[ekrengel]

Is Exchange 2003 compatible with BES 5.0 and Server 2008 x64? I don't really see in the compatibility matrix that it isn't, but I also don't see that it is either.

Does anyone know?

[cyclmpc]

Yup. We are in a mixed mode with users on Exchange 2003 and Exchagne 2007. Our BES 5.0 is on Server 2008 x64.

[ekrengel]

Originally Posted by cyclmpc

Yup. We are in a mixed mode with users on Exchange 2003 and Exchagne 2007. Our BES 5.0 is on Server 2008 x64.

Ok perfect thanks. So that is something you had to specify during the installation? Mixed mode?

[Brendan42]

Have this setup at the moment, nothing to specify during installation really, just ensure you have the latest mapi/cdo versions, correct permissions on the BES admin account and install away. From my experience:
0) Use the BES admin accont to install everything BES related.
1) If you go the High-availability route, ensure the DNS round-robin is in place before installing BES. You have to specify the DNS name during install.
If you are going to use MDS, you'll need a DNS round-robin for that too I think.
2) Install the monitoring service on a seperate machine if possible. Makes sense as the monitoring will alert you if the BES fails, but useless if it sits on the BES that has just failed and hence failed the monitoring service itself.

[ekrengel]

Originally Posted by Brendan42

Have this setup at the moment, nothing to specify during installation really, just ensure you have the latest mapi/cdo versions, correct permissions on the BES admin account and install away. From my experience:
0) Use the BES admin accont to install everything BES related.
1) If you go the High-availability route, ensure the DNS round-robin is in place before installing BES. You have to specify the DNS name during install.
If you are going to use MDS, you'll need a DNS round-robin for that too I think.
2) Install the monitoring service on a seperate machine if possible. Makes sense as the monitoring will alert you if the BES fails, but useless if it sits on the BES that has just failed and hence failed the monitoring service itself.

Thanks for the information!

I should be good with the BES admin account...we have everything working properly right now with our current BES 4.0 server. I'll have to look into the DNS round-robin...that's new to me. I think we do want to use MDS...somewhere I remember that that needs to be installed for Office Communicator to work on blackberries, which we want to implement. We have a separate monitoring service, so we won't be using that feature that comes with BES 5.0 (If that's what you mean, I haven't looked into it).

[ekrengel]

What services are best to split up on BES 5.0? Or best practices?

Or at least from everyone's experiences so far...

[cyclmpc]

When we decided to go to BES 5.0, I was told to a) create a new DB for the users on 5.0. RIM advised me not to upgrade the current 4.1.6 DB. So we started fresh. We also keep the DB on a seperate machine from the BES. b) If you are going to use the monitoring services, do not select it during the install or else, you'll need to run the install again and deselect it. Install the monitoring services on a seperate machine. c) Out of the many options to migrate from 4.1.6 to 5.0, we choose to use the migration kit and migrate with the transporter tool. Very easy transition.

[Brendan42]

Cyclmpc seems to have the setup I would like to have. Seperate DB server and monitoring server, but all else on the same machine. At least that way, if you get into trouble, install a new BES pointing to the DB server, move all users to that server and work on the old one. All while the monitoring service dutifully works away as usual.

[ekrengel]

Originally Posted by cyclmpc

Yup. We are in a mixed mode with users on Exchange 2003 and Exchagne 2007. Our BES 5.0 is on Server 2008 x64.

Are you running exchange system management tools for exchange 2003, or 2007? Since we only have exchange 2003, I am trying to install ESM for 2003, and it is failing on me...

[knottyrope]

ESM has some issues with newer server OS, just use CDO 1.2.1 form microsoft instead.

[ekrengel]

Originally Posted by knottyrope

ESM has some issues with newer server OS, just use CDO 1.2.1 form microsoft instead.

And you need Outlook 2007 installed with this as well?

[ekrengel]

Nevermind...I think I had the wrong download...this should be the right one:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en