RIM Announces BlackBerry Mobile Fusion
by Volker Weber
WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 29, 2011) - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today introduced BlackBerry(R) Mobile Fusion - the Company's next-generation enterprise mobility solution and RIM's entry into the multi-platform Mobile Device Management (MDM) marketplace. Building on years of leading enterprise mobility management solutions from RIM, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will simplify the management of smartphones and tablets running BlackBerry(R), Google(R) Android(R) and Apple(R) iOS(R) operating systems.
I have not seen it but I have to assume that Fusion integrates BES and the Ubitexx solution on the glass. Two servers, one management interface. It's a pre-announcement:
BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is currently in early beta testing with select enterprise customers. RIM is now accepting customer nominations for the closed beta program which will start in January, and general availability is expected in late March.
Comments
So this is device management only, not providing connectivity for example for iPhones via RIM's network, correct?
Hi Volker,
do you know anything in detail about the closed beta program and where i can sign in for nomination?
mmmh... no Windows(R)Phone(R) support?
Oliver, correct.
Christian, no specific information. I assume it works via the beta zone.
Roland, correct.
Hi Volker,
I attended the sessions related to Fusion and Mobile Device Management at the Blackberry Innovation Forum - and I guess you did as well ;-)
Did you detect any bullshit ?
I think I did :
For running Blackerrys you need a BES or BES Express
If you need to manage a Playbook you need The Playbook Administration Server
If you want to use the Playbook with Domino you need at least one Domino Server with Traveler installed ( because the PB Administration Server only talks Active Sync ).
If you want to manage iOS and Android you need to run the Blackberry MDM Server ( the ubitexx stuff )
And finally on top of that you need the Fusion Server to tie it all together......
This is 5 servers minimum ! Insane in my eyes. Yes, Blackberry tells us that they will unify all this soon but we all know what soon means with RIM.
In addition I see BBX phones will also only work via Active Sync. So you will need to run the legacy servers for the old Blackberry OS - devices as long until you replaced them with BBX devices.
Good Nite
Oliver
RIM's history in getting out a new management platform was not very glourious so far. How long did it take from annoucement to an usable BES5?
They may be too late for their flavor of an os indpendent MDM. Others are already where RIM want to be. For example Sybase Afaria is used by SAP. Vodafone and Matrix are betting on AirWatch.
At least adressing the needs of enterprises fits better to RIM than offering "moms packages".
