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BoxTone User Self-Service aims to let users troubleshoot some of their BlackBerry support problems without involving the support desk, although the system’s occasionally unhelpful guidance may thwart that lofty goal.
The BoxTone USS module is an add-on to BoxTone’s mobile ecosystem troubleshooting platform. BoxTone specializes in enterprise BlackBerry integrations, looking deep within BlackBerry Enterprise Server and Exchange (or Lotus Domino) implementations to provide troubleshooting guidance for users, devices and back-end services-similar to what Zenprise does. BoxTone also provides administrators with limited insight into ActiveSync connections to help monitor Exchange usage by unmanaged devices.
The USS module adds to this core functionality by allowing users to perform limited troubleshooting on their own BlackBerry devices (USS functionality does not yet extend to ActiveSync devices). In theory, this tool would greatly help reduce the number of support calls to the mobile help desk, as users can activate their own phones, deal with lost devices and troubleshoot certain circumstances. Unfortunately, I found some of the troubleshooting guidance less than helpful for uninitiated users and unnecessary circumstances arose during testing that could lead to more support calls instead.
I performed my tests on BoxTone’s hosted test network, which integrates BoxTone’s services with BES and Exchange 2007,using Research In Motion-provided BlackBerry Bold 9700s for T-Mobile (using the stock firmware available from T-Mobile, 5.0.0330) as my test clients. BoxTone officials said they suspected that many of the problems I encountered in my tests were related to ongoing data corruption issues in the testbed, but even after they initiated fixes, the system behavior I experienced did not match their advertised or expected behaviors.
Customers new to BoxTone can begin with BoxTone Essentials, a starter pack that includes the BoxTone Core software as well as features like the Operations Dashboard-a global view of the mobile messaging infrastructure that displays up-to-date health info for users, devices and servers-plus knowledge base information relevant for detected alerts.
BoxTone Essentials costs just under $18,000 for 1,000 users. User Self-Service can be added later as module for an additional $15,000.
User Self-Service presents itself to the end user as a Web-based tool. Users log in with their standard domain credentials (as they would for Outlook Web Access). There’s a small Flash-dependent element to the Web page, but I found I could navigate the page and use the tools effectively from browsers that aren’t Flash-enabled. I did find that USS was a little easier to use on Windows (using either Internet Explorer or Firefox), as I found the page formatting and behavior was slightly wonky if accessed from a Mac (via either Firefox or Safari).
Users with a new BlackBerry in hand can activate the device from USS, using the Switch My Device tab. This tool automatically generates an activation password and provides succinct guidance on how to perform the activation. If the user goofs up and inputs an incorrect activation code, the tool detects the error and prompts the user to try again with the right information. Once the BlackBerry is successfully activated, the tool lets the user know that the process was successful.
Troubles with Troubleshooting
BoxTone also claims the USS module can help troubleshoot more complex activation issues, like activating a BlackBerry configured by the cell carrier for a BlackBerry Internet Service account rather than BES. Although I tried this scenario with my own BIS-enabled SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card, I was unable to experience the troubleshooting as my device activated successfully despite its configuration.
The main dashboard of the USS shows device health, providing guidance if certain solvable conditions exist. For instance, I exceeded the storage capacity of my Exchange account, which by policy meant I could no longer send e-mail. USS quickly detected the condition and alerted me that a problem existed, although the troubleshooting guidance was less than helpful.
Rather than telling me to delete some e-mail from Exchange, USS instead presented me with an unknown error and the advice to contact my administrator. On the help desk side of things, this error presents itself as a permissions problem. Now, while this scenario does technically result in a permissions problem-BoxTone picks up the fact that Exchange will not permit BES to send mail through for this account-information was not provided that would allow the end user to rectify the situation. Instead, the user will contact the help desk and generate a somewhat unnecessary ticket, thereby defeating the purpose of the tool.
BoxTone provides a link in USS to report tickets to the help desk through the BoxTone system, but in my tests using BoxTone’s demonstration network that link frequently did not work.
These are among the behaviors that BoxTone said may be due to its network data corruption issues, and the company supplied screen shots of what the behavior should look like.
USS provides users with two options for resetting a device password. The Change My Password tab allows the user to set a new password. This tool lets the user know what the minimum password length must be, but not any other complexity requirements. If the password does not conform to the BES complexity policy, USS will reject the inadequate password without specifying how the rule was violated. This information is spelled out in BoxTone’s administrator help desk dashboard, but not to the user. Again, this kind of unhelpful help could lead to unnecessary support calls.
The other way to change the password is via the Lost My Device tab. From here, a user who has misplaced his or her phone can lock the device remotely, with USS automatically generating and displaying a new password within the tool. It worked well, but the user must remember to change the password once the device is found, as USS will not continue showing the password the next time the user logs into the Web tool, yet the generated password will continue to be enforced on the device.
(Yes, I turned off the device radio and forgot the auto-generated password, effectively locking myself out of the phone, which required a device wipe to rectify the situation.)
From the same tab, users who know they have lost their devices can also perform a device wipe. The wipe command is quickly triggered on the device, provided it is on the network. However, in my tests, the USS tool would report, “An error occurred accessing the BES User Admin tool-please contact your BoxTone administrator.” Yet the wipe would proceed on the device.
Despite its promise, BoxTone USS failed to impress due to these issues.