The BlackBerry Architecture

BlackBerry devices are offered by Nextel, Telus, T-Mobile, and many other wireless carriers. Once a device is on a carrier's network, it's linked to RIM's Network Operating Center (NOC), which has direct connections to all RIM's carrier partners and to BlackBerry Enterprise Servers (BES) deployed all over the world. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) software is middleware that links handheld devices to corporate email services such as Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes, as depicted in Figure 1:

Figure 1: BlackBerry Architecture With Wireless Gateways

Installed behind the corporate firewall, a BES can be configured with additional services. The Mobile Data Service (MDS), for instance, gives devices access to servers in the corporate intranet that wouldn't be accessible from public networks otherwise. For your BlackBerry to take advantage of such features you must configure it to use a BES when you install the Desktop Software Manager. This manager comes with the BlackBerry, but you install it on a computer connected to the corporate intranet, then connect the BlackBerry to that computer. Encryption keys are generated for secure communication between the device and the BES. On devices that aren't linked to a BES, email integration is achieved through a web-based client. You select the appropriate option when installing the Desktop Software Manager, as in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Desktop Software Manager Integration Options