Populate Blackberry Messenger contacts via BES

[habsgoalie]

I searched the forums and googled with no definitive result-

We just rolled out Blackberry's to all our executives, and set up a BES server. I want to encourage use of BB Messenger in our BES organization... is there any way to push a contact list containing all of the PIN's/addresses of the BlackBerry's in our company, into the BBM app? I know users can add each other, but it's a bit of a hassle and may discourage adoption. My company is very new to the world of BlackBerry's....

[necr0tic]

the PIN for each BES-enabled user is published and viewable when an address lookup is resolved. personally, i would not encourage BBM usage. PIN-to-PIN comm. does not route through exchange or your mail server and is therefore not monitored. this may bite you in the a$$ if compliance becomes an issue.

[Rh1noo]

I agree with the earlier reply, I would not promot the use of BB messenger due to it being tied to the PIN and having to setup users again and again if the device is replaced or wiped.

Why not install and use the Live messenger application??

They can then populate the list of contacts on the computer and just logon to their account on the device.

It is then independent from the device and you only have to worry about installing the app.

The other way would be to install Office Communication 2007 server on your network and connect the BES to that. Then you can enable your users in AD. You can push the office communicator application from the BES to the device.

[habsgoalie]

I know they can find PIN's by doing a lookup... they can also add contacts to BBM simply by using the company email address associated with an individual's device. I am trying to set up a company contact list that is on the messenger client when we issue the phone. I don't want the users to have to add each other themselves.

As far as monitoring/compliance... the suggestion to use BBM is as an alternative to SMS, which we don't monitor anyhow...(for non-blackberry's especially) and if for some reason we did decide to monitor/log it... I have seen audit logging options for BBM in the IT policy screen... wouldn't these enable me to log messages if I enabled them?

[jskolm85]

Is there anyone out there with information on this one? We would like to do the same thing. All my Sales guys are using SMS to message eachother. I want them to start using the BBM instead but I would like to just add all our users to the list for them automatically. (yes the BES server can monitor all this information, we are not though and I don't care) The option for the Office Communication server is not ideal. That required funds that we just don't have right now. Any ideas for me to automate the population of the BBM for my users? (BES 4.1.6 w/Exchange 2003)

[Sith_Apprentice]

Originally Posted by necr0tic

the PIN for each BES-enabled user is published and viewable when an address lookup is resolved. personally, i would not encourage BBM usage. PIN-to-PIN comm. does not route through exchange or your mail server and is therefore not monitored. this may bite you in the a$$ if compliance becomes an issue.

You can monitor PIN to PIN and BBM Messages via a setting on the BES. You can have logs emailed automatically to a specific email address, thus allowing for your mail team to audit.

I do not believe there is a way to prepopulate this information. However you can manually use Desktop Manager to restore a database you created.

Create the contact list on a clean device.
Go to options > advanced options > service books and delete the Desktop (SYNC)
Use Advanced Backup to backup ONLY the BBM database.
Go to options > advanced options > service books and restore the Desktop (SYNC)

Connect the Device that you want the list on
Go to options > advanced options > service books and delete the Desktop (SYNC)
Use Advanced Restore to restore ONLY the BBM database.
Go to options > advanced options > service books and restore the Desktop (SYNC)

There is your pre-populated message list

[jskolm85]

Very nice work around. A little more that I want to do, but gets the job done. I will have to give this a shot.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Actually only takes a few moments per device. You can also give instructions to users on how to do it. (and hope they dont mess up). If you have Web Desktop Manager available you can use that so the users themselves can restore it.

[jskolm85]

Originally Posted by Sith_Apprentice

Actually only takes a few moments per device. You can also give instructions to users on how to do it. (and hope they dont mess up). If you have Web Desktop Manager available you can use that so the users themselves can restore it.

I had webdesktop manager setup... but then I migrated the Database into our SQL2008 box and now webdesktop manager will not install because it does not support SQL 2008. Have any ideas on getting that setup again?