Inplace BES upgrade
 

Hi all, I was hoping to get some ideas from everyone as to how to proceed with a BES upgrade.

1 BES
4.1.3 (DST patch applied, CDO patched)
Exchange 2003 SP2 (proper patching)
SQL 2000 database on remote server
361 users

Here is my issue. I have 2 SRP codes (1 is utilized by the active BES), I want to upgrade the current BES (rebuild OS, complete format and rebuild) but I don't want any downtime for my users. I have another server I can install 4.1.3 on and I have a valid SRP code, I have tried a knife edge cutover with success (only a few users).

Once I move the users over to the newly built temp BES I plan to remove the original BES via Blackberry Manager, rebuild the server and reintroduce the server to the database. I would like to use the same name of the server, I am worried that there will be conflicts considering the name was already used before.

Any idea's, I dont want to have to reactivate 360 devices North America Wide and I don't want to spend 7 hours on the phone with TSupport (useless in my opinion)

Thanks again
J

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:bb: 7250 BELL, oldy but a goody:bb:

A knife cutover scenario is great to have no downtime and if you have the hardware for it, why not. As long as you use the same cal, srp id, and keys, you should be fine when you bring the bes tasks up.

Here is the risk, You will have some down time (A few minutes when you bring down the production/ active bes and turn off all windows svcs) and then on your new server, turn it on.

We have done knife cutover's but in domino which involves State Databases which makes this scenario more complicated since it involves constant replication.

Ok, but if I am setting up the 2nd temp BES with a completely different SRP then I wouldn't have to turn off any Services would I? I have both in production and can see both via the Blackberry Manager I should be ablet o transfer all users and then retire the original server right?

That should work. I beleive that re-activation only comes into play when you are dealing with a new database, which you aren't. Servername has two different meanings for BES. it has one meaning within the app and then the actual servername in AD.

I did a cutover to new hardware when I upgraded to 4.1 from 4.0. My orgional server was BES1 and the new one is BES2. In the app, it has to retain the servername, so on BES2 when I open bb manager, the servername is BES1. You can have the windows servername anything you want. BES doesn't care about that.

I got these links from RIM, enjoy :-)

Article Title: Set up Disaster Recovery for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server
Article Number: KB10364
Link: BlackBerry Search Results


Disaster Recovery Strategies for BlackBerry (PDF)
Livelink - Redirection

Thank you
 

Thanks everyone for your assistance with this.

This has got to be the best Blackberry support forum I have seen, keep up the excellent work!

J

JNetter, your process will work but the user's will get the Enterprise Activation. You are doing a move but there are going to be user's that will experience problems...be ready to perform a "wipe handheld" since the SRP Key of the server is set on the device...A move will change this but I have seen that it fails to do so. Be ready for those kind of calls.

Explanation
 

My understanding is if both servers are live and both have unique SRP keys then a simple Resending of the IT POLICY once the account has been moved should be suffice.

The whole goal is to avoid mass Enterprise Activations, can anyone comment on this? I am not going to proceed if this will cause issues.

Thanks

Jay

Well you were wrong, big time
 

amukhey, you were wrong, 2 seperate SRP's sharing the same config database worked like a charm.

This forum is a great place to get information, just be weary of what you use in production (I always look at this forum first and then call TSupport and have them REPLY in an email outlining the steps to take, covers my but).

Thanks

Jnetter