So tell me if I understand correctly...those of us running Exchange 2000 will just have to update all the handhelds once an update comes out, then everything will be okay?

From my understanding you will have to update all handhelds that are not running a new version. (I dont know the version). And you will have to update the CDO.dll on the BES and Exchange servers. (Here is a URL for the MS Patch for 2003: Update for daylight saving time changes in 2007 for Exchange 2003)

am i reading this correctly? "No patches to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Novell GroupWise are required from Research In Motion."

wow, so i guess GroupWise lucked out for once. just gotta wait for the device patches in February.

While the effects of the daylight saving time change in 2007 forward isn’t a business stopping issue, I’m sure you we all appreciate the expectation our clients have in the accuracy of their calendars, especially since our scope often includes computers in different time zones and regions.

I’m having trouble understanding how Microsoft has released an Operating System Patch (KB928388) to adjust for it in November 2006 without warning specifically on the patch download site or on the Windows update site the effects of appointments in the extended DST period. What we’ve seen on computers with this patch is a one hour offset in how appointments are displayed in Outlook 2003, when compared to un-patched systems, or to Outlook XP. Additionally, when appointments are made on a Blackberry, they are reflected on patched computers two hours off, and a time offset with certain appointment types extends beyond the daylight savings time periods.

This has already caused us havoc here, especially where we’ve seen different people who view the same shared calendar seeing appointments at different times. Since the Blackberry calendar is also different from what is seen on a patched workstation, as you can imagine, this issue is compounded when clients start making “corrections” to these appointments.

While I’ve contacted Microsoft, and also reached out to Blackberry about this, Microsoft’s response is a future client side Outlook 2003 patch/tool/hotfix will be released to adjust the dates. I’m now reading about Exchange server side CDO changes. If this consists up an upgrade of CDO.dll, it will now affect Blackberry, who will also need the upgrade, because Blackberry servers would then need the same version.

Blackberry doesn’t believe the Microsoft tool will correctly adjust its appointments that are two hours off, because they were unaware of that specific condition until I called it in. Windows Mobile is currently untested, so we’re not aware of its impact. Factoring in that Blackberry will also be releasing a patch to be installed on the actual handheld devices in the beginning of February, and we have no patch for Windows 2000, we further complicate this mess, and have very little time for testing and deployment.

Combine this with all the other DST changes needed in many other systems, from security cameras with DST in their firmware (with no updates available) to voicemail systems, to backup software, and we have a mini, self created Y2K scenario taking place. While not the end of the world, it’s not what we expected in exchange for a few hours more of daylight. For many off us, the extra work will consume it all, and there will be no energy savings, as congress had hoped.

Unless our clients hold off on creating certain appointments on a blackberry or on a patched workstation, and we’re able to deploy all of these patches and tools to all our clients at the same time, and before March 11th, we should expect a significant amount of confusion within our environments, and it may extend beyond just the 4 weeks effected by the daylight savings time change. I’ve already cautioned clients affected by the patch and have advised them to include the time within the subject line of appointments taking place during daylight savings time.

As we’ve found out here, not everyone who has been with calendar affected is yet aware. Why isn’t the 928388 update being pulled or have a HUGE warning about this impact? We have unknowing clients pulling it down and installing it, unknowingly impacting shared and public calendars…..How about a tool, like what is available for IE7, to allow administrators to prevent its download, so we can further contain this?

Thanks,
Mike Dimyan

Mike - Microsoft is fully aware of the problems with their rebasing tool, they just won't talk about it until you do.

We came to some of the same conclusions you did - we are going to have to educate our users to put the actual meeting time either in the subject line or in the meeting itself.

What I feel is a major issue that isn't being pointed out here is that the DST patch from Microsoft will include the security patch in advisory 912918 that breaks the Send As permission. We chose not to install that patch when it was released last year because of that, so now we have to address the workaround.

Mike, download and use WSUS. Then there are no issues with clients installing unauthorized patches.

I don't think Microsoft should be held accountable for any issues until they release their patches for Outlook 2003. That should be this next week, I believe. I'm guessing it will correct this issue and RIM's patches will correct the device calendar issues. Just my assumption.

So we're 1.5 months away and there's no patch for Outlook or for RIM BB clients????

I can imagine the shit hitting the fan soon.

Here's one for you all... We run Exchange 5.5... Any info on this floating around? I plan to have everyone (all 9 users) visit the BlackBerry from their bb browsers to get the OS patch. Luckily, i have a pretty savvy user base here. As i read the documentation, i gather that as long as I have updated the server os (2003) and exchange (5.5) that there is NO RIM BES update. Just get the users to install the patch to their devices via the link from BBerry.

As far as the handhelds go, a patch will be released in Feb. This will be a single patch for the BES servers that can push the update to all versions of the handheld at the same time. So the good news is we don't have to update them all by hand, one at a time. We were going to update all of the OSs' but Tmobile dosn't even have an update as of yet. So when 4.2 comes out we'll do the mass upgrade then and then OS pushes.

Well it's bad for those who are still running BES v3.6, the patch will have to be installed manually! I got 70 users I got to take care of and no patch available yet.

I want to echo his sentiments as well. We held off on upgrading to SP2 for Exchange 2003 solely because of the issue of it messing up the "send as" permissions. Now that we are forced to do this, it's going to become a complete PITA especially since some of the recommended resolutions from MS and BlackBery are completely ludicrous.

BES for Domino 4.1 SP1HF3 is now available.

One resolution for the "Send As Permission" problem is to put the account you administer BES with into a group and give that group the explicit rights at the domain level. This fixed our issue with the patch.

So I imagine Domino 4.1SP2HF3 should be coming shortly. Surprised they didn't post them simultaneously.

Yes because we all want to downgrade to put the latest patch on.... uggh.

How much testing is everyone going to do before they roll this beast out?

Our RIM rep gave us an update today saying the DST patches will be available mid/late next week.

There is discussion about being able to push these out via the BES, does anyone know what BES versions have this capability? Can v4.0.3 do this?

Where can I find the steps? I can't find anything on this and our RIM rep keeps dodging this question!

Thanks...

7290/8700c

BES 4.0 and higher can do this, For steps on creating a software configuration have a look at the Admin guide.

According to the documentation I received from my TAM the BES needs to be on 4.0.6 or higher to get the wireless push.

Link: BlackBerry

"wireless push" is kind of vague. Wireless application push is available in 4.0 and higher. For wireless "DST updates" you require 4.0.6 or 4.1.3, but only if they change AGAIN All the 4.2 Handhelds are currently up to date