Introduction to the BlackBerry Mobile Data System

"BlackBerry Mobile Data System" is an upgrade from the previous Mobile Data Service. It is an optimization program framework for BES to develop, deploy, and manage wireless applications. It includes development tools, Management services, BlackBerry device software, and other essential components to create wireless applications and deploy programs to run on users' mobile phones.

MDS allows mobile users to use enterprise-level internal programs of the company and centrally manage and control the programs. The MDS Service is an application Service of the BES server. It enables the BES server to provide data connections between the backend enterprise application server and the BlackBerry Application. The MDS Runtime provides an environment for BlackBerry mobile devices to run the MDS application. MDS Studio is a tool for developing MDS applications for BlackBerry mobile devices.

MDS supports communication with backend servers and databases using HTML, WML, XML, HTTP, SOAP, and other Markup languages or protocols. Depending on the protocol used and the running environment, the client's MDS program can be divided into three types: MDS Browser Application; MDS Studio Application with web Services; MDS Java Application. The UI of the MDS Browser Application is a Web page created using HTML/WML and accessed using a Browser, the BlackBerry browser can access standard Web applications such as HTML, WML, CGI, ASP, and JSP, so it can also be used by devices other than BlackBerry; the MDS Studio Application with Web Services is used to access Web Services. The MDS Runtime is required to support its running. You can Drag and Drop Drag-and-Drop to assemble the user interface without Java programming; while the MDS Java Application is a traditional Java ME program in the C/S client/server architecture. only support the JVM virtual machine of the BlackBerry mobile phone. The advantage of Browser is that development is simple and quick. The latter two can provide more complex user interfaces and control, use more complex data structures, and store local data Cache) if you cannot use a mobile network, you must have knowledge and experience in Web Services or Java ME.

MDS Services are also divided into Connection Service, Application Integration Service, Provisioning Service, Data Optimization Service, and Administrative & Management Service to implement different functions. Connection Service provides an HTTP/TCP Connection to the Application server after the BlackBerry mobile phone is connected to the firewall; Application Integration Service provides support for Web Services or other standard mechanisms for BlackBerry program Integration with enterprise programs; provisioning Service controls BlackBerry devices that download and install programs through mobile networks; Data Optimization Service optimizes and converts server content to facilitate browsing by BlackBerry mobile devices and reduce Data transmission volume; administrative & Management Service manages user permissions and its IT policies.

Data transmission between BES and BlackBerry devices uses AES or 3DES for encrypted communication. If you use Web Services to access the certificate authorization center CA ), then, the MDS Studio program and Web Services can be encrypted with RSA or DSA keys. BES also supports other Security standards: TLSTransfer Layer Security, Transport Layer Security Protocol), SSLSecure Sockets Layer, Secure Sockets Layer Protocol), S/MIMESecure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension, multi-purpose Internet Mail Extension protocol), IT Security PolicyIT Security policy), Code Signing Code signature) and Certifacte certificate ).