BlackBerry PIN Extraction (BPE)
BlackBerry
PIN Extraction (BPE) is an itrezzo feature which reads the
BlackBerry Enterprise Server database to extract critical contact information. The information gathered will be used by the
itrezzoAgent EPS process to allow an organization to automatically push out updates when a handheld device is added, modified or removed from the
BES server.
BlackBerry handheld is definitely an indispensable business gadget, as it allows exchanging instant information to thousands of people, sending e-mail, and communicating with business partners, customers, colleagues and other business stakeholders in the most efficient way. Gadgets that provide such great benefits are widely used and very much valued by business people. For BlackBerry users, these facilities are available in almost all BlackBerry handhelds regardless of their underlying wireless network layer.
The
PIN-to-PIN messaging does not require an email server, or a BlackBerry server. Instead, messages are relayed through the available wireless infrastructure and then directly delivered to another handheld. This design allows messages to be delivered with fewer dependencies, reduced latency, and a confirmation to the sender that the message has been delivered to the recipient's handheld.
The challenge of effective
PIN-to-PIN messaging is to ensure that coworker
PINs are kept current in each BlackBerry address book. For instance, if a contact is not part of a list, itrezzo EPS will still update the correct
PIN for the respective user. An example would be in the event that a user transfers their BlackBerry to another staff member, it can be very distressing when a
PIN message is accidentally delivered to the wrong person. The
itrezzoAgent EPS contact process will clear
PINs for users that no longer have a BlackBerry.
BES Connector Configuration
- Open the itrezzoAgent Administrator
- Right-Click the BES Configuration Folder
- Select “Add Connector” and then choose your version of BES. (Options are SQL BES 4.0 and up; Mailbox BES 3.6)
- Enter the Server Name or IP of the server where the BES database is stored
- Enter the Database Name (Default is BESmgmt)
- Choose your Security logon. This can utilize the integrated itrezzo logon (itrezzo service account) or you may use SQL Server Authentication logon.
- Use the “Test” button to confirm that the information which was provided is accurate and connects to the database.
- Click on the Push Server Tab
- A push server may already be present, if it is not then hit “Refresh List”. This should populate a push server for you. If it does not then your BES server may not be configured as a push server. If this is the case then please refer to the Mandatory Browser Channel portion of the Wiki.
- Select “OK”
Note: You can verify your Server Name, Database name and type of authentication to use by opening the Blackberry Server Configuration Panel located on the BES server.
You may view screenshots of this process
here.
itrezzoAgent Server Configuration
- Select the “Servers” folder within the itrezzoAgent Administrator
- Right-Click or Double Click on your server shown on the right hand side of the itrezzoAgent Admin
- Select the BPE tab
- Uncheck Retrieve PIN data from BES
- Select OK
Run BPE and Confirm Successful Run
- Right-Click your server found on the right side of the itrezzoAgent Admin
- Select “Run BPE Now”
- Active tasks should show activity
- When BPE completes the technical contact for itrezzo will receive a notification that BPE has completed.
- Select and expand “Asset Management – BPE” folder
- Select “Handheld Inventory”
When the user selects “Handheld Inventory” all devices which were found in the BES database will be listed here. On the bottom right hand corner of the itrezzoAgent Administrator the user will see the total number of Blackberry’s found. Please confirm that this number matches what is to be expected.Send Handheld Inventory records to Public Folder
The user can send Handheld Inventory records to Public Folder.
There is two ways for doing this:
- It is possible to send the output of an MCL to a Public Folder.
- The user can also re-home the BPE asset handheld inventory to appear in a Handhelds Public Folder.
The last one is the ideal method because the content and views are very complete.
For next steps see
Handhelds Public folder setup and
Installation of HHPF View in Outlook.
TroubleShooting
When testing the BPE connection if the
failed to connect message appears several troubleshooting steps can be used.
Failed SQL Connection
- Verify the Server Name, Database Name and Authentication type found on the BES Server under Blackberry Server Configuration
- Verify itrezzo service account permissions to the BES Database.
- If for some reason you think this may be a permissions issue to test it would be easiest to add the itrezzo service account as a local administrator to the server which is home to the BES SQL Database. This will allow for full permissions and you may then re-test your connection.
- Verify that the BES Server is TCP/IP Enabled
- On the server which contains the BES SQL Database, go to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn
- Run the SQL Server Network Utility (SVRNETCN)
- Select the dropdown menu for instances on the server to be certain you are on the correct instance.
- If TCP/IP is in the Enabled category then you are all set
- If TCP/IP is NOT Enabled then please Enable it and select OK
- Restart SQL Server if a change had been made
- Retest SQL Connector on the itrezzoAgent Administrator