[spie_34]

Hi, I've read through some of the other posts here regarding moving BES to a new server with a new name. I'm starting this post so I don't hijack another person thread.

We currently have BES running on one server but we want to move it to a totally different server without having to re-activate all the user's.

Running BES 4.1.3.16 in an Exchange 2003 environment if that matters.
The DB is running on MSDE but the new Server will have SQL 2005 installed on it.

I've read the article about migrating using multiple servers and most of it makes sense to me.

I've also read a recent thread here related to upgrading and moving BES to a new server.
Sorry this is my first post and the forum won't allow me to provide links.

So my steps would be to:
1. Install BES on the new server and use a temp SRP key while pointing to the old database that our current server is running. During the install have the install create an empty DB and once the installation is complete go into the BlackBerry Server Configuration and change the database to point the remote server (aka the old BES).
2. Perform the phased migration where you click on the user and move the user to a new server.
3. Remove BES on the old server but keep the database on the old server active.
4. Replace the temp SRP on the new server with permanent one that exists on the old server.
5. Once all the users have been moved, shutdown the BES services, backup the old DB and then restore the old DB to the new server and then once again change the DB location in the BlackBerry Server Configuration again.

Is this all correct?

So when I do this, I won't have to re-activate the users? And the user's emails will still be on their BlackBerry? Will the users have to reauthenticate?

I've also read that the temp SRP key does not allow the migration process to work and you have to buy the $800 migration kit to do this.

Any help with this would be great appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[shuman]

Simplest and easiest way to go about this is to do a kife edge cutover.
1. Install same version of BES as your current BES on new hardware. Let the BES installation create a new DB instance on the new hardware. Do not point to the old DB. Make sure that the BES server name is the same as the current BES name.
2. Don't start the services on the new BES.
3. Backup the old DB and restore it to the new server
4. Install the latest SP on the new server which will update your DB schema. Make sure not to start the services.
5. If all goes well, Stop the services on the old server and then start the services on the new server. Disable the services on the old server so that they don't start up while the new server is active.
6. Wait and check the logs to make sure there are no problems.
You shouldn't need to reactivate any of the handhelds with this method.
GL

[TreeDude]

What is the point of having SQL 2005 if it is going to be on the same machine as the BES? I would just continue using MDSE then. That database itself is the same. Now if it were a dedicated SQL server, this would be a different story.

[spie_34]

Thanks for the reply.

But the server that BES is currently on isn't going to be renamed. I need to be able to move BES to a new server with a new name and then decommission the old BES on the old server. Is there a way to do this?

I suppose I could look into changing the old server name to something else but I would rather not do that as there is a bunch of other things configured for that server already.

SQL 2005 was just my preference is all. It doesn't have to be that.

[ashworth]

What you want to do is a knife-edge cutover:

BlackBerry Search Results

Good luck.

[shuman]

When you say a new name, ar eyou talking about the computer name or BES DB name?