managed using a single fully featured management console. Additionally, with BES 10 there will no longer be a requirement to have the server connected to the same Local Area Network as the mail server. These developments will centralize mobility management into a single point and provide flexibility, convenience, and added functionality.

We are excited to share more about BES 10 through this autumn. Stay tuned for further details on pricing, the path forward from a current BES 5 deployment, and details on IT policies and management configurations. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 will launch with the first BlackBerry 10 devices in early 2013.

Frequently Asked Questions about BES 10

Is this a net new service or a name change?

BES 10 represents both an evolution and consolidation of RIM’s enterprise mobility management (EMM) offer to make things simple, flexible, and scalable for your organization. New functionality for managing BlackBerry 10 devices will be included, and existing functionality (currently in BlackBerry Mobile Fusion) will be incorporated into a single product offering.

The “BES 10″ name builds on our heritage as the leading provider of enterprise mobility management solutions. We are working to consolidate our product offerings, including our operating systems, smartphones, tablets, software, cloud services, and enterprise mobility management (EMM) solutions.

If the platform is changing to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, should I install BlackBerry Mobile Fusion today?

Yes. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will allow you to manage BlackBerry PlayBook tablets as well as iOS and Android devices today; it will also prepare you for a simple and straightforward upgrade to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 once it’s available in early 2013, when it launches together with the first of our new BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

I have an existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Why should I add BES 10 to my infrastructure?

BES 10 is designed to integrate with your existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server deployment, allowing you to seamlessly manage not only your existing BlackBerry smartphones, but also upcoming BlackBerry 10 devices and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, as well as iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. It will work with what you have, and set you up for success in the future.

How does RIM plan to support BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) moving forward?

We will continue to provide support for the many existing BES deployments, as well as provide updates and patches to make sure that you’re running the most secure mobile device management solution available. We’re committed to protecting your investment, while anticipating the challenges that your business will face moving forward when it comes to enterprise mobility. Updates for current BES deployments are planned throughout this Fall: The 5.0.4 update for BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express running Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino is scheduled for September 2012, with support for servers running Novell GroupWise planned to become available later in the Fall of 2012.

A new series of technical webinars are kicking off this week, beginning with a platform overview of BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion led by Ajay Malhan, Technical Solutions Manager for Research In Motion (RIM). The webinars will continue over the following weeks and provide an in-depth look at how to install Universal Device Service for managing iOS® and Android™ devices, as well as how to install BlackBerry Device Service for managing BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets and upcoming BlackBerry® 10 smartphones. See the schedule below:

• August 15th – BlackBerry Mobile Fusion Platform Overview
• August 22nd – Installing Universal Device Service and Mobile Fusion Studio
• September 5th – Installing BlackBerry Device Service and Mobile Fusion Studio

Head over to the BlackBerry Resource Center to register, and be sure to block off your calendar. There will be live Q&A sessions after each webinar, so be sure to stick around and discuss with the presenter.

Throughout the month of June we’ll be hosting a series of webinars designed to help organizations get familiar with BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion as a Mobile Device Management solution. The webinars will be hosted by individuals specializing in specific areas in order to provide expertise and technical insights.

Check out the topics and schedule below and be sure to mark it in your calendar:

June 7:
Installing Universal Device Service – 2:00PM ET (Password: Fusion)
June 12:
Universal Device Service Overview – Thomas Dingfelder from Ubitexx – 2:00PM ET (Password: Fusion)
June 14:
Universal Device Service Overview – Thomas Dingfelder from Ubitexx – 2:00PM ET (Password: Fusion)
June 19:
Administrating BlackBerry Mobile Fusion with demos – 2:00PM ET (Password: Fusion)
June 21:
Installing Universal Device Service – 2:00 PM (Password: Fusion)
June 26:
Universal Device Service Overview (French Language) Alain Marcil – 2:00PM ET (Password: Fusion)
June 28:
Administrating BlackBerry Mobile Fusion with demos – 2:00PM ET (Password: Fusion)

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is a Mobile Device Management solution that allows your organization to manage BlackBerry® smartphones and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets, as well as Android™ and iOS® platforms. To learn more, visit the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion website, which includes an overview, specifications, features, and much more.

What are you looking forward to learning from the webinars? Share in the comments below.

Today Research In Motion® (RIM®) has launched the next-generation in enterprise mobile device management (MDM) – BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion. This tool acts as a central platform giving IT managers the ability to effectively and efficiently manage the following:

• BlackBerry® 7 (and previous) smartphones
• BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets (and BlackBerry® 10 smartphones in the future)
• As of today, tablets and smartphones running Android® and iOS®

I recently spoke with some enterprise customers during the BlackBerry® Innovation Forum in both Toronto and Atlanta about their thoughts on BlackBerry Mobile Fusion – clearly customers are excited. Beyond Mobile Fusion Studio and BlackBerry® Device Service – both of which we’ve discussed previously – many seem eager to deploy the Universal Device Service. Check out a video overview of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion below:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

RIM has now officially released the entire BlackBerry Mobile Fusion solution, including the Universal Device Service. Similar to how BlackBerry Device Service provides a set of security and management features for BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, the Universal Device Service provides Mobile Device Management for iOS and Android based devices.

Now let’s be clear: this does not turn a random phone into a BlackBerry smartphone! BlackBerry® Enterprise Server (conveniently accessible through Mobile Fusion’s unified, web-console, Mobile Fusion Studio) pushes out 500+ IT policies to BlackBerry smartphones. This is the champagne of enterprise mobility solutions, giving organizations back-end integration and end-to-end security that only BlackBerry offers; accessed through feature rich BlackBerry smartphones in a multitude of form factors that end-users desire.

As more devices come to market, however, IT managers need to accommodate individually purchased units that come into the enterprise, whether by a sales rep deciding to expense the latest handset, a doctor bringing in their personal phone for hospital work, or a field worker getting whatever’s available on special as a replacement unit. Universal Device Service offers you – if not a champagne solution – perhaps a Cava or Prosecco. And, given how individual-liable devices are typically used, this is often quite sufficient. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion finally gives you a solution, managed from a single web-console, to deal with the influx of personal-liable devices in the enterprise and ensures that a range of suitable security mechanisms are in place.

Once the server software is installed and the device side client is loaded (conveniently accessed by the end user through their OS-specific app store), you’re good to go. Each component (BlackBerry Device Service, Universal Device Service, and BlackBerry Enterprise Server) runs on a single server, keeping things straightforward and simple to maintain. To get you going, in addition to the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion server software always being a free download, currently several Client Access Licenses are included in a FREE 60 day trial, so you can deploy a pilot immediately before budgeting for a full enterprise roll out.

So what exactly does BlackBerry Mobile Fusion let you do in terms of managing non-BlackBerry devices? I could write a year’s worth of blog posts on each of the different functions (and probably will!). Obviously the specific capability will vary for each OS based on the APIs that are available, but here are some of the highlights of what BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is designed to do:

• Activate and configure devices and profiles over the air
• Enable access to enterprise Mail, Calendar and PIM
• Administer users and groups, natively and directory based
• Establish corporate IT Policies and Security
• Manage lost devices – Password Reset, Device Lock, Device Wipe
• Set Wi-Fi® and VPN settings
• Deploy internally-developed apps
• Define (and enforce) public applications as mandatory or optional
• Provides Notifications to the Device User
• Provides Rooting & Jailbreak Detection
• Help manage Roaming to control your data costs
• Prevent apps from accessing corporate mail accounts

So with the ability finally to control the chaos that seems to be the state of mobility in many organizations…when will you be deploying BlackBerry Mobile Fusion?

How do you manage non-BlackBerry devices today? Does your organization have a policy for personal versus corporate devices? How do you control the chaos? We’d love to hear what you’re doing now, and how you plan to leverage this new technology.