Exchange 2003 --> 2007 Migration w/BES 4.1.6
 

I'm looking for opinions/feedback from those of you who have migrated Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007; below are steps I'm planning on following. I'll point out that I'm a programmer, not a server admin, but manage BES because we have a smaller staff that wear many hats (and it keeps me in a new phone ;-))...

I've had a couple of discussions with RIM but I've found I usually get sound advice here, so any feedback is appreciated.


BES SERVER

• Windows 2003 Server SP2
• BES 4.1.6 MR7 (Bundle 174)
• MAPI32.dll v6.5.7638.1
• CDO.dll v6.5.7651.61

EXCHANGE 2003 SERVER

• Windows 2003 Server SP2
• Exchange 2003
• MAPI32.dll v6.5.7638.1
• CDO.dll v6.5.7654.12

EXCHANGE 2007 SERVER

• Windows 2007 Server SP2
• Exchange 2007
• MAPI32.dll v1.0.2536.0
• CDO.dll v6.5.8069.0

MISCELLANEOUS
We have a mix of Blackberrys, and client machines are running Outlook 2003

STEPS I PLAN TO TAKE

1. Log on to the BES server with the BES admin account and stop all BES services
2. Our network admin will migrate all mailboxes, including the BES admin mailbox, from Exchange 2003 to 2007
3. Set the Exchange 2007 permissions for the BES admin account on the Exchange 2007 server per RIM's KB12483
4. On the BES server, update the MAPI profile using the BES Configuration tool so that it points to the Exchange 2007 server
5. Reboot the BES server, make sure all services come back up, and test e-mail & calendaring
6. Assuming there are no issues, stop all BES services
7. Per RIM's KB14502, on the BES server, uninstall Exchange System Manager, rename all instances of MAPI32.dll and CDO.dll to .old, respectively
8. Install ExchangeMapiCdo.msi on the BES server
9. Reboot the BES server, make sure all services come back up, and test e-mail & calendaring

QUESTIONS I HAVE

1. From research and speaking with RIM support, I'm told that the MAPI & CDO versions on the BES server must be at least at the same level of those on the Exchange server, if not higher. When I look at the Exchange 2007 server, the MAPI version doesn't seem to conform to the versioning convention I see on the Exhange 2003 and BES servers. Am I correct in assuming that I need to be looking at the File Version and not the Product Version, and if so, what's the best way to compare versions between 2003 and 2007?
2. Assuming I have newer versions of MAPI & CDO on the BES server after installing the ExhangeMapiCdo.msi file, does it make sense for us to bring the Exchange server up to the same level?
3. If we do not have problems before the ExchangeMapiCdo.msi installation but have problems after installation, what is the best way to recover? Can I simply switch back to the old versions of MAPI & CDO on the BES server?

Again, thanks for any feedback you can offer.

I just follow this and upgrade to CDO 1.2.1 version that matches exchange or higher.

View Document 0 152633279

Thanks for the reply. That's a doc that I've reviewed and have been using as my 'baseline' guide for the migration. Looks like I'm on the correct path unless anyone chimes in with anything different. Thanks, again.

looks like you have a good plan.

Good to hear. I'm sweating this a little since we're changing the Exchange version, server software, & server hardware all at once. Thanks again for taking a look; if I run into any 'gotchas' during the migration I'll post back & hopefully it'll help someone else.

Can i just clarify that you install mapi and cdo 1.2.1 on both the bes server AND exchange 2007?
I'm really confused with my installation not working with bes 4.1.6 and it always comes up with the mapi profile not being correct.

Thanks

CDO upgrade only on the BES.

please for the love of god don't ever attempt to install MAPI / CDO components on an Exchange server. It has its own.

Lol, ok, ok.
However after successfully installing it onto the besserver, when trying to install bes 4.1.2 it says "cannot find exchange, may need to install mapi" ?????

just click next :)

... and then get SP6 installed as BES 4.1 SP2 isn't supported with Exchange 2007.

I have 4.1.2 full install AND the ptach for 4.1.6, which obviously goes on after.
Although when it comes to starting the services, most of them fail.
Now when i installed 4.1.2 earlier on saturday the services started, b ut cos i couldn't get it to connect with the Exchange, i uninstalled, rebooted and tried again.

Oh the woes....WM6.1 smartphone.....here i may come!

What does their log files say? look in the ALRT log ... post the whole thing if you want or email me at

Thanks hdawg, i've zipped up 3 log fles and emailed them to you

sorry for the delay ... It seems as though you didn't do one of the steps in the process right (based on the email discussion we had) ... can you zip up the BES daily logs (not installer logs) and send them over? ... or post them here.

They'll show what the problem is.

Just finished our migration and ran into an issue with removing Exchange System Manager. Walked through the steps with a server rep and he never had me touch the Exchange box. k.jacko: I'm assuming that you're doing, essentially, the same thing I did. Did you verify the MAPI settings in the Blackberry Server Configuration tool? Two things that weren't in the RIM KB I followed that the rep had me do:

• After installing MAPI, he had me delete the BES profiles reg key
• In addition to changing the MAPI setting in the Configuration tool, he had me change it in the Edit MAPI Profile tool

Not sure if either of these steps were required, but everything works. He told me that removing the reg key was a 'cleaner' way to do things.

On somewhat related topics, he said that he had no idea when handheld OS 5.0 is to be released but they use it in house and wireless sync of Exhange Public Folders works well, and 'no comment' on whether the next gen Storm will support WI-FI. Can't hurt to ask ;-)