The reality of BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express

RIM has recently introduced BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express (BESX) for free. Yes, absolutely free. And I want to take this opportunity to thank iPhone for that.

Do we really need to thank iPhone?
BlackBerry devices were the absolute corporate standard for email and PIM. But with the advent of iPhone, its  cool features, deluge of applications, and the culture around it, a new trend emerged among users using mobile devices to access corporate emails. Why not use this cool and fun device to access corporate emails using Activesync. The IT department and corporations would always incline towards BlackBerry than iPhone, but the economic reality made them think otherwise.
A personal iPhone device can access corporate email on Exchange at no cost to either the user nor the corporation. On the other hand, a personal BlackBerry device with a BIS plan cannot access corporate email. The only viable option was to convert a BIS plan to a BES plan for the user and invest in BlackBerry Server licensing for the corporations. In this economic downturn, iPhone started to make huge inroads into corporations as well. What started as a consumer device is now also part of a corporate email.
RIM responded by releasing cut down version of BES Server called BESX. It has a feature to support BIS users that even full blown BES does not have. So now a user with a personal BlackBerry on a BIS plan can access corporate email. At the same time, the corporation may not have a spend a dime on licensing. This surely looks to be one of the way RIM plans to compete with Iphone and ActiveSync.

Main difference with traditional BES Server.

• It is free and like BES can support up to 2000 users on a single server.
• Unlike BES, BES Express support devices on BIS Plan.
• Enterprise Activation is available only for devices with BES Plan.
• Only 35 IT control policies as compared with 450+ on BES.
• High availability option is NOT available in BESX.
• BES Monitoring Service is NOT available.
• No support for BlackBerry Add-on products like Enterprise IM, Enterprise social networking (such as IBM Lotus Connections)  and BlackBerry MobileVoice System. IM's like Yahoo, AIM, Windows Live etc, and social networking like Facebook is supported on BESX. 
• Contrary to popular belief, Remote File Access and Access to Intranet is supported. BESX user would be able to enjoy the applications available on BlackBerry App World and corporate applications behind the firewall. However, MDS-IS is not supported.
• Enterprise Transporter tool used for migration is not supported.
• BESX cannot be installed as part of the BES Domains (same BES Database).
• BESX can be installed on the Exchange Server itself.

Who will use this?
The next logical question is who will use it. I think, small to medium size organizations that do not require features like HA, MVS, and advanced IT controls would benefit from it. Even large enterprises who have heavily invested in BES Servers and plan to continue with it may install BlackBerry Express Server some where in the corner to support personal BlackBerry devices on BIS Plans.

A great deal for all. Happy BlackBerry'ing :)