The following tasks, for IT Administrators, describe how to specify the necessary parameters for the wireless deployment of third-party applications to BlackBerry devices. We were lead to it from RIM's BlackBerry Connection newsletter.

Task 1 - Create and Share the Research In Motion Folder

Complete the following steps:

Note: Perform these steps on a computer or shared drive that the BlackBerry Enterprise Server can access.

1. Install the latest available version of BlackBerry Device Software, then verify that the <drive>:Program FilesCommon FilesResearch In Motion directory exists.
2. Right-click the Research In Motion folder and select Properties.
3. Click the Sharing tab.
4. Select the Share this folder radial button. 
5. Click Permissions.
6. Clear all the selections except Allow for Read, then close the Permissions window. 

Task 2 - Index the Third-Party Application

Complete the following steps:

1. Create an Applications folder in <drive>:Program FilesCommon FilesResearch in MotionShared.
2. In the Applications folder, create a folder for the third-party application you want to deploy to BlackBerry device users.
3. Copy the third-party application files (such as ALX and COD files) into the folder you created in step 2.
4. Open a command prompt and browse to <drive>:Program FilesCommon FilesResearch in MotionApploader.
5. Run the command loader /index
6. Navigate to the Applications folder created in step 2 and confirm that the pkgdbcache.xml and specification.pkg files exist.

Task 3 - Create a Software Configuration

Complete the following steps:

1. Open BlackBerry Manager.
2. Select BlackBerry Domain on the left.
3. Click the Software Configuration tab.
4. Click New Configuration.
5. Type a name for the software configuration.
6. Click the Change button next to Device Software Location.
7. Type  \<Server_name>Research in Motion. The BlackBerry Device Software and the Applications folder should appear in the list below.

Task 4 - Create a Software Policy

In the Applications folder, select the software configuration you created in Task 3, then click the Policy button.

OR

Complete the following steps:

1. On the Software Configuration tab, select New Policy.
2. Type a name for the policy.
3. Select Required next to Disposition for wireless push.
4. Apply the policy to the software configuration.
5. On the software configuration, expand Application Software.
6. Select the software policy from the drop-down menu next to the third-party application.

Task 5 - Deploy the Application

Complete the following steps:

1. Open BlackBerry Manager.
2. Select BlackBerry Domain on the left.
3. Click the All Users or Groups tab.
4. Select a User or Group from the list that appears.
5. From Task on the bottom right, expand Device Management.
6. Select Assign Software Configuration.
7. Select the software configuration from the list.

Note: The application will be wirelessly pushed to BlackBerry devices within four hours.