[nigelm]

Hi All

I am running BES on a Win2K server (140 users) and planning an upgrade to BES 4.1.6 on a W2K3 virtual machine.

I initially installed 4.1.6 on the new box bes01 using the same SRP details. It wasn't long before I locked out my original SRP on the w2k server. I called my isp who unlocked it, phew!!

I now have a trial BES and want to do the upgrade with as little downtime as possible, from what I have read it looks like a knife edge cutover?

Any advice how to do it quickly and seamlessly would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance...

[fiffer]

This should be moved to the BES admin corner

[nigelm]

sorry, how do I do that?!

[jsconyers]

You can't, a moderator will have to.

For future reference when posting: Go here : BlackBerryForums.com : Your Number One BlackBerry Community, click on the appropriate forum, then click the new thread button.

In this case, the appropriate forum would have been BES Admin Corner.

[knottyrope]

View Document knife edge cutover

Upgrade to 4.1.6 and read this doc.

[nigelm]

Hi - so far so good, however I am tripping up somewhere when trying to backup the existuing db. Any db backup tips pls. Also how is this going to work, generally?

Is it a case of doing the upgrade on the new server with the trial srp info, move the users over then change the trial srp to the permanent? If so where is the option to change SRP info and also how does the licensing work from old to new???

Thanks again...

N

[stuwhite]

Originally Posted by nigelm

Hi - so far so good, however I am tripping up somewhere when trying to backup the existuing db. Any db backup tips pls. Also how is this going to work, generally?

Have you checked this doc for backing up the DB? - How to move the DB - and what probs are you having exactly?

Originally Posted by nigelm

Is it a case of doing the upgrade on the new server with the trial srp info, move the users over then change the trial srp to the permanent? If so where is the option to change SRP info and also how does the licensing work from old to new???

Thanks again...

N

If you are doing a knife-edge, don't worry about the trial SRP. Just start from scratch on the new machine with a clean install of BES and when you restore the old DB to the new box and start the new box services (once the old box is offline), the SRP will have come over with the DB and talk to RIM. The only word of caution from experience is that the BES install on the new box should be nice and clean so if it's showing trial info, personally I would blast it and start again (removing the old SRP might be enough but I know this way works).

You are using the existing SRP on the new box (comes over with the DB) and therefore no licensing stuff is required. Just ensure you name the BES instance on the new machine the same as the old, but I am sure that's in the knife-edge doc. You don't have to worry about having any SRP on the new box before you start this work.

Sorry I am rushing here and not being very clear but PM me if you need any clarification.

[CanuckBB]

Remember that the database must be at the same level for both servers.

That means either upgrade the old server before the cutover, or install the same version on the new server, cutover and then upgrade.

[nigelm]

Hi and thanks for getting back to me...

when trying to do the db backup form my local pc, I connect to 'blackberry' right click besmgmt, select 'disc' rather than tape then get the following error...

Property backupDirectory is not available for settings 'MS.SqlServer.management.Smo.Settings.' This property may not exist for this object, or not be retrievable due to insufficient rights. (Microsoft.SqlSrver.smo)

D'oh!

[stuwhite]

Originally Posted by nigelm

Hi and thanks for getting back to me...

when trying to do the db backup form my local pc, I connect to 'blackberry' right click besmgmt, select 'disc' rather than tape then get the following error...

Property backupDirectory is not available for settings 'MS.SqlServer.management.Smo.Settings.' This property may not exist for this object, or not be retrievable due to insufficient rights. (Microsoft.SqlSrver.smo)

D'oh!

I have only ever done it from the SQL Server machine itself. It could be that you can't do it remotely due to permissions so do it form the server and see what happens. Personally I would do all these db ops locally during this work.

[knottyrope]

If you are logging in with your account and the SQL server drive does not have permissions for you to write it will do that.

[nigelm]

I have managed to backup the db, thanks. However, when installing bes 4.1.6 on the new it is asking if I want to upgrade the db. I'm sure I read they need to be the same - how do I upgrade the old bes (4.0) db.

Thanks

[stuwhite]

Originally Posted by nigelm

I have managed to backup the db, thanks. However, when installing bes 4.1.6 on the new it is asking if I want to upgrade the db. I'm sure I read they need to be the same - how do I upgrade the old bes (4.0) db.

Thanks

Go through the doc and have a look on here for similar threads. It doesn't matter as you are installing a dummy DB and then overwritting it. The main thing is to let the install do the DB work so that the schema is updated but it's fine, you will trash it later. You might want to re-read the knife-edge docs first, trust me reading them a few times helps tons!! Not menaing to be rude but this stuff is all covered in the docs and on here already....

[nigelm]

Originally Posted by stuwhite

Go through the doc and have a look on here for similar threads. It doesn't matter as you are installing a dummy DB and then overwritting it. The main thing is to let the install do the DB work so that the schema is updated but it's fine, you will trash it later. You might want to re-read the knife-edge docs first, trust me reading them a few times helps tons!! Not menaing to be rude but this stuff is all covered in the docs and on here already....

Hi Thanks for that - I hate reading!!! If i say 'yes' to upgrade the new db I get the following error

an attempt to upgrade the db was unsuccesful, an error occured when executing an aql statement!

[knottyrope]

Did you buy the upgrade kit?

BlackBerry - BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange

BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1, Service Pack 6 Version Update $999

[nigelm]

Hi, I have bes 4.0 up and running and purchased an upgrade to 4.1.6

[knottyrope]

Originally Posted by nigelm

Hi, I have bes 4.0 up and running and purchased an upgrade to 4.1.6

Maybe you should of told us that info in the first place!

Since you are not too familiar with BES upgrades it might be easier to upgrade the old box first to 4.1.6 then knife edge to new hardware after.

or follow the upgrade guide.

[CanuckBB]

Originally Posted by knottyrope

Maybe you should of told us that info in the first place!

Since you are not too familiar with BES upgrades it might be easier to upgrade the old box first to 4.1.6 then knife edge to new hardware after.

or follow the upgrade guide.

Upgrade the old box first. Wait a few days, make sure it works OK. Then do a knife-edge cutover.

If you upgrade and cutover at the same time and run into issues, you won't know if it's the upgrade or the move.

You can't backup from your desktop because by default SQL Express installs with no connection to the outside.

[nigelm]

Sorry, I should have mentioned. My old box is a win2k box running bes 4.0 and I am basically trying to upgrade the server to win2k3 and upgrade the software at the same time.

I now have a backup of the old bes db and I'm at the stage of tryinto do the db swap. Can I upgrade the old (existing) db without user interuption? (or minimal downtime). Whats the process to upgrade the old db to the same version as the new? (i hatre sql)

Cheers
N

[nigelm]

So to upgrade the old box do you simply run the 4.1.6 setup? If so will that just upgrade the db and not the bb software? Do I need downtime to do the upgrade?

Thanks again