Is It Time to Switch to ActiveSync?

For companies that are currently utilizing a Blackberry server many are considering switching to Active Sync with the greater demand for iPhones and Android platforms.  What exactly does this mean for your business?  Many employees have had a great interest in purchasing an alternative platform to Blackberry so let’s take look at how you can also integrate Active Sync into your environment and the advantages/disadvantages you will need to consider.

One of the biggest advantages to Active Sync is the change in infrastructure that would take place in your environment.  Less hardware is actually required to run Active Sync, instead of maintaining a stand-alone server as is required for a Blackberry server, you run Active Sync from your Exchange server.

Active Sync allows you to have a great deal of control over your users’ device, where you can implement more stringent policies for devices.  Some examples include a password requirement for the device which protects all data on the device, which also includes being able to lock the device remotely with the increased security policies.  In case an Active Sync device is lost or stolen you can remotely wipe the device in order to protect important data, which is also a feature with Blackberry Management services.

One of the favorite advantages to Active Sync coming from users is the ease to configure their own devices for email which only takes the proper settings, versus Blackberry requiring an “Enterprise Activation.”  Active Syncc uses a push/pull method in which to receive email whereas Blackberry uses a push method.  The Blackberry push method delivers messages to the device immediately after a message reaches a users’ Inbox.  With the push/pull method users can force sync their devices to get mail or can configure the device to check for mail at specified time intervals.

Overall with the integration of Active Sync into Exchange, it has opened up doors to decrease hardware costs, greater configuration of security policies and better control from the user standpoint.  With increased security requirements Active Sync has allowed for more flexibility in use from your IT department and how employees use their devices.