How to Get Your BlackBerry Environment Ready for Daylight Saving Time 2007
IT Administrators around the globe will be busy in the next couple weeks, ensuring their systems are prepared for a seamless transition to the new Daylight Saving Time (DST) start date in the United States and Canada at 2:00 a.m., March 11th.
Andrew Bocking, Senior Product Manager for Handheld Software at Research In Motion (RIM), reinforces how time is of the essence in managing this change. "Patches and/or updates must be applied to all Windows® Operating Systems and IBM® Lotus® Domino®, Novell® GroupWise® and Microsoft® Exchange environments before March 11th, 2007," says Bocking.
He also explains why those using BlackBerry® Enterprise Server versions prior to v4.0, should upgrade. “We are highly recommending an upgrade to BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.0.6/4.1.1 or higher,” says Bocking. “These versions offer increased stability for wireless patch application, making it much easier for IT Administrators to wirelessly push out patches to smartphones.”
RIM provides options for smartphone patch deployment for both IT Administrators and individual users. “Administrators can remotely apply the patch using BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.0 or higher Software Configurations,” Bocking says. “Alternatively, users can download the patch themselves by visiting a RIM-hosted website.” (www.blackberry.com/dst2007)
An administrator reference document has been posted, Deploying DST 2007 Update, with details on the steps required to update your BlackBerry environment and smartphones.
Following is a summary of those steps, including links to the patch download and information page, platform-specific resolution pages and links to further resources available at www.blackberry.com/select/dst2007.
Steps Required
- All Windows Operating Systems, clients and servers should have a patch applied before March 11, 2007, to ensure the new 2007 DST information is understood correctly.
- Depending on the version of BlackBerry Enterprise Server you are running, an upgrade or patch may be required. For completing steps 1 and 2 above, please select from the links below to visit a BlackBerry web page with information specific to your operating environment and your version of BlackBerry Enterprise Server:
- A software patch may or may not be required for BlackBerry smartphones, depending on the version of BlackBerry Device Software. For example, v. 4.1.0.375, v.4.1.0.377, and v.4.1.0.378 do not require a patch be installed as the DST information is already included.
The Patch Manager provided by RIM will automatically determine the version of BlackBerry Device Software, then retrieve and install the correct patch (if required).
This process can be conducted either by the user (via USB or wirelessly at blackberry.com/select/dst2007), or if you are running BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.0 or higher, the IT administrator can apply the patch wirelessly to the smartphones in their environment. The patch download page provides instructions for both the IT Administrator and User. Please read this information carefully.
Important Configuration Notes for IT Administrator:
- To “push” the Patch Manager:
- Note: BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.0.6/4.1.1 or higher highly recommended for maximum stability of this application push.
- Download “Patch Manager” from www.blackberry.com/dst2007 website
- Include “Patch Manager” in appropriate Software Configuration(s) and mark as “Required” (including white listing the application if required).
- To allow Patch Manager to download the right patch file from the RIM-hosted website:
- Patch Manager should be provisioned to “Allow External Connections” using Application Control Policies.
- Requires BlackBerry® Mobile Data Service to be enabled for the user (or Internet Browser or WAP Browser).
- If using the Mobile Data Service the required Domain/URL (i.e. www.blackberry.com) must be accessible from your Mobile Data Service (including MDS Access Control and Corporate Internet Proxy). Refer to this Knowledge Base article for more information.
For more details on pushing the patch update, please refer to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Admin Application Push Reference Document: Deploying DST 2007 Update and the information provided with the patch download at blackberry.com/DST2007/patch/index2.shtml.
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BlackBerry Desktop Software may require updating once the Windows Operating System has been updated. More information.
- Verify the status of smartphones and application of patches:
End Users can verify using new Menu option:
Administrator can run .exe tool:
- RIM has provided a tool (DST2007/Query.exe) to automatically determine which
smartphones/users have the patch applied correctly (requires BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.0.0 or higher).
Remember, patches must be applied to all Windows Operating Systems and Lotus Domino and Exchange environments before March 11th, 2007. The updates for Windows modify the registry so that the new 2007 DST information is understood correctly by the Operating System.
Also note, existing calendar events, such as recurring events that have a start date within the Spring or Fall window* from previous years, must also be corrected. Microsoft and IBM Lotus Domino tools are available for ‘correcting’ existing end-user Calendar events.
Bocking emphasizes, “Everyone will need to be careful to verify meeting times during the DST windows periods (referenced below), but RIM is doing everything possible to make sure our customers have all of the appropriate patches and as much supporting material as possible.”
Documents to review before you begin:
BlackBerry DST Troubleshooting Document: Updating Your BlackBerry Environment to Support DST 2007.
BlackBerry Enterprise Server Admin Application Push Reference Document: Deploying DST 2007 Update.
The following webcasts go through the steps required to implement this update for each operating environment:
Daylight Saving Time change in the United States and Canada for Microsoft Exchange
Daylight Saving Time change in the United States and Canada for IBM Lotus Domino
Daylight Saving Time change in the United States and Canada for Novell GroupWise
* Spring and Fall Windows
Appointments and their reminders might appear 1 hour late on your BlackBerry smartphone if the appointments start in one of the following windows in any year:
- Spring Window: Between the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in April (for example, 11 March 2007 to 1 April 2007)
- Fall Window: Between the last Sunday in October and the first Sunday in November (for example, 28 October 2007 to 4 November 2007)
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Check with service provider for availability, roaming arrangements and service plans. Certain features outlined in this document require a minimum version of BlackBerry Enterprise Server Software, BlackBerry Desktop Software, BlackBerry device software and/or BlackBerry devices and may require additional development or third party products and/or services for access to corporate applications. Prior to subscribing to or implementing any third party products and services, it is your responsibility to ensure that the airtime service provider you are working with has agreed to support all of the features of the third party products and services. Installation and use of third party products and services with Research In Motion's ("RIM”) products and services may require one or more patent, trademark or copyright licenses in order to avoid infringement of the intellectual property rights of others. You are solely responsible for determining whether such third party licenses are required and are responsible for acquiring any such licenses. To the extent that such intellectual property licenses may be required, RIM expressly recommends that you do not install or use these products and services until all such applicable licenses have been acquired by you or on your behalf. Your use of third party software shall be governed by and subject to you agreeing to the terms of separate software licenses, if any, for those products or services. Any third party products or services that are provided with RIM products and services are provided "as is." RIM makes no representation, warranty or guarantee whatsoever in relation to the third party products or services and RIM assumes no liability whatsoever in relation to the third party products and services, even if RIM has been advised of the possibility of such damages or can anticipate such damages.
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