[Workerb33]

if they support iphone, you should be able to sneak yours in theough the same method...

[hparsons]

Sorry, posted my response before I read all of the others. "Security" is pretty vague. There are some valid concerns, but throwing iPhone into the mix makes be believe that your Pre could be used as securely as the iPhone. I have some suggestions, but before giving them, I'm going to expound on the security issue a little more.

As smartphones have become more popular, IT departments have been much more concerned about PII (Personally Identifiable Information). While sometimes overhyped, it is a valid concern. Imagine what a headhunter would be willing to do to get a list of every executive or high up sales exec at a company. That's just an example.

So, when you have a company's address book and calendariing system on a device you carry around with you, that's a lot of PII. So, it's a valid concern that the IT department wants to restrict the devices. Some go as far as locking down the devices completely so they have to be accessed by password, can be remotely wiped if needed, and (very importantly here) can be controlled as to what programs can be put on them.

None of these are unreasonable, and it really is up to the company and their IT team to determine exactly how far they need to go to protect that information.

That said, to the best of my knowledge, the iPhone is no more secure than the Pre in this area (but, I'm not an iPhone expert by any means, so I could be wrong).

Here's what I would suggest you do.

1. Find out if the Pre is disallowed, or is simply not supported. If it's disallowed, drop down to step 4 below.
2. Ensure that your company is using Exchange Active Server.
3. Find a power iPhone user, and get the settings (incoming server, outgoing server, etc) and use those on your Pre.
4. Set up a Google account for your calendar and contacts, and use a third party application (such as CompanionLink) to synchronize only the information you need (EG your calendar, and those few internal employees that you need on your phone). BTW, this is the solution I use where I work.

Whatever you do, don't go against your IT department's policies. A phone isn't worth your job, and as has been mentioned, some companies take this issue very seriously. If your company absolutely forbids any of their information being on your Pre, you might have to resign yourself to carrying two devices.

[ADGrant]

I agree, but from the way the post was phrased I was under the impression that webOS was not supported, which is different than verboten.

In Corporate IT they often mean the same thing, particularly if the reason given is "Security". Subverting IT Security controls can result in termination of employment.

[Sfhandyman]

I've never used an Enterprise system, so please forgive me if this is obviously wrong.

Could you get a cheaper used Bb or WM phone and connect it via wifi through the Palm Pre Hotspot? It would save paying for a second plan. You'd be able to keep the Pre but have to carry two phones

[Trodecke]

or it's possible they have a requirement that the phone be encrypt-able

Believe it or not, I'd hazard a guess that this is the #1 reason most companies that support active sync don't support AS on a WebOS device. I've talked to a number of other IT shops and they are aware of WebOS as well as Android but since neither support full encryption, they're not allowed. Froyo might fix this for Android but I've not heard anything for WebOS yet.

[Trodecke]

I've never used an Enterprise system, so please forgive me if this is obviously wrong.

Could you get a cheaper used Bb or WM phone and connect it via wifi through the Palm Pre Hotspot? It would save paying for a second plan. You'd be able to keep the Pre but have to carry two phones

WM with AS would work that way but the BB would not, at least the BBs I've worked with in the past wouldn't. It requires the carriers data connection to connect to Rim's servers.

[Mikey47]

Funny how everyone is posting to this thread except for the OP ;-)

[Leke]

Why are all of you guys giving him bad advise. he said he "JUST STARTED" this job. How about ahearing to the company rules and do your job first. No one iat the job is sayiig chunk your Pre away, it can still be used as a personal phone not on company wifi network.

After webos gets their stuff together THEN suggest having your pre sponsored via company, until then don't leave a bad 1st impression as a trouble maker....

[knobbysideup]

Just sign on anyway, and don't ask for support. They are probably using EAS?

WARNING!!!!
If you connect with EAS, you give them the ability to remote-wipe your phone! Being windoze admins, that's probably all the 'security' they really care about. (hey, guess what... AVAILABILITY is a very important part of security too, you know).

Here is some stuff you can show them, but I wouldn't really bother. If they allow iphones, just connect and don't ask for support (if you trust them to not nuke your phone).

http://www.palm.com/us/business/ (click on the 'simple to deploy' tab)

[Neitzl]

If they are allowing iPhones, maybe they are only the 3GS. I know at my friends workplace (a bank), they require that their phones require encryption. Not the data connection, but that the whole device becomes encrypted. iPhone 3GS and Blackberry have this ability, but not the Palm Pre.

[Mikey47]

But remember, just by asking you are calling someone's judgment into question and at a new job that may not be the best course of action.

Why are all of you guys giving him bad advise.

Don't say all!!

[Barebuns]

I wonder if the new PDK magic makes a third party encryption app an option. I know my wife would easily pay $20 bucks or more for an app that would allow her to keep her phone on the company system. I think this should be built into the OS, but considering how long it's taken just to get 1.4.5 (still waiting here on Verizon), I won't be holding my breath.

[Foxhat]

As smartphones have become more popular, IT departments have been much more concerned about PII (Personally Identifiable Information). While sometimes overhyped, it is a valid concern. Imagine what a headhunter would be willing to do to get a list of every executive or high up sales exec at a company. That's just an example.

In addition to PII concerns there are certain legal issues involving requirements for the protection of corporate data under what are referred to as Sarbanes Oxly regulations. A corporation can face some very serious penalties for the release of certain information to those who shouldn't have it.

That said I use the companion link app to sync my calendar and address book only with my pre with the usb cable. I don't want email sent to my phone, if a message is that important they can call me and don't want to have my info stored on someone else's server (except my employers). I do have my pre password protected.

[hansbuehler#CB]

if your corporate EAS server is older than 2010, then it can't actually block individual devices. So once a single approved device is let through on the EAS account, the door is wide open for the Pre to drive through. So you need an ipod touch (on corporate wifi), setup active sync on that to the EAS server, it should work fine. Then immediately after that setup the Pre to connect to EAS. Again, the EAS server "opened the door" when it saw the ipod touch (thinking it's an iphone) and EAS versions before 2010 can't then close the door on other devices attempting to sync to that account.

once EAS 2010 was released it was able to discriminate devices, but before that once the door is open, all devices are let in on that EAS account.

if you already were told no on the pre... and you do it now, you might get in trouble... so you shoulda never asked...

[hansbuehler#CB]

but really! why not just use iphone! My company doesnt' allow iphones, but if they did, I'd have no problem getting one of those instead of my pre. i think pre is better (I have owned almost every palm ever made) but iphone is pretty sweet. I wish my pre screen was bigger... my only gripe.

[NickDG]

but really! why not just use iphone! My company doesnt' allow iphones, but if they did, I'd have no problem getting one of those instead of my pre. i think pre is better (I have owned almost every palm ever made) but iphone is pretty sweet. I wish my pre screen was bigger... my only gripe.

Because the OP has a Pre Plus on Verizon?

[dave75]

I need Cisco VPN to access my company's Exchange server. Has anybody found a way to do this? I've been using Pocketmirror so I haven't looked into this for a while.

[livewirevoodoo]

I use the outlook web access (OWA) method for connectivty on my Pre. And I am the IT Director. No, it is not the IT department being lazy, its standardizing on one particular device/admin panel for wireless connectivity. Theres no way my staff of 7 can be expected to learn each end users device out there. For my site it is BES/Blackberry. Setting security policies for lockout, remote device wipe, retention policies, password strength and time-out time, etc. that not all 'smartphones' can do. I loathe blackberry, but from an admin standpoint there is alot to be said for standardization when purchasing, troubleshooting and replacing. But we provide these phones to the end users. If someone were to bring their own device in I wouldn't support it, but if they got email etcup and runnning on their own and it doesnt intrude on my conciousness, so be it.

[shaw_2112]

if your corporate EAS server is older than 2010, then it can't actually block individual devices. So once a single approved device is let through on the EAS account, the door is wide open for the Pre to drive through. So you need an ipod touch (on corporate wifi), setup active sync on that to the EAS server, it should work fine. Then immediately after that setup the Pre to connect to EAS. Again, the EAS server "opened the door" when it saw the ipod touch (thinking it's an iphone) and EAS versions before 2010 can't then close the door on other devices attempting to sync to that account.

once EAS 2010 was released it was able to discriminate devices, but before that once the door is open, all devices are let in on that EAS account.

if you already were told no on the pre... and you do it now, you might get in trouble... so you shoulda never asked...

this is not entirely true, my company does not support EAS for anything but iPhone currently, if you want EAS you have to have the persmissions set on your account. They may not be able to block users by the phone they use but they can certainly limit your permissions...