IT management systems provider XcelleNet Inc. said it is allying with Research in Motion Limited (RIM) to jointly market XcelleNet's mobile management solution to companies using RIM's BlackBerry handheld mobile units.

When used with XcelleNet, IT managers will be able to wirelessly track the location of each BlackBerry handheld, determine what software is running on that device, verify implementation of corporate security standards and monitor device conditions, such as current memory and battery capacity.

Through the partnership, IT managers will also be to instant message (IM) employees, so that critical information is displayed to users without requiring them to first open an e-mail, officials also said.

If a BlackBerry handheld is lost or stolen, the administrator can also "lockdown" the device remotely so information is inaccessible to unauthorized users.

As a result, enterprises can identify users and the current state of each BlackBerry handheld in the field, send targeted e-mails or alerts to certain groups of users based on captured criteria, and ensure that information contained on lost or stolen handhelds remains secure, officials added.

Bob Woods is the managing editor of InstantMessagingPlanet.