BES vs BIS
BES vs BIS
BlackBerry BES vs BIS is an important security topic that you need to understand. Security is a big word that needs to be understood in layers, and BES vs BIS is very different. We can’t define work users vs home users anymore, because privacy should be everyones concern.
BlackBerry BIS
BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) is an email and synchronization service provided by RIM for BlackBerry users. It’s still alive and working, it hasn’t died off yet.
The BIS lets you retrieve email from multiple POP/IMAP and Outlook Web App (OWA) on your BlackBerry, as well as synchronize your contacts, calendar, and deleted items from some email providers. However, BIS is more than just email; Outlook and Yahoo! Mail users can sync contacts, and Gmail users can synchronize deleted items, contacts, and calendar.
If you cannot afford a hosted BES account, or if your company does not host a BES, the BlackBerry Internet Service is a very capable substitute. It does not provide the same level of security that you will find on a BES, but you can still receive email and synchronize your contacts and calendar.
BlackBerry BES
The BlackBerry Enterprise Services (BES) is a full email sync service for any BlackBerry device that syncs emails, calendars, contacts, notes, tasks. It partitions a personal and work space on the device which adds security as BlackBerry is known for. All BlackBerry internet browsing is done privately with encryption.
Main Differences
One main difference between the BES and BIS is that with the BIS, your internet traffic is not encrypted. All of your emails, web page visits, etc., are sent through an encrypted channel (the BIS), it’s possible for government intelligence agencies to see the data.
The BES internet traffic is routed through a BES server, which is also routed through the BES network infrastructure. It can be seen as a double layer of encryption.
With the old ways of BES 5, no special data plan is needed now. Everything is done over the ActiveSync protocol, securely of course.