User guide

Activating a BlackBerry device

When a user activates a BlackBerry® device, the BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution authenticates the user and associates the

BlackBerry device with a BlackBerry® Enterprise Server. During the activation process, the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution

generates a device transport key.

A user can activate the BlackBerry device over the wireless network, when the BlackBerry device is connected to a computer that

is running the BlackBerry® Desktop Software, or when the BlackBerry device is connected to a computer and the user is logged

in to the BlackBerry® Web Desktop Manager or BlackBerry Administration Service. The user must have a valid email address so

that the user can activate the BlackBerry device and register the BlackBerry device with the wireless network.

Activating a BlackBerry device over the wireless network

If a user activates a BlackBerry® device over the wireless network, the user must authenticate with the BlackBerry device using

an activation password that you provide. You can create an activation password using the BlackBerry Administration Service and

communicate it to the user. You can also use IT policy rules to configure password requirements (such as duration, length, and

strength), to specify password patterns, and to prevent specific passwords. For more information, see the BlackBerry Enterprise

Server Policy Reference Guide.

The BlackBerry device uses the activation password to generate the device transport key. The device transport key authenticates

the user and is designed to secure communication between the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server and BlackBerry device.

An activation password has the following characteristics:

• applies to the user’s email account

• is not valid after five unsuccessful attempts to activate the BlackBerry device

• expires if the user does not activate the BlackBerry device within the default period of time (48 hours), or a period of up to

720 hours that you can specify when you create the activation password

After the user activates the BlackBerry device, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server deletes the activation password. The user cannot

use the same activation password to activate other BlackBerry devices.

Process flow: Activating a BlackBerry device over the wireless network

1. A user opens the activation application on the BlackBerry® device, and types the appropriate email address and activation

password.

2. The BlackBerry device sends an activation request to the BlackBerry® Infrastructure using standard BlackBerry protocols.

The BlackBerry Infrastructure uses SMTP to send an activation message to the user’s email account. The activation message

contains routing information for the BlackBerry device and public keys.

3. The BlackBerry® Enterprise Server sends an activation response to the BlackBerry device. The activation response contains

routing information for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the long-term public keys of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

Security Technical Overview

Activating a BlackBerry device