Abstract: This article explains how mail is routed between an IBM® Lotus® Domino® server and a BlackBerry handheld device using BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Also included are a detailed description and diagrams of the architecture behind the routing process.
Contents 1 Introduction
2 Overview of Lotus Domino and BlackBerry
3 Why use BES with a Domino server?
4 Architecture and routing between Lotus Domino and BlackBerry
4.1 Five types of local databases that are maintained on the Domino server
4.2 Routing from a Domino server to a BlackBerry handheld device
4.3 Mail routing from the BlackBerry handheld to the Domino server
5 Conclusion
6 Acknowledgment
7 Resources
8 About the author
1 Introduction
This article is based on the general theme of effectively integrating IBM Lotus Domino and BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). Our main focus is to give you a good idea of how mail routing works between BES and Lotus Domino servers and vice versa.
We explain the architecture and concepts behind routing, and review some basics of BES and Domino servers for those who are new to these products.
This article is targeted at those who use BlackBerry handheld devices to check their mail and/or calendar and other utilities through a Domino server.
2 Overview of Lotus Domino and BlackBerry
Per the IBM Education Assistant for Lotus Domino:
IBM Lotus Domino is an integrated messaging and Web application software platform that provides a scalable and secure infrastructure with the flexibility and openness needed for development and deployment of Web applications.
Domino servers work with Lotus Notes (and non-Notes) clients to form an integrated client/server environment (see figure 1). The Lotus Notes and Domino environment provides services that allow an organization to perform tasks to store, communicate, and exchange information through emails, applications, etc.
Figure 1. Notes/Domino environment
Per the RIM and BlackBerry Web sites:
BlackBerry offers leading wireless solutions, providing access to a wide range of applications on a variety of BlackBerry smart phones, as well as BlackBerry-enabled devices around the world.
BlackBerry wireless solutions combine wireless devices with software and services to keep mobile professionals connected to the people, data, and resources that drive their day.
BlackBerry smart phones provide a variety of wireless applications and services, such as
· Wireless email
· Phone
· Internet
The BlackBerry platform also provides standards-based platform and developer tools, which allow the development and deployment of custom wireless applications.
The BlackBerry platform can be leveraged by developers, including Independent Software Vendors, third-party System Integrators, and in-house corporate developers, who can make use of existing tools such as:
· rich Java™ development tools
· seamless integration with existing .NET and Java Platforms
· Enterprise Edition (Java EE)
· application servers
Figur e 2. Typical BlackBerry setup
Hopefully this section has given you enough basic information to understand Lotus Domino and BlackBerry, so that you can get the most out of the following sections.
3 Why use BES with a Domino server?
Per the RIM and BlackBerry Web sites:
BlackBerry Enterprise Server is robust software that acts as the centralized link between wireless devices, enterprise applications and wireless networks. Designed to meet the needs of enterprise and government organizations, it provides a proven, secure, open architecture for globally extending wireless communications and corporate data to mobile users.
By mobilizing Lotus Domino, your organization can boost business performance by increasing productivity and enabling workers to make timely decisions based on the most accurate information available.
BES is the clear choice for the Lotus Domino enterprise. It provides push-based wireless access to the following:
· Lotus Domino email
· Lotus Domino calendar, contacts and scheduling
· Lotus Domino databases
· IBM Lotus Same time instant messaging
· Web based, Java ME and Lotus Domino Web Services applications
· Other enterprise applications and systems such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and more
4 Architecture and routing between Lotus Domino and BlackBerry
Before going into the architectural and routing part, we need to understand some of the basic terminology and the databases that are used in this section. We also highlight some of the points that are useful for understanding the architecture.
The sole purpose here is how we can send mail from a Domino server to a wireless BlackBerry device (handheld device) using a BlackBerry server, and vice versa.
Lets define some of the relevant concepts and terminology:
· BES uses the Domino NRPC (Notes remote procedure call) and Domino API to poll the user’s mail database.
· The Domino Directory only requires the addition of a group for BES.
· The BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Lotus Domino is installed on an existing Lotus Domino server.
· Five types of local databases are maintained on the Lotus Domino server (covered in detail below).
· Mobile Data Services (MDS): Allows your handheld device to access both enterprise applications and intranet web sites behind the firewall as well as websites outside the firewall. No additional firewall configuration is necessary.
· Server Routing Protocol (SRP): Facilitates the connectivity between BES and BlackBerry Infrastructure.
· SRP connectivity is established as a outbound initiated TCP connection over port 3101 to Research in Motion's Network Operations Center. All information sent to or from a BlackBerry device via a BES is processed via this intermediate connection. The BES never connects directly to a BlackBerry device.
Figure 3 shows a typical view of a BlackBerry handheld device sending a message using a wireless network.
Figure 3. BlackBerry handheld device sending a message
4.1 Types of local databases that are maintained on the Domino server
Whe n you install a BlackBerry server on an existing Domino server and when you add user accounts, multiple databases get created that are useful with respect to routing. These databases are as follows:
BlackBerry User Profiles (BlackBerryProfiles.nsf): Stored locally on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Lotus Domino, primarily duplicating the information stored in the BES domain's BESMgmt SQL configuration datbase, with each entry containing the following (one for each user):
1. Link to the user’s individual BlackBerry State Database
2. PIN Number (PIN of the user’s device)
3. Personal Filter Settings
4. AutoSignature
5. In Cradle Status and Default behavior
6. Status of user, either Enabled or Disabled
7. Network Type; GPRS, CDMA, etc.
8. Delivery statistics for each user
- When you send PIN to PIN message , it transfer directly to handle it would not use domino routing .
BlackBerry state databases: A state database is maintained for each user on the BES and keeps track of:
1. All mail folders in the user's mail database
2. Which email messages have been transferred to the device
3. Maintains a table of which messages have and have not been read, both in the user's mail database and on the device
4. Which calendar entries have been transferred to the device
4.2 Routing from a Domino server to a BlackBerry handheld device
Let’s start with the scenario in which mail routes from a user’s Mail.box of a Domino server to their BlackBerry handheld device.
As we can see figure 4, User 2 has sent a mail message to User 1, who is using a BlackBerry handheld to check email. The message is first deposited to the Mail.box of the Domino server and then delivered to User 1.
By default, BlackBerry Enterprise Server polls each user's mail database for new messages every 20 seconds and, whenever a new message is found, BES refers to its Notes ID and populates the BlackBerry State database.
Figure 4. Mail routing from Lotus Domino to Blackberry handheld device
The message is then run through the individual filters to check if the message will be sent to the user’s BlackBerry handheld. Once it has been determined that the message should be delivered, the message is compressed and then encrypted by use of 3DES Encryption. It is then sent through the SRP via port 3101 to the BlackBerry cloud and, from there, the message arrives on the BlackBerry handheld, where it is decrypted, decompressed, and displayed for the user (see figure 5).
Figure 5. Message displayed on the BlackBerry handheld
4.3 Mail routing from the BlackBerry handheld to the Domino server
As shown in figure 6, when you send a mail message from a BlackBerry handheld device, the message is first compressed and then encrypted by use of the user’s 3DES encryption key. The message is then sent via the wireless network to Research in Motion's Network Operations Center. The BES, which maintains a constant outbound connection to this center, then pulls/retrieves the message.
Figure 6. Sending message from BlackBerry handheld
After reaching the BlackBerry Enterprise Server the message is decrypted by use of the user’s individual 3DES encryption key. For those messages that are forwarded or replied-to-with-text, the BlackBerry State Database performs a lookup, to correlate the incoming message to the original in the user’s mail file (see figure 7).
Figure 7. Message arrives at BES
After the lookup is complete, a copy of the message is placed in the Sent folder of the BlackBerry user’s mail database and in the Mail.box of BlackBerry Enterprise Server, from where the mail is then delivered to the user’s mail file with the help of the Lotus Domino router (see figure 8).
Figure 8. Mail delivered
5 Conclusion
You should now have a good understanding of the process that enables you to access your email, calendar, contacts, etc. on a Domino server using a BlackBerry handheld device. Obviously this ability can be quite useful for busy people who want to use their handheld device to check email anytime, anywhere.
6 Acknowledgment
The author extends his thanks Kailash C Joshi, a former Software Engineer for IBM Lotus Domino Support, for his contributions to this article.
7 Resources
Learn
· You can search more about IBM Lotus Domino here.
· You can search for topics related to BlackBerry here.
· More on Lotus , RIM and BlackBerry
· In the Architecture area on developer Works, get the resources you need to advance your skills in the architecture arena.
· Browse the technology bookstore for books on these and other technical topics.
Get products and technologies
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Discuss
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· Check out developerWorks blogs and get involved in the developerWorks community.
8 About the author
kailash chander & Shrikant Veeturi is a Systems Software Engineer working on the Alloy software by IBM and SAP project, with approximately three years of experience in the IT industry.
Trademarks
· DB2, Domino, IBM, Lotus, Tivoli, Rational, and WebSphere are trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.
· Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.