BlackBerry Forums Support Community

noname · 03-16-2006, 01:17 AM

Hey folks,

Any early adopters and have already installed BES 4.1? If yes, did you guys encounter any issues during the installation or upgrade? Have looked at the installation and upgarde guide, RIM has dish out out a number of checklists to verify prior to installation or upgrade.

Let's share any known issues or pitfalls to avoid here! Thanks!!!

noname

jibi · 03-16-2006, 09:13 AM

Since the Domino 7 question had absolutely nothing to do with your thread, I moved it into its own.

As for installation issues, I believe that i am the only lucky installer so far - no issues at all, thusfar. There are some features that do not work as advertised (outbound auditing of SMS/PIN/PhoneLogs is actually a synchronization of the local handheld databases, so outbound/inbound auditing is actually what is taking place). But aside from that, no real issues during the installation. I took my time and read the installation/upgrade guide and verified each step in the checklists.

My previous configuration:
BES 4.0.3 HF3 connecting to a shared database with approximately 10 users active on that server. I moved all of the users to our other server and verified they were working on that server. Once everyone had been moved, I removed the BES from within BlackBerry Manager. I waited 20 minutes (just in case some crap needed to clear) and then went back to my other server and changed the database to point to/create a new BESTest database on the same database server.

Once I had everything up and running for the BES (4.0.3 HF3), I removed myself from the other BES and readded myself to the Test BES (security wipe and reactivation). After all that was working, I went ahead and proceeded with the upgrade process (I updated Windows patches to the latest, installed MSMQ, etc.). My handheld was receiving emails once again immediately after the installation reboot then services configuration.

MileHi · 03-16-2006, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jibi

As for installation issues, I believe that i am the only lucky installer so far - no issues at all, thusfar.

I also had no issues installing 4.1. As Jibi did I read all the docs first and proceeded with installing BES with MDS. This is a full test environment on a W2K3 VM instance, fresh OS, Exchange 2K3, SP1, all the latest updates etc. I obtained a temp SRP and iden. key to test before moving to production. After the first phase of the install, it required a reboot(kinda wierd) I finished the install and things appeared to be ok. The interface is slick and much easier to traverse.(it better be for 480MB)
I moved myself and 4 other users over from the production BES(4.0.3, W2K3 virtual) to start testing. I am seeing a few issues, mainly that the web browsers keep appearing and disappearing from the users screens. Additionally, while browsing internally to app servers the browser will suddenly quit and return me to the home screen. I have cleared the service books, resent them, changed profiles, all to no avail. As I am typing this I am watching browser icons appear and disappear from my bbry screen. Will attempt a full wipe and reinstall of the handheld as well as a complete activation.
Hopefully not too much info. This is beta software in my mind so fairly satisfied but then again I do work for a software company hence my standards are pretty low.........

MrFace · 03-16-2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MileHi

I also had no issues installing 4.1. As Jibi did I read all the docs first and proceeded with installing BES with MDS. This is a full test environment on a W2K3 VM instance, fresh OS, Exchange 2K3, SP1, all the latest updates etc. I obtained a temp SRP and iden. key to test before moving to production. After the first phase of the install, it required a reboot(kinda wierd) I finished the install and things appeared to be ok. The interface is slick and much easier to traverse.(it better be for 480MB)
I moved myself and 4 other users over from the production BES(4.0.3, W2K3 virtual) to start testing. I am seeing a few issues, mainly that the web browsers keep appearing and disappearing from the users screens. Additionally, while browsing internally to app servers the browser will suddenly quit and return me to the home screen. I have cleared the service books, resent them, changed profiles, all to no avail. As I am typing this I am watching browser icons appear and disappear from my bbry screen. Will attempt a full wipe and reinstall of the handheld as well as a complete activation.
Hopefully not too much info. This is beta software in my mind so fairly satisfied but then again I do work for a software company hence my standards are pretty low.........

How do you go about getting a temp key to use? I could really use this for testing before we upgrade!

jibi · 03-16-2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrFace

How do you go about getting a temp key to use? I could really use this for testing before we upgrade!

RIM Technical Support Information:
1-877-255-2377

They're usually okay with giving them out to anyone, although having a TSupport plan would likely net you better results. If not, might as well just try to request one anyhow.

cbass98 · 03-16-2006, 03:50 PM

You can also request a temp key on the Blackberry web site.

MileHi · 03-17-2006, 09:02 AM

Ok...so a little something I noticed. I used the "move user" (cool feature) to move users from my production BES to my test BES. As I noted in my above post there were some strange issues with browsers appearing and disappearing. Looking into this further(BES admin is only a little part of my day) I found that although I moved users the user was still present on both servers. To clarify, from the 4.1 console you cannot see this meaning the user only showed in the test bbry manager. But when I logged in to my 4.0 console the users were still in bbry manager. Would this cause issues? I think so, the details I am not sure of yet. So I removed the users from both instances, cleared the statistics and added them to the test BES. No more browser issues.

jibi · 03-17-2006, 09:16 AM

So you have a test BES 4.1 and a production BES 4.0 sharing the same configuration database? Call me crazy, and even if this was a supported configuration, I would NOT do that.

MileHi · 03-17-2006, 09:36 AM

Actually jibi, I know how that happened. I am quick to point out that I am not as well versed in the world of BES as some here. I am using a different database(different database on a different db server)which was created from the production db. Since the configuration data is stored in the database, that's why the production configuration data is showing up on my test BES. They are not physically connected in any way. Which would explain why it did not remove the user from the production BES. Am stumbling through this. thanks for the comments.

cbass98 · 03-17-2006, 12:41 PM

MileHi, after you moved the user to the 4.1 test server, did you try to only remove the user off the old 4.0 server (and only have them in 4.1)? Did their BB still work?

MileHi · 03-17-2006, 01:05 PM

Yes, it still worked.

jibi · 03-17-2006, 01:11 PM

Personally, I let the BES installation do the database for me, rather than restoring the production data to another database server (I will assume this is what you did). I think you are experiencing the ins and outs of why that is a bad idea. I would personally delete the test database, uninstall the BES server software, and start over from scratch, creating an actual test database.

To move users from one to the other, you will simply remove them from the production server, do a security wipe on their handheld, add them to the test server and activate the handheld. The move function only works properly if you've installed two BES servers and pointed them to the same config database. Anything else could cause issues to the BES, the user mailbox and possibly the mail servers (I've hosed up an Exchange server attempting to add a user to another BES when they were on our production server at the time).

MileHi · 03-17-2006, 01:15 PM

hehe...what are you reading my list Jibi? This is what I am currently working on. After seeing some of the wierdness I re-thought the process, coupled with some points that you brought up I decided to blow it all away and start over again. The beauty of vmware.

blackberryentp · 03-18-2006, 04:24 PM

Get your Trial CAL and SRP's Here:

http://www.blackberry.com/go/cingular_bes_trial

stevebb · 03-20-2006, 10:01 AM

Hello.. I just have a few questions to see if people are seeing the same things I am....

1- The 4.1 MMC doesn't appear to show stats in "real time". In prior versions ,if you right click a user and select User Stats, it would show you the stats in real time (you could watch messages go pending, then forwarded). This was a nice aid when you had the user or help desk staff on the line... The 4.1 console shows you stats, but they don't appear to update in real time - only after a few minutes, or with a screen refresh. Anyone else seeing this? (I have a ticket open with RIM that they have escalated to developers to confirm).

<edit>
RIM confirmed this is the case (stats don't update real time). They are adding it to the feature request list... so if you want to see this, get on your account manager...

"We have submitted a feature enhancement request to development to view real time user stats from the BlackBerry Manager. This feature will be considered for a future release of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server."
</edit>

2- It looks like the log format changed... Logs used to be UTF-8 encoded, now appear as UTF-16BE encoded text... Normally not a problem for most people, but when you are using tools (Grep and VBScript) to process logs, it throws a wrench into the system... Just curious if anyone has observed this... (Also a dev ticket open at RIM on this).

I have done one upgrade (from BES 4.0 SP2) to 4.1, and one fresh install for testing. Both without incident, both work fine for the test users. Anyone tried any large upgrades (our production BES's have over 1000 users each...)?

Steve

jibi · 03-20-2006, 10:10 AM

1 - That is correct, and I completely agree with you. Let us know if they can add the real-time analysis back as a function, or atleast the interval at which the BlackBerry Manager application now updates itself (even forced refreshes don't update the stats).
2 - All of my log files state they are UTF-8 Encoded and look no different than log files from 4.0 SP3. However, you can change this in the BES Server Configuration under the Logging tab (16BE is an option).

DAdams91982 · 06-23-2006, 11:40 AM

Okay.. .so I am upgrading 3.6.2 single server environment tomorrow.. I was ensured no problems from RIM.. but is there ANYTHING I can do to prepare for this. to make sure it goes off without a hitch... cause down time here will be a ***** with some high up officers breathing down my neck.

Adams

DAdams91982 · 06-23-2006, 11:48 AM

Okay... let me specify... BES 3.6.2 is on Windows Server 2000... Using MS Exchange 2003.

Anybody got any steps I need to ensure I take BEFOREHAND?

Adams

tepSun · 08-29-2007, 05:15 PM

Hi all -

I understand that having a production 4.0 and a test 4.1 using the same config database is not supported. (is this true btw?)

So I setup a trial 4.1 licence setup in a test environment. I need to know:

1. If I wanted to perform a cut-over upgrade from 4.0 to 4.1, and using the BESmigration tool, will I need to re-Enterprise Activate all my user's handhelds?

2. If I performed a phased upgrade, that is, installed 4.1 on a new server, using my existing config Dbase, do I imediately have to upgrade my old BES running 4.0? Also, would I have to re-Enterprise Activate the handhelds?

3. How can I trial 4.1 with test users from my 4.0 environment without re-activating user accounts? Is this possible?

Thanks for any help or insight you may be able to share on this.

Bill

stevebb · 08-30-2007, 08:36 AM

I'm not going to go thru your questions... but I'll just say this...
If you have a requirement that users can't activate after the move, then you need to do an in-place upgrade...
My process for all upgrades (we always have to upgrade as we have too many users to re-activate)...
1- Shut down anything that touches the BES db
2- Do a complete backup of the database in case you have to go back
3- Use the CreateDB.exe command line tool and the BESMgmt.cfg parameter file to upgrade the database
4- Upgrade 1 BES (if you have more than one, hold off until you check the first one)
5- if all is well, upgrade the rest of the BES's

That's the process I've used (we have a very large environment), and it's worked really well for us.
If you have T-Support, run your plans by them first. And there have been times I've needed them in the middle (database didn't upgrade correctly...etc...).

Steve

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