[mvortex1]

I currently manage 1600+ users across three BES servers at version 5.0.2 MR3. We use software configurations to push corporate apps as well as policy. Our business is extremely restrictive in regard to FINRA compliance so OS versions and the bundled applications that come along with it are heavily controlled and audited. Because of this, and until we fully test out and configure 5.0.3 I need to have every single device that comes in the door hooked up VIA device manager 6.0, ensure there's a PIN connection and then navigate out to a remote share which contains apploader and all of the folders/files that it relies. on. Remote OS deployment is a major concern for me right now.

So lately, especially in the 6.0 and 7.0/7.1 OS range we can no longer reliably manage the applications and downgrade OS versions if required. Remember, OS 7.1 for example brings in mobile hotspot and other features that our current BES version cannot control unless I import a policy pack. In order to do this, I need to go through several layers of approvals and red tape including extensive testing before I can incorporate this into production. The primary symptom, assuming that we have the exact bundled apploader version for any one of the 8 device models and vendors that supply it made available, is that we get a "you do not have the software for this device....etc etc etc". We've gotten past some of the problem by having our support teams use the following procedure:

If you encounter any issues using loader.exe, first determine that your current device version is at the same version of apploader you're using. If it is, then DELETE the "Research in Motion" directory located at C:\Documents and Settings\%userprofile%\Application Data\Research In Motion and try again - it should correct the situation. If you determine that your current device version is NOT at the same version of apploader you have available, especially if your version is newer, place a request to have us evaluate and make this available to you. Please do NOT deploy devices "out of the box" because any newer features and applications that we cannot manage has a potential of placing (company name here) at risk.
So I'm posting this to see if anyone else is having issues managing devices in this respect. If we weren't at risk by having unsecured apps on our devices it wouldn't be a big deal. RIM has a case open with us and has no idea of what to do. The analyst told me to install the software locally, obviously not something we can do for all of the devices across 15000 workstations and 80 support personnel that may be using them.

Any ideas?