NotesBerry :: BES - Small Business Edition and BlackBerry Professional Software

Were you one of the lucky Organisations to take advantage of the BlackBerry Quick Start program? The Quick Start program, which was recently retired, allowed small businesses to install a "Small Business Edition" of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Domino (SMBE) with 10 CAL (Client Access Licenses) for free. The SMB version which is and was limited to 15 CALs is still available, though no longer for free.

Now that the Quick Start programme in no longer available what's your low-cost entry point into BES ownership?

BlackBerry Professional Software Express (BPSE) seems to be successor to the Quick Start programme. BPSE can be downloaded for free with a single user CAL. Additional users can be added up to a maximum of 30. BPSE also offers an upgrade path to a full BES and is available as a free upgrade from BES SMBE. I've asked RIM for some clarification of the licensing position for Quick Start (SMBE) customers: I'm keen to know if you can take your 10 free CALs with you if you chose to move to BPSE. Why would you consider 'upgrading'? Well, BPSE allows you to run up to 30 devices and this makes it an attractive option if you have SMBE but want to run 16 - 30 BlackBerries otherwise I guess you'll elect to stay with what you have.

What is BPSE then? I've included a link below that gives a side by side comparison but BlackBerry Professional Software (BPS) appears to be a simplified BES targeted at SMBs. RIM claims it is designed to be easier to install and manage, ideal for SMB's with limited or no dedicated IT staff. Interestingly BPS lacks the support for MDS runtime applications that the Small Business Edition has. That makes some sense but would be a nice to have option.

As an aside I took advantage of the Quick Start programme and have been very happy with BES SMBE. To be honest I hadn't tried to upgrade it since installation and I wasn't sure if it could be upgraded. The good news that it is upgradeable using the patches available via the BlackBerry site. BES 4.1.5 is due soon and you may be considering upgrading for the new features. If you are a running an Quick Start SMBE it looks like you will be able to upgrade it to the SMBE of BES 4.1.5 which is very good news.

Apologies, by the way, for the repeated acronyms

Here are some useful links:
Information about BPSE: http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/professional/
Comparing BES SMBE and BPSE: http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/server/small_business.jsp
Download BPSE: http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/server/offers/professional_express.jsp
Downloads for BES: http://na.blackberry.com/eng/support/downloads/#tab_tab_server

Comments

1 -

I wished they would have kept it because but maybe with less licenses like 5-users. I told a number of customers about it and the results is that they have all switched to blackberries. I believe that it was a good idea because now there are many more blackbeery devices being purchases and used by small buinesses whom were using Microsoft and plam devices.

Posted by Richard Moy At 13:41:35 On 16/02/2008 | - Website - |

2 - I registered a Domino Quickstart a few weeks ago had to do some digging but they still do it for domino with the 10 free cals

Posted by null At 14:18:17 On 13/03/2008 | - Website - |

3 - That's interesting. What did you actually register for and receive BES Small Business Edition or BlackBerry Professional Software Express? As I understood BES Small Biz has been replaced since late Jan/early Feb.
Jason

Posted by Jason Hook At 16:35:15 On 14/03/2008 | - Website - |