Some of you perhaps only install public applications from BlackBerry World on your devices managed by BES 10. This can easy be done from BlackBerry Administration Service: your administrator selects the applications and then they appear in your ‘BlackBerry World – Work’. (see also this article explaining HowTo install an app from BlackBerry World)
But there’s more flexibility from BES 10: you can also install ‘internal’ applications. Internal applications are applications where you got a BAR file to install from your IT or a developer. (If you need a specific application built for your company feel free to ask me 😉
It’s easy to install internal apps – here’s a short step-by-step guide.
Add the Application
The application you want to install should be on your server.
From browser open your BlackBerry Administration Service and go to Software | Applications | Manage Applications
Now you can add the application: select your BAR file from the file dialog, add the application and publish.
If you’re publishing internal applications the very first time probably you’ll get an error like this one:
BES 10 needs a special shared network drive to manage your internal applications. It’s best practice to use this shared network drive only to manage deployment of internal apps. So let us create such a shared drive.
Add the BES 10 Administrator as user and set all permissions:
Now we have to add this shared network drive to BES. Go to Servers and Components | BlackBerry solution | BlackBerry domain | Component View | BlackBerry Administration Service
and select this shared network drive:
Save and again we’re trying to publish an internal application – this time without an error.
Now the BES knows about your app and has stored all what’s needed into the shared network drive. (Hint: don’t forget to include this drive into your backups)
Add to Software Configuration
BES 10 manages applications through Software Configurations. You can group your software into those configurations and then add to users. An easy and flexible way to manage application deployment.
If there’s no software configuration, please create a new one from Software | Create a Software Configuration and enter a name.
Then go to Software | Manage Software Configurations and click on Edit Software Configuration
As next click on Add Applications:
Select the application(s) and configure the Disposition. Required applications will be installed automatically on all software – configuration – users, otherwise it’s up to the user to install manually.
Click to Add the application(s) to the Software Configuration, then Save all:
Add to User
If your users already are connected to the software configuration, you’re ready. If not here’s how to add the software configuration to users for the first time. Go to User | Manage Users:
Now click on Add Software Configuration:
From the overview of all your software configurations add all you want to use for this user:
Save this and you’re done.
Waiting for the Update at User Devices
Of course you want to test if all works well, but nothing is there on your device, you hit refresh from your BlackBerry World – Work, but nothing appears.
Don’t worry – the BES 10 server publishes all the changes not immediately and does this step-by-step: at first sending policy updates, then apps. There are some default values you can set to speed it up.
Go to Devices | Deployment Jobs | Specify Job Schedule Settings
Now you can change the defaults:
Hint: this will work for the next deployments – not the current ones. You still have to wait 😉
App at World – Work
Finally the application appears on the devices:
If you set the app as required there’s a lock icon notifying the user that he/she cannot delete the app.
Congratulations: you installed your first internal App 🙂
business apps 