[PK_Heskin]

We would like to carry out as seamlessly as possible a migration of BES to new hardware on a differently named Domino server.

Details:

1. Version of Domino on old BES: 6.5.4
2. Version of Domino on new BES: 7.0.2 (both servers on same Domino and
Windows domain)
3. Version of BES 4.1.2
4. Number of BES servers: 1 and only one SRP has been allocated
5. Model of handhelds: Almost all are 8100s
6. Operating system: Windows 2003
7. Uses MSDE on local server.
8. Number of users: 25 (most of them working remotely and rarely visit the office)


Domino and BES has already been installed on the new server and now we would like to be able to move the users to the new server and remove BES off the old Domino server. This old BES server will take on the role as a Domino mail server. If possible we would avoid users having to go through Enterprise Activation. I understand to carry out a "Move User" operation from the old server or an "Import From Legacy Server" the BES would have to be using the same configuration database as the new which I assume would mean upgrading to the full SQL program.

Another idea we had was to set up the new server exactly like the existing server with all the BES, SQL and Domino files copied over and then rename the Domino server and then somehow configure the BES to reflect this change. Is there a recommended way to carry out a rename of a Domino server which hosts BES? For example, when an organisation changes its certifier so the Domino server changes its name from say, BES/ABC to BES/XYZ, would you carry carry out some configuration changes to the BES to reflect the new name of the server? would you recreate the accounts and copy the state databases over? or would you need to set up a second server to perform a migration.

This situation must occur when companies are taken over and require a name change so it would be interesting to see if there is any documentation on how to do with this or if anybody has successfully managed this task themselves.

Thank you,

[x14]

You said you only have 1 SRP. You cannot have 2 servers running the same SRP. So unless you get a new one you will not be able to do a move.

The safest course of action would be to bring up a new server with the new name and move the users from old to new.

[PK_Heskin]

As far as I understand it there is no problem running two servers simultaneously with the same SRP as long as only one can see the relay at any given time. For the purposes of this migration they only need to see each other over the LAN and we want to migrate all the users at the same time.

At this stage I am assuming both servers do not have to be connected to the relay to perform a "Move User"? and that they would not throw up an error because they have the same SRP. If you can see any problem with this approach I would be interested to know.

[hdawg]

That is certainly a unique approach ... and I'm trying to think of a way as to why this wouldn't work; but I still wouldn't recommend it.

I can't say I'd try it, but I also can't see why it wouldn't work ... the destination BES would be doing all the communication with the HH.

Heck, I'd rather just give you a temp SRP that I have, but I'm sure that'd violate some agreement I have with RIM.

[x14]

1. The BES will not start if it cannot connect to the SRP. So the only way you can bring both servers online is to bring BES1 up, unplug the network connection from BES1 then bring up BES2.

2. Don't even know what would happen when the same SRP is registered twice in the SQL database.

3. Usually when you do a Move, an EA is automatically performed on the BlackBerry to update the Desktop service books and stuff with the new SRP. Not sure what would happen here.

I'm with hdawg, it's something I would not try myself.