| The BlackBerry ecosystem has been in existence | | | | That's the enterprise side of the BlackBerry |
| for over ten years, so it's no wonder that there | | | | ecosystem. |
| is a lot of confusing terminology associated with it. | | | | The BlackBerry Internet Service |
| The difference between "BES" and "BIS" is | | | | BIS is short for BlackBerry Internet Service. |
| particularly confusing, so let's see if we can clarify | | | | Unlike the BES technology, BIS is a consumer |
| what each is and where they fit into the overall | | | | technology. Consumers don't use a central mail |
| BlackBerry infrastructure. | | | | server, they have mail accounts at various places |
| The BlackBerry Enterprise Server | | | | like Yahoo!, Google, or their internet service |
| BES is short for BlackBerry Enterprise Server. As | | | | provider (ISP). BIS lets them send and receive |
| you might guess from its name, BES technology | | | | personal email. It also lets them browse the |
| is focused on enterprise customers (medium to | | | | internet from their device. In other words: |
| large companies). These companies use systems | | | | - BIS = personal email + internet access |
| like Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange, or Novell | | | | After purchasing a BlackBerry handheld, the |
| Groupwise to provide employees with email and | | | | consumer creates a BIS account and registers his |
| other related capabilities. | | | | or her personal email addresses with the service. |
| The BlackBerry Enterprise Server acts as a | | | | BIS then |
| conduit between those systems and the | | | | That's the consumer side of BlackBerry |
| employees' BlackBerry handhelds. It also provides | | | | ecosystem. |
| companies with centralized control of those | | | | BES and BIS Coexistence |
| handhelds. And it acts as a proxy server so that | | | | BES and BIS can coexist on the same BlackBerry |
| BlackBerry users can browse the internet or the | | | | handheld. BIS is provided by the wireless carrier. |
| corporate intranet. In other words: | | | | BES is provided by the employer, who purchases |
| - BES = corporate email + intranet/internet | | | | and installs the BES software on the corporate |
| access + device management | | | | intranet. This means it's possible to send and |
| To use the BES (and get access to corporate | | | | receive corporate email and personal email from |
| email), a BlackBerry handheld must be "paired" | | | | the same handheld, assuming the IT policies on |
| with a BES server managed by the company. | | | | the BES (which allow the employer to control |
| The pairing process creates an encrypted | | | | what a paired device can or cannot do and |
| two-way data link between the handheld and the | | | | overrides the user's preferences) don't specifically |
| server. The BES monitors the mailboxes on the | | | | restrict BIS access. |
| corporate email server and uses that data link to | | | | It really is possible to get the best of both worlds |
| provide instant notification to the handheld of new | | | | -- personal and corporate -- with your BlackBerry |
| email, meeting invitations, calendar changes, etc. | | | | handheld. |