[JASJAR, XDA Exec, MDA Pro Software Upgrading] joebongo:
I found this, I wonder if our resident guru's can do something with this info:

http://www.pocketpchow2.com/

Solving the Phone Synchronization Problem End-to-End

One of the anticipated features with Windows Mobile 5 is the "Blackberry-like" push email capability. This capability does NOT exist with the current Windows Mobile 5 devices, and it requires two components. First is Exchange 2003 Service Pack 2, which has shipped in the last couple of months, and second is the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) that needs to be installed on the devices, and will only be available via device manufacturers. MSFP is scheduled to be available early 2006. Note that it will require an installation on the device. (MSFP targets enterprise requirements such as the messaging feature described here, and over-the-air erase of devices.)

Those that prefer Blackberry or Good Technologies will note that this new capability is not truly push. Windows Mobile 5 devices will initiate the request for updates by sending an HTTP request to the Exchange server. (This is how Outlook Web Access and RPC over HTTP work today.) During the time that that the Exchange server is processing the request, the server will notify the device that new items have arrived and then the device will initiate a synchronization of the folders in which the items are contained.

In the end I believe this argument is all about semantics. What matters is whether or not one receives updates on the device in a timely manner. Regardless of the process, if I compare a Blackberry to Windows Mobile 5 and both devices receive email in about the same amount of time, end-users will be happy.

The Microsoft solution requires fewer components for the overall service. Blackberry requires additional servers, Blackberry Enterprise Servers (BES), on the comporate network. BES monitors mailbox folders of Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange servers, and when new items arrive it grabs a copy, and sends them to the Blackberry Network Operations Center (NOC). The NOC provides the bridge between the Blackberry devices and the corporate email server. The NOC does the important task of keeping track of devices so that whenever new mail arrives, it is sent. The devices, in turn, are keeping in constant contact with the NOC so that the NOC knows that the devices is available to receive mail. This is why if you have a Blackberry you will see it constantly polling.

Another dependency in the Blackberry solution is the interface between the mobile provider networks and the Blackberry NOC. In essences what happens is that the device communicates on the providers network, the provider network routes to the NOC, the NOC sends email that it receives from BES. If you have Blackberry service provisioned by T-Mobile you can't then just move the device over to Cingular (soon to be AT&T) and expect Blackberry to work. Rather Cingular has to set up your device to work via it's connection with the Blackberry NOC. (In contrast, take an unlocked GSM/GPRS device replace the T-Mobile SIM with a Cingular SIM and the e-mail service will work, completely within the control of an end user.)

The NOC is at the heart of the threat to people losing their Blackberry service due to the patent infringement case. If required by the courts, RIM will have to shut off the NOC, which will effectively shut off the Blackberry service.

Microsoft's solution does not have a NOC nor does it have separate servers like BES. All you need is Exchange 2003 SP2 and devices provisioned with MSFP. Clearly these are fewer components for systems administrators to maintain and that will make it an appealing solution to corporations. The service will be entirely within a company's control, and companies won't be at risk of having the service disabled if the NOC is offline either intentionally or due to an outage.