[billpoly]

Hello All,

Approximately 18 months ago, I purchased and installed a BES 4.0 Small Business server. The demand for BlackBerry handhelds in my company has grown dramatically (MANY ecstatic users), so I’m at the point where I need to make the leap to the full BES 4.0 Enterprise server.

I’ve been told by Nextel that in order to upgrade from Small Business BES to Enterprise BES, you have to uninstall the existing Small Business BES, install Enterprise BES, create a new database, and re-provision all users. Is this true? Since adding CALs is nothing more than a license key, I would like to think that upgrading to the full Enterprise BES was just another license key, albeit a more expensive one.

I haven’t contacted RIM directly on this since I don’t have a TSupport contract. Nextel has been my primary point of contact for support thus far, and they have done a great job. I just find it hard to believe that I need to go through this hassle for something that should be so simple.

Has anyone gone through this upgrade process? Can you confirm that this is necessary? If it is, any tips before I embark on this process?

Thanks much…

Bill

[BBTechGuy]

You do have to uninstall the BES software. I don't think you'd need to create a new database though and I would highly recommend you not do that if you can help it.

[billpoly]

I would definitely like to avoid creating a new database - that is the part that concerned me the most. If I just have to reinstall the BES software and reattach to the existing database, would my currently registered users still be intact?

[T-Roy]

You cannot combine them. You bought a new BES, run a second BES?

You might be able to call RIM tech support if you have tsupport to replace your existing BES licening with the new license from your new BES as they are not functionally different.

[southwestcomm]

According to RIM once you order the upgrade just plug the new key into the license manager and the BES becomes a full BES. Same SRP, etc. The upgrade also includes 5 CAL's so the server has 20 similiar to purchasing an Enterprise BES.