bruce_77
asked on
Confirmation of Blackberry message flow
Hi there
I was just hoping someone could help with a query I had about how Blackberry Enterprise Server works in a corporate environment;
Let's say we have;
We have two BES servers, BES1 and BES2. BES1 holds the account for User1 and BES2 for User2.
Likewise, we have two Exchange servers, Exch1 and Exch2. User1's account is on Exch1 and User2's on Exch2.
Our mail domain is washington.com
Am I correct in thinking that the message flow works like this;
BES1 and BES2 make a connection on port 3101 to the RIM server on the Internet. They authenticate themselves with the SRP Authentication key that is held on each BES server, and identifiy themselves with the SRP Identifier, also held on each server, and which is globally unique. This way, the RIM server has an identifier for each BES server and its corresponding mail domain that is connected to it. Both BES servers transfer information such as who has an account on which server, what the mail domain is etc etc.
We create an account for User1 on BES1. We also wirelessly activate User1's handheld. When we enter User1's mail address, User1@washington.com, the handheld talks to the RIM server. The RIM server checks its table of mail domain names and finds out that washington.com is registered to BES1 and BES2. It then finds out which server holds the account for User1 and tells BES1 that User1 has a handheld with a PIN of #### and an IP of xxxxx (the device has an IP since it is on a GPRS network).
The same process occurs for User2.
The BES servers then communicate with Exch1 and Exch2 and pull information relating to User1 and User2 (e.g mails) and sends this information, via the RIM server, to the handheld devices.
If User1 sends a mail from his Blackberry, then the handheld device connects to the RIM server to state that a mail has been sent. The RIM server sends this information to BES1, and BES1 connects to Exch1 and sends a mail - on behalf of that user - using the BESAdmin account.
Am I correct in my thinking above?
Just a couple of questions;
a) Where do Service Books fit in with this?
b) How does encryption work with mails?
c) Do the BES servers connect to all Exchange servers in an organisation, or just one?
Hope someone can help! I would prefer an answer to my questions rather than a link to the Blackberry site, since it's from the Blackberry site that I'm getting my basic information.
Cheers!
I was just hoping someone could help with a query I had about how Blackberry Enterprise Server works in a corporate environment;
Let's say we have;
We have two BES servers, BES1 and BES2. BES1 holds the account for User1 and BES2 for User2.
Likewise, we have two Exchange servers, Exch1 and Exch2. User1's account is on Exch1 and User2's on Exch2.
Our mail domain is washington.com
Am I correct in thinking that the message flow works like this;
BES1 and BES2 make a connection on port 3101 to the RIM server on the Internet. They authenticate themselves with the SRP Authentication key that is held on each BES server, and identifiy themselves with the SRP Identifier, also held on each server, and which is globally unique. This way, the RIM server has an identifier for each BES server and its corresponding mail domain that is connected to it. Both BES servers transfer information such as who has an account on which server, what the mail domain is etc etc.
We create an account for User1 on BES1. We also wirelessly activate User1's handheld. When we enter User1's mail address, User1@washington.com, the handheld talks to the RIM server. The RIM server checks its table of mail domain names and finds out that washington.com is registered to BES1 and BES2. It then finds out which server holds the account for User1 and tells BES1 that User1 has a handheld with a PIN of #### and an IP of xxxxx (the device has an IP since it is on a GPRS network).
The same process occurs for User2.
The BES servers then communicate with Exch1 and Exch2 and pull information relating to User1 and User2 (e.g mails) and sends this information, via the RIM server, to the handheld devices.
If User1 sends a mail from his Blackberry, then the handheld device connects to the RIM server to state that a mail has been sent. The RIM server sends this information to BES1, and BES1 connects to Exch1 and sends a mail - on behalf of that user - using the BESAdmin account.
Am I correct in my thinking above?
Just a couple of questions;
a) Where do Service Books fit in with this?
b) How does encryption work with mails?
c) Do the BES servers connect to all Exchange servers in an organisation, or just one?
Hope someone can help! I would prefer an answer to my questions rather than a link to the Blackberry site, since it's from the Blackberry site that I'm getting my basic information.
Cheers!
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
a) the service books are indeed send to the handhelds. probably to make the lookup easier when mail is transferred from handheld to BES.
b) here you find a good explanation when encryption is used when activating a BB:
http://www.blackberryforums.com.au/forums/general-bes-discussion/1135-what-enterprise-activation-process.html
c)the agents looks in the exchange mailbox that there are new changed items and gives this at the BES. This is taken care of by a service
I also found a good link what the service books do:
http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=KB03151&sliceId=SAL_Public&dialogID=40930867&stateId=0%200%2040932029
b) here you find a good explanation when encryption is used when activating a BB:
http://www.blackberryforums.com.au/forums/general-bes-discussion/1135-what-enterprise-activation-process.html
c)the agents looks in the exchange mailbox that there are new changed items and gives this at the BES. This is taken care of by a service
I also found a good link what the service books do:
http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=KB03151&sliceId=SAL_Public&dialogID=40930867&stateId=0%200%2040932029
ASKER
Thanks Kurt, just one final question and that will be all!
What information do the Service Books actually contain, apart from SRP keys?
What information do the Service Books actually contain, apart from SRP keys?
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Alogvin is right. That's the most simple explanation.
Kurt
Kurt
ASKER
Ok, thanks...just some quick questions;
a) The service books are sent to the handhelds, correct? Why do the handhelds need to know the SRP key, or is this so that when they connect to the RIM server, the RIM server does not need to keep doing a lookup on the mail domain name?
b) Is the encryption data held in the service book as well?
c) What is a messaging agent exactly? Is it a user account?
Thanks!