Cloud Computing Takes Center Stage In RIM BlackBerry 2011 Enterprise Roadmap

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) is turning its eyes to the cloud in 2011, and plans to launch a revamped BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) architecture that enables management from the cloud.

"We're putting tremendous effort into building out a BES cloud story solution, and we'll have product out by the end of 2011," said Peter Devenyi, vice president of the communication platform group for Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM, speaking Thursday at a BlackBerry press and analyst event in Boston.

Central to RIM's BlackBerry cloud strategy are architectural changes in BES that enable one BlackBerry Enterprise Server to support multiple corporations. That multi-tenant approach means that each company leveraging that specific BES will have its own segment, Devenyi said, adding that RIM is also adding significant scaling improvements to enable BES in the cloud.

The cloud-based BES will also feature deployment options that can support both cloud and on-premise e-mail and applications, and an open messaging interface lets new BES variants be created by third-party partners.

As part of its cloud strategy, the smartphone maker is also planning to launch Cloud-based Mobile Device Management for BlackBerry, an opt-in service for SMBs and small groups that will let users and admins manage BlackBerry smartphones via the cloud through a Web-based console.

Devenyi said that the cloud-based device management is targeted at a small number of users that leverage ISP or hosted email solutions and enables central management of e-mail for all employees and users. Functions available through the cloud include password reset, device details, e-mail deletion and management of BlackBerry Protect features like device lock, wipe, send messaging, backup and restore.

Devenyi added that RIM will also launch Enterprise Cloud Extensions in 2011 where BES runs in BlackBerry data centers and can appear like an on-premise solution in enterprise deployments.

Because RIM's cloud solutions are not expected until late 2011, Devenyi said it's still too early to divulge the go to market strategy, but he said the way the architecture is designed, BlackBerry and RIM can offer it as a hosted cloud or third-party hosing or cloud partners can offer BES to their clients.

"Architecturally, we can now set up these partnerships," he said, adding that he predicts both RIM and partners will offer BES cloud services.

Along with showcasing RIM's plans for BlackBerry in the cloud, the company also gave an early preview at a good portion of its enterprise product roadmap for 2011. Alec Taylor, RIM's vice president of software, services and enterprise said one of RIM's main goals for 2011 was to get back to the fundamentals of enterprise mobility. For RIM, that means focusing on secure, manageable, scalable, efficient, reliable, intuitive, global and extensible offerings, Taylor said.

Next: RIM BlackBerry Product Roadmap 2011: 'It's All Around Mobile

"We're on the verge of this next great wave of computing changing and it's all around mobile," he said, later adding, "The fundamentals still matter. In fact, the fundamentals matter now more than ever before."

For RIM to stay on top of the fundamentals the company has to move beyond the smartphone, Taylor said, and recognize the distinct difference between the enterprise and the consumer, a line RIM and BlackBerry worked diligently to blur just a few years ago.

Taylor said RIM has proven its leadership in business and has become the No. 1 smartphone in the U.S. and the No. 2 smartphone in the world in 2010. Additionally, BlackBerry is in 175 countries, has 565 carriers and distribution partners, has more than 300,000 application developers, has more than 250,000 active BlackBerry Enterprise Servers, and boasts 2 million downloads per day on its BlackBerry App World store.

To continue that momentum, Taylor said, RIM has to not only tackle the cloud, but also continue on-premise with a product set that ties together smartphones, tablets, applications, software and services and enterprise services.

And RIM's 2011 roadmap targets each of these segments.

In early 2011, RIM plans to launch BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0.3 , which adds new features like encrypted attachment support; certification with Microsoft OCS 2007 R2 and Lync 2010; support for assigning Wi-Fi and VPN to groups of users; sortable columns with export capabilities in BlackBerry Administration Service; and full support for employee-owned smartphones through the new BlackBerry Balance feature.

Devenyi said BlackBerry Balance lets enterprises support employee-owned BlackBerry smartphones. BlackBerry Balance lets admins delete only work data and applications from a device when a user leaves the company; lets admins perform a complete wipe if necessary; and can remove corporate IT policies from a BlackBerry. On the security side, BlackBerry Balance prevents users from compromising corporate data. It prevents users from cutting, copying and pasting work data into personal applications and e-mails; sends a warning when sending an e-mail or calendar invites outside of the company; prevents users from forwarding corporate e-mail, calendar and PIM data through BlackBerry Internet Service; prevents device backups; controls and encrypts work data stored on the media card; and prevents access to work data by third-party apps and add-ons.

Next: RIM Bulks Up BlackBerry MVS

RIM also plans to launch BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (MVS) version 5.0.2 in early 2011, which will add support for a wider range of PBXs, including Avaya and Nortel, through the use of a SIP gateway. Then, later in the year, RIM will launch BlackBerry MVS version 5.1, which will add automatic handoffs from Wi-Fi to mobile cellular networks, a function that required manual intervention in previous versions. It will also offer a new BlackBerry Mobile Voice System client on the device that enables moving calls from the desk to the smartphone. Another MVS update enables third-party ISVs to build MVS applications and extensions, Devenyi said.

Also early in 2011, RIM will launch the first product to stem from its acquisition of Alt-N, the MDaemon Messaging Server, BlackBerry Edition, an on-premise SMB e-mail system that adds BlackBerry support.

RIM also detailed BlackBerry Pushcast Software, a rebranding of the Chalk Pushcast Software, which RIM brought aboard in its acquisition of Chalk Media Corp. BlackBerry Pushcast Software lets users push communications and media to BlackBerry devices and track its consumption. For example, presentations can be blasted out to all deployed BlackBerry devices. New features in BlackBerry Pushcast Software 5.7, which will launch this year, include BlackBerry 6 OS support, support for the BlackBerry PlayBook and API support so other applications can create a Pushcast.

And in early 2011 RIM plans to release BlackBerry Client for Microsoft SharePoint, which future integrates document management and SharePoint capabilities with BlackBerry functionality.

Lastly, Devenyi said RIM will launch BlackBerry Enterprise Application Middleware (BEAM) in 2011. BEAM is a new server that sits between the BES and enterprise application servers like SQL, Oracle and more and pushes alert and notifications to client side applications; makes device information available on server side applications; and can move large files from server to BlackBerry to server.

Overall, Devenyi said, RIM's BlackBerry product roadmap for 2011 is a sign that RIM wants its customers to have a choice while BlackBerry sits in the middle as a mobility pure play.

"This isn't about the device on its own," he said. "It's about the device communications with the infrastructure, with BES, with the applications."