Today I updated Showtime, my BlackBerry Enterprise Server MDS Push Utility for the IBM Lotus Notes Client, to use the X-RIM-Push_NotifyURL HTTP Header to create a confirmation logger for any Showtime job submission...

Well, that's an over-simplification of what's happening.

When Showtime initiates an HTTP Request (via the POST Method) to the target BlackBerry Enterprise Server MDS Push API, it generates a simple log NotesDocument tracking who initiated the request, the Destination, etc. -- pretty simple stuff there.

What it could not do, however, was confirm that the request was accepted by the MDS Push API and -- more importantly -- that the MDS Push actually pushed the Browser, Message, Channel, or Channel-Delete job to the Destination.

When working with an enterprise-level solution, "I dunno, it should'a worked!" just don't cut it!

(Click thru for more - including LotusScript and Java versions of the MDS Push Engine HTTP Request Consumer...)

Showtime, my BlackBerry Enterprise Server Push Utility for the Lotus Notes Client, just got a whole lot more admin-friendly!

A customer using my open-source RIM BlackBerry Enterprise Server MDS API Utility asked if it was possible to create a Channel Push to an existing BES Group.

Today I learned a few things about the BES MDS Push API...

See, I believed that you needed to supply the recipient SMTP Address or the PIN of the recipient BlackBerry device. I didn't think to look into what was required for delivery to a BES-maintained User Group until the customer asked.

I'm glad they did!

(Click thru for more...)

I was once asked why I would created a little application that would do nothing more than what could be done with a simple SmartIcon. When I created SOTU - my Remote Console Command utility, it's v0.1 release was a simple utility that - yes - was an extended version of what you could do with a simple SmartIcon. v0.2 gave you the option to configure a simple Sidebar Widget, and allow you to issue Remote Console Commands to your Domino servers with even greater ease. With SOTU v0.3, you won't even have to fire up your laptop!

Simply point your mobile device's WAP browser to sotu.nsf/mobile, and you will be presented with a simple WAP-enabled Form:

From here, you can select the Server and enter a console command. Click the Issue Command button, which submits the request via POST to a simple Domino Agent which uses the SOTU Script Library and issues the remote console command.

Once properly executed, the browser is redirected to sotu.nsf/mobile, and can quickly see the response (if any) from the Remote Console Command via a pseudo-embedded View at the bottom of the mobile Form.

Quick Tip: For you Blackberry users, you can use Showtime to create a simple Channel Push icon for your Admin team and quickly deploy this application just in time for Lotusphere!

Here's a quick icon set that I used for my team - both a standard and an updated icon, shown respectively:

See how I tie things in (eventually)?!

Also, v0.3 has no error handling in the mobile.engine which handles the request... and for good reason. If you get an Agent Done response form the Agent... then something's broken, and it's more than likely a permissions issue with the Remote Console security stuff (which can be changed on the Server Document). The Remote Console Command will be issued by the server, so make sure you have everything from a security side setup or you'll likely see something like this on the server console/log:

Asking "Are you a Domino + BES shop?" shed some light on several things that I'm both happy and eager to share with you:

1. There are a lot of Domino + BES shops out there.
2. Most people are using BES - which can be an amazing application platform that can be utilized to enable employees - only for messaging. (Where have we heard that before?!)
3. Most people are too busy to learn Java, and feel as though that's the only way to put their business applications on mobile devices.

The real eye-opener here is just how closely Blackberry Enterprise Server + Mobile Devices parallel Domino + Lotus Notes. Most shops that are using it today use only a fraction of the capabilities of the technologies, and their business and employees in particular have grown dependant on those technologies. The technology is simple to setup, and a breeze to maintain, and JUST WORKS.

Sure, there are prettier technologies out there (like the iPhone), but for a dependable business solution - something that you would arm your employees with and feel confident that it's going to enable them to use the technology to do their job. And Blackberry Mobile Devices do just that - they let the user get their job done. Same with Lotus Notes.

But just like Lotus Notes, BES shops (at least that majority that I know of) have yet to fully appreciate the technology, nor fully get something back from their technology investment. Sure - my employees are "always on" with instant-access to their email, calendars, and task lists - but can they easily view a portfolio from their mobile device and show a potential customer a given product of interest? Can they lookup contact information in a vendor address book while on the road? Can they submit a simple sales order from the road, having just walked out of a customer's office?

When you hear these things, a lot of us probably think "well, that'd be nice - but I don't know Java". I know I thought that I needed all of these fancy mobile development skills to get my Domino and Lotus Notes-based applications onto Blackberry devices... but I couldn't have been more wrong.

The other day, I had the opportunity to sit down and discuss a few open projects with one of RIM's mobile application developers, who proceeded to take me to school! I learned how I could use BES built-in capabilities such as "Channel Push" and the MDS Studio to allow me to create simple, mobile versions of my Domino and Lotus Notes-based applications. And I want to share what I learned and what I'm learning with you, so we can all get more out of both our Blackberry and IBM Lotus Notes/Domino technology investments.

So, starting now, I'll be writing a series of articles on this site that cover mobile application development specific to RIM's BES and IBM Lotus Notes/Domino. And we'll start this off with the following two projects:

1. Mobile Directory/Address Book.
2. Project Showtime!

First, we'll create a simple Mobile Directory/Address Book that will act as a secondary address book or group address book on your Blackberry devices, with it's contents stored and managed in a Personal Address Book-based Lotus Notes Client Application. Getting this application onto the devices is where Project Showtime comes in. I'm currently developing a Lotus Notes Client Application that will facilitate the creation, management, and deployment of "Channel Push" Icons to defined mobile devices.

Once we have this up and running, we'll move onward with using Web Services in Domino to get more of our "beefier" Lotus Notes and Domino Applications onto our Mobile Devices via MDS Studio.

So - are you Domino + BES shops ready?