[eclemens]

Greetings.

We have a BES server up and running behind our firewall.

We need to change our external IP address (of the firewall) to a different address and I am wondering what changes (if any) will I need to make to my handhelds so they continue to send/receive email.

The reason for the IP change is a long overlooked mis-configuration in our perimeter router.

Do any of you have experience with this?

Thank you in advance.

-Eric

[Stu_Bee]

My understanding is that your BB handhelds don't talk wirelessly with your BES server directly. They talk with your carrier, which talks to RIM, which talks to your Server.

As long as your BES server communicates properly with RIM (ie your environment has the correct firewall holes punched to RIM), then the handhelds should be unaffected.

Please someone jump in and correct or validate my assumptions

[udontknowjack]

I'll validate. Stu_Bee is correct. As long as you have port 3101 open from your firewall to RIM, you are good to go.

[Agriv8]

I expect you already intend to do this but you should stop the BES Server Service while making the change, just in case RIM detects the same SRP coming from different IPs and blocks your service. Have heard this happened to another firm.

[bfrye]

Ditto. I would stop the service, make the change, then start the service.

[eclemens]

Thanks! Great info.

One final question: If the BES server initiates communication with RIM, do I really need to open a firewall port? The firewall we are using (I think this is true with most firewalls) opens the connection bi-directionally when a connection request is made from internal to external.

[dcpatti]

Yes, if 3101 is not open, then the BES will not work. You'll get a status of "SRP Disconnected."

[udontknowjack]

It all depends on how your firewall is configured. Some companies leave all outbound ports open. If that is the case with you then it doesn't matter. Some, like mine, leave no ports open unless requested and then it is only from source IP to destination IP.

[BB_God]

Originally Posted by eclemens

Thanks! Great info.

One final question: If the BES server initiates communication with RIM, do I really need to open a firewall port? The firewall we are using (I think this is true with most firewalls) opens the connection bi-directionally when a connection request is made from internal to external.

Typically it is not the outbound packets that are blocked in is the incoming. It the BES can't validate the full connection then the SRP won't connect.