RIM unveils BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0

As expected, RIM finally took the wraps off the BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0, the middleware server that is used by enterprises to manage BlackBerry Smartphones and synchronize emails and other collaboration data between Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino or Novell Groupwise.

One key enhancement for BES 5.0 is the built-in support for high-availability, which allows a failing BES server to switch gracefully to a standby server. Administrators who want to perform some administrative tasks on a BES server no longer need to stay in the office until the wee hours of the morning. They can simply activate a manual failover and proceed with their work.

BES 5.0 now supports over-the-air updating of BlackBerry smartphones. This is an incredibly powerful feature that is absent from most competing mobile platforms on the market - with the exception of Google's Android. What it means, essentially, is that the operating system of a BlackBerry smartphone can be patched to the latest version without users having to schedule an appointment and then physically bring their BlackBerry to their BES administrator for upgrading.

In addition, BlackBerry users will now be able to access Windows network file shares directly from their Smartphones. And yes, the BlackBerry Administrative interface is now completely web-based.

For more information about the story:
- check out the article at vnunet.com

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