TechNews Enterprise Approach Article December 2005
Department of Agriculture employees pick BlackBerry technology to stay connected
Benefits of using the DIS Enterprise BlackBerry Service
- Avoids the cost of purchasing BlackBerry server hardware, software and providing technical support
- Integrates fully with your work Exchange e-mail inbox
- Meets Information Services Board (ISB) security standards
- Provides password protection
- Offers competitive pricing on Blackberry devices
- Integrates all your data and voice needs in a single device
- Works in real time - you can send and receive e-mail instantly
- Allows you to check your calendar and your address book
- Lets you make and receive phone calls
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), headquartered in Olympia, carries out more than 25 distinct programs that support the agricultural community and promote consumer and environmental protection. With program offices located throughout the state, WSDA needed a mobile communication solution to streamline communications and help key staff stay accessible.
In July 2005, the Department of Agriculture made the decision to use the Enterprise BlackBerry Service from DIS.
"We actually had the device before we had the service," says Sheri Duncan, Department of Agriculture's network administrator. "We liked the appeal of a shared service - it saves time and money, so we chose the DIS enterprise service instead of going out on our own and finding a service."
The new DIS Enterprise BlackBerry Service lets customers take their e-mail, electronic calendar, wireless service and contacts with them wherever they go - so long as their agency is connected to the Enterprise Active Directory, which allows wireless access to the state's Global Address List.
"We have 60 users and a big portion of them are management positions and the rest are field staff that range from veterinarians to international sales and marketing representatives," says Duncan.
Agriculture's biggest user is the Human Resource Manager John Eastin. "The BlackBerry allows you to be anywhere in the state or the U.S. and be connected - that's important," says Eastin.
Eastin's job requires that he make regular visits to agriculture staff who are based in offices throughout the state, while staying on top of the state's new Human Resource Management System, civil service reform and other personnel-related matters. With a staff of only three, the BlackBerry is a very helpful tool to keep him connected.
According to Eastin, employees whose job requires them to go out into the field have a choice. "We can go out into the field, then come back and spend a lot of time getting caught up on all of our messages and e-mails, and figuring out what's going on in the office, or we can use a BlackBerry and take care of things as they happen. That's a much more efficient use of time."
More about the DIS enterprise service
For $10 a month per user, DIS distributes the cost of the Enterprise BlackBerry Service among many agencies and shares network resources. This means as a customer you pay lower IT costs while maintaining the autonomy of your own local computing environment.
DIS monitors, manages and backs up the BlackBerry Server and the network it runs on. For this service, DIS supports the TCP/IP network protocol.
In addition to the enterprise service, DIS offers contracts with several vendors from which you can purchase devices, CALs and wireless plans at significant cost savings. Visit the DIS Tech Mall to view the master contracts.
To enable wireless activation and synchronization, you must select and purchase a BlackBerry device that is version 4.0 or higher and select a wireless carrier and plan, and purchase Client Access Licenses (CAL).
For more information about the DIS Enterprise BlackBerry service and pricing, call 360-902-3440 or e-mail CSD Customer Service.