I have a client who is currently using an old Blackberry for over the air email synchronisation. Well, it kind of synchronises…email is forwarded from the customers Small Business Server 2003 Exchange account to a Telstra email address which is received on the Blackberry. So if he deletes things on the blackberry, or sends emails, it’s not really reflected in his Outlook mailbox. So ‘synchronise’ is used loosely here.
Well done to those more astute readers who said “hang on, they have Windows Small Business Server 2003, why not use the built in Exchange Active Sync push technology with a Windows Mobile device?” That’s great advice – but the number of clients I come across that have SBS2003 and don’t even know about that functionality is amazing!

So you are now being told: If you have Windows Small Business Server 2003 you have a great platform to provide yourself and your staff with over-the -air wireless push email technology – and you DON’T need a Blackberry! Get yourself a mobile device with Windows Mobile on it (such as Imate Jasjam, HP Ipaq and Samsung Blackjack to name a few), hook it up to a 3G network with Telstra or 3 Mobile etc etc and, with the addition of some basic settings on your mobile device (and assuming your SBS2003 box and your firewall are configured correctly) you will have a full over the air push email solution. And not only your will your email be synchronised – how do you like the sound of your calendar and contacts synchronising? So your office assistant puts an appointment in your Outlook calendar and within minutes it’s updated to your mobile device. Very nice. If you send an email from your device, you’ll find it in the sent items folder in Outlook on your PC. Very nice. Add a contact to your mobile device when you’re at a conference, and it’s already entered in to your Outlook contacts when you get back to the office. Perfect.

If you have Windows Small Business Server 2003 and are not using this functionality, you are under utilising your investment in technology.

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