Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry ... - Light Reading

Microsoft .NET Framework
and BlackBerry Applications
An Overview to Creating BlackBerry Applications
in a Microsoft .NET Environment
Technology Brief

Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry Applications
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 1
Introduction to the BlackBerry Platform 1
Developing BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment 2
Using Microsoft Visual Studio 2
Using Microsoft .NET Web Development Tools and ASP.NET Mobile Controls 3
BlackBerry Enterprise Solution Applications Architecture 4
Overview 4
Benefits 5
Additional Information and Resources 6
© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved.

Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry Applications
An Overview to Creating BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment.
Executive Summary
This guide provides a technical overview of how organizations can leverage Microsoft® development tools and the Microsoft .NET
Framework to create applications for the BlackBerry® platform. Organizations will learn how they can quickly and easily use their
existing competencies and investment in the .NET Framework to create BlackBerry applications that interact wirelessly with .NET
enterprise applications.
There are five sections to this document:
1) Introduction to the BlackBerry Platform
2) Developing BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment
a. Using Microsoft Visual Studio®
b. Using Microsoft .NET Web Development Tools and ASP.NET Mobile Controls
c. Using BlackBerry® MDS Studio to connect to Microsoft .NET Web Services
3) BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution Applications Architecture
Introduction to the BlackBerry Platform
The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is the leading wireless platform for connecting mobile workers to communications and
information while they are on the go. It offers wireless email, instant messaging, web browsing and personal information
management. It also provides a flexible architecture that supports wireless access to Microsoft .NET-connected enterprise
applications, such as customer relationship management, sales force automation, field service automation and more.
The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution provides everything organizations need to go wireless. It includes server software with advanced
security features and a complete application mobilization framework that supports Microsoft .NET—the BlackBerry® Mobile Data
System (BlackBerry® MDS).
BlackBerry MDS simplifies and speeds wireless application development and deployment by providing developers with a choice of
tools that meet their requirements, skills and experience. It also includes the administrative services for managing applications and
the BlackBerry device software for optimum device performance with your BlackBerry applications.
© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved.
1.

Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry Applications
An Overview to Creating BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment.
Developing BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment
Organizations can quickly and easily create applications for BlackBerry devices using familiar Microsoft .NET development tools
and methods. Developers can use their existing knowledge and skills when mobilizing applications on the BlackBerry platform,
eliminating the need for retraining, speeding application development and leveraging existing investments.
Using Microsoft Visual Studio
Solutions are available from Research In Motion and BlackBerry Alliance Program members which enable rich-client development
for BlackBerry devices using Microsoft Visual Studio:
Figure 1: Microsoft SharePoint on a desktop computer
Figure 2: Microsoft SharePoint mobilized on a BlackBerry device
using Flowfinity Blackbird
© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved.
BlackBerry® Plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio
The BlackBerry Plug-in for Visual Studio allows developers to create
BlackBerry applications that connect wirelessly with back-end
enterprise systems via .NET Web Services from within the Visual Studio
development environment. The plug-in offers a familiar development
experience that allows developers to visually design, implement and
debug applications as they will appear on BlackBerry devices. It
also allows developers to customize rich-client applications using
JavaScript and simplifies the development of custom user-interfaces,
offline operation and wireless connectivity to enterprise systems.
The BlackBerry Plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio is compatible
with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server and BlackBerry MDS, enabling
applications developed in Visual Studio to take advantage of BlackBerry
push technology and advanced security features, as well as enabling
centralized management and deployment capabilities.
Flowfinity Blackbird for Visual Studio 2005
Flowfinity Blackbird is an add-on to Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 that
empowers ASP.NET developers to deliver “Wireless-Ready” rich-client
applications for BlackBerry devices. Using the features of Visual Studio
2005, Blackbird shortens the BlackBerry application development
learning curve for Microsoft .NET developers.
Other Third-Party Solutions
There is a robust catalogue of third party solutions for the Blackberry
platform. There are several middleware solutions which eliminate the
need for Java coding by using forms-based application development or
which use an out-of the box solution for common systems such as SAP®,
Peoplesoft and Oracle®.
See the complete listing of BlackBerry solution providers at
www.blackberry.com/ThirdParty.
2.

Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry Applications
An Overview to Creating BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment. 3.
Using Microsoft .NET Web Development Tools and ASP.NET Mobile Controls
Developers can create web-based applications for BlackBerry devices using standard Microsoft .NET web development tools and ASP.
Net Mobile Controls. These thin-client applications can be accessed using the BlackBerry Browser that comes with BlackBerry devices.
Microsoft .NET web development tools
It is very easy to extend new or existing ASP content—static or dynamic—to BlackBerry devices. ASP.Net pages are automatically
translated to HTML or WML which are viewable on the BlackBerry Browser. Developers can choose to optimize ASP content for
smaller screen sizes and for efficient transfer over wireless networks. HTTP request headers can be used to detect what type of
browser is making the request and tell the web server whether to display the regular or optimized version of the ASP page.
Developers can also take advantage of the unique push delivery capabilities of the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, by creating
a simple application that proactively sends HTML information to devices. Since the BlackBerry platform communicates using
standard protocols, this simple push application can be written in any language that supports HTTP protocols, including the custom
HttpHandler in Microsoft .NET C#.
Content specific to BlackBerry devices characteristics and capabilities can be produced from a single instance of the .NET Mobile
Form using the HTTP-USER-AGENT. This allows developers to easily create write-once mobile web pages in Microsoft Visual
Studio .NET using a single .NET Mobile Form. Customized content for each BlackBerry device model and browser type requires no
additional effort.
Microsoft ASP.NET Mobile Controls
The Microsoft .NET Mobile Control Framework can be configured to automatically generate appropriate content for the BlackBerry
Browser. By modifying the machine.config file to include a BlackBerry Browser definition, content will translated to suit specific
BlackBerry devices.
Microsoft ASP 2.0 Adapter Architecture
Similar to the way that content can be customized based on the characteristics of a device for Mobile Controls, Microsoft ASP 2.0
Adapter architecture also supports the adaptive creation of content based on the browser capability using browser definition files.
See the developer resources section at the end of this white paper for links to more information about Microsoft ASP 2.0 Adapter
architecture and browser definition files.
© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved.

Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry Applications
An Overview to Creating BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment.
BlackBerry Enterprise Solution Applications Architecture
Overview
The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is a flexible wireless platform that enables organizations to provide mobile users with secure
wireless access to business critical applications.
4.
© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved.
2.
1.
BlackBerry Enterprise Solution
Key elements of the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution architecture are:
1. BlackBerry Mobile Data System provides essential components that enable .NET-connect applications to be deployed
to mobile users, including developer tools, administrative services and BlackBerry device software. It uses the same
proven BlackBerry push delivery model and advanced security features used for BlackBerry email.
2. BlackBerry Enterprise Server is robust software that acts as the centralized link between BlackBerry devices,
enterprise applications and wireless networks. When accessing .NET-connected applications on the BlackBerry platform,
data flows centrally through the server. It also provides advanced security features and offers administrative tools that
simplify management and centralize control.
3. BlackBerry devices are integrated wireless voice and data devices that are optimized to work with the BlackBerry
Enterprise Solution.
4. Web, database and applications servers interact with the BlackBerry platform using a variety of flexible, standardsbased
protocols and languages, including SOAP, HTTP, XML and HTML. Microsoft .NET-connected programs that
communicate with back-end systems can be written in any language, including Microsoft C# and Visual Basic.
3.
4.

Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry Applications
An Overview to Creating BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment.
Benefits
Flexible Development Options
Organizations can choose the development options that best suit their wireless needs and existing skill sets. Microsoft .NETconnected
BlackBerry applications use standard protocols such as XML, SOAP, HTTP, and TCP to communicate with virtually any
type of data that sits behind the corporate firewall, so organizations can quickly and cost-effectively extend existing systems to
their mobile workforces. Developers need only be concerned with the application logic since all connections to wireless network
and wireless protocols are managed by BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
Secure
The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution was created with corporate data security in mind. It features an end-to-end security model
that is designed to seamlessly protect corporate information from attack as users access data wirelessly*. BlackBerry solutions
have received more security accreditations globally than any other wireless solution.
• End-to-end AES or Triple DES encryption helps ensure the confidentiality and integrity of wirelessly transmitted
information.
• FIPS 140-2 validated encryption technology that meets strict U.S. government and military encryption standards.
• More than 100 over the air wireless IT policies and commands for defining and wirelessly enforcing security settings
and more.
• Optional (S/MIME) Support Package for BlackBerry smartphones** and PGP® Support Package for BlackBerry
smartphones for providing writer to reader security functionality.
• Available BlackBerry® Smart Card Reader for creating two factor authenticated environments for accessing
BlackBerry devices, desktop computers and PKI applications.
Easy to Deploy, Easy to Manage
The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is an IT-friendly solution that provides IT administrators and managers with centralized control
over the entire wireless environment. Administrators can implement corporate policies for both applications and content that can
be accessed from BlackBerry devices.
• Role and group-based administration capabilities reduce security and operational risks and administrative overhead
by delegating permissions by role and creating administrative user groups.
• Over the air wireless application deployments provide a fast, cost effective method for supporting users and
managing application lifecycles remotely,
• Track key device statistics, monitor third-party applications loaded, IT policies applied, device models, PIN numbers,
software versions and serial numbers.
• Remote BlackBerry Enterprise Solution and network management using wireless devices and available third-party
applications that integrate with SNMP-enabled systems.
“For the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, security is not an aftermarket product or an afterthought
– security is baked into the fabric of the solutions”
Dr. John D. Halamka MD
Chief Information Officer, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved.
5.

Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry Applications
An Overview to Creating BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment.
Additional Information and Resources for Developers
Developers can sign up for RIM developer support programs and download the BlackBerry development tools for free.
For details, visit: www.blackberry.com/developers
To learn more about third party solutions for the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, visit: www.blackberry.com/go/ThirdParty
For more information about the BlackBerry Mobile Data System, go to: www.blackberry.com/go/mds
BlackBerry technical documentation is available for download at: www.blackberry.com/go/docs
For more information on developer .NET applications, visit www.blackberry.com/go/dotnet
These are just a few of the technical documents available for download:
Resource Description
BlackBerry Enterprise Solution Security
Technical Overview
BlackBerry Wireless Handheld Browser
Content Developer Guide
© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved.
BlackBerry Security
Creating wireless web content
BlackBerry MDS Studio Getting Started Guide Making web services available on BlackBerry devices
BlackBerry Application Developer Guide Creating custom Java BlackBerry device applications that integrate with enterprise applications
BlackBerry Enterprise Server Feature and
Technical Overview
BlackBerry Enterprise Server features
Microsoft ASP 2.0 Adapter Architecture Provides an architectural overview of adaptive control behavior
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/67276kc5.aspx
Browser Definition Files Describes the browser definition file schema
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms228122.aspx
6.

Microsoft .NET Framework and BlackBerry Applications
An Overview to Creating BlackBerry Applications in a Microsoft .NET Environment.
*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, and/or BlackBerry Device Software. May require additional application development. Prior to subscribing to or implementing any third party products
or 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 RIM’s 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’s products and services are provided “as is”. RIM makes no representation, warranty or guarantee whatsoever in relation to the third
party products and 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. **Available for BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange and BlackBerry Enterprise Server for IBM Lotus Domino only.
© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. Research In Motion, RIM logo, BlackBerry, BlackBerry and dataflow design are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
and may be pending or registered in other countries. These marks, images and symbols are owned by Research In Motion Limited.
All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.
The handheld and/or associated software are protected by copyright, international treaties and various patents, including one or more of the following U.S. patents: 6,278,442; 6,271,605;
6,219,694; 6,075,470; 6,073,318; D,445,428; D,433,460; D,416,256. Other patents are registered or pending in various countries around the world. Please visit www.rim.net/patents.shtml for
a current listing of applicable patents.
This document is provided “as is” and Research In Motion Limited (RIM) assumes no responsibility for any typographical, technical or other inaccuracies in this document. RIM reserves the
right to periodically change information that is contained in this document; however, RIM makes no commitment to provide any such changes, updates, enhancements or other additions
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© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved.

© 2007 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. Research In Motion, RIM logo, BlackBerry, and BlackBerry and dataflow
design, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. These marks,
images and symbols are owned by Research In Motion Limited. All other brands, product names, company names, and trademarks
are the properties of their respective owners. The specifications and features contained in this document are subject to change
without notice. MKT-15421-001.