[jibi]

- BES 4.0 SP1 HF1 for each server
- Local SQL 2000 installation on each server (separate databases)

I posed the question to RIM about how to move users from one server to another, to which he said it was not possible (mind you, this is prior to me ever stating that they were on separate databases). I asked him why the server console had the option to Move the user, to which he replied that he was not aware this option was there (this puzzled me a bit).

So I then asked him to take a look and he then saw what I was talking about. I asked if this was only possible to use with a shared database, to which he said yes. He then said that I could also just add the user to the second server and it would recognize I was already on another server and prompt for me to move the user (for testing purposes, I attempted to move my own account)...

...to say the least, it didn't exactly prompt me to move my account but rather, it prompted with a long warning stating to only use that option if it was not possible to properly remove the account from the other server.

Aside from removing the user and readding to the second server (which didn't work when I attempted it, although, in theory, it should work fine with no user interaction), is there a possible way to move the user from one to the other with a separate database?

Back to the 'move' procedure that the RIM tech told me about, it pretty much disabled my Exchange account. After clicking OK/YES to the prompt, I waited about 1-2 minutes then tried to do a Lookup from my handheld - no bones. I then tried to regenerate the encryption key from my handheld, to which it said there was an error and to contact my administrator (me, of course). I logged into the first server and noticed that my account was still there, so I attempted to remove it from there - error. I then tried to open an email within Outlook, but it had an error on it. I tried to login through OWA, but it returned a 404 error.

I finally rebooted the BES and was able to login to my Exchange account after that. I removed my account from the second BES and readded it to the first BES and all started working again.

Now, to keep on going down this road, one of our Exchange servers' transaction logs started filling up to 95% disk utilization (40GB+ filled up in less than 2 days). We finally traced that back down to my account. I had an error that popped up on the second BES early this morning which stated that it failed to find my account (which had been removed from that server a few days prior). I rebooted this server to clear the error and the Exchange transaction logs stopped growing at that time.

Anyhow, just a word of advice to those who may see this same behavior in the future... And any advice about the moving of a user between servers that use separate databases, if any other options are available?

[mikej5780]

The "seamless" user move only works both BES share a databse in 4.0. The sync server gets a command to update the service books as part of the move. If they are on different databses, the sync service can't do it. With the servers on different databases, the only option is the re-activate the device on the new server.

[Dobbin]

Have they moved keys from the BES Admin mailbox into SQL then? (sure they were in mailbox in 3.6)

[Digger]

I had two 3.6 servers that were setup with their own databases. One was a production server and the other was a test server. I would constantly move users from one to the other. Mind you, that both of the servers were in the same Management Console. I added the test server to the production server's Management console for better control. This was also a bonus when I needed to upgrade the test server to 4.0...

I am not sure if this has been removed from 4.0/4.1 at all, but I will find out on the 18th when I upgrade the production server.

[jibi]

I do not have the option for multiple servers in a site within the console, so I'm not really sure if that is even possible (if it is still, with 4.0, someone please let me know how).

I have seen where the console listing is like this:

BlackBerry Manager
|
|--First Routing Group
|
|--SERVER

Mine lists like this:

BlackBerry Manager
|
|--SERVER

[Digger]

On my 4.0 test server you can import a server into the BB Manager by right-clicking on the Blackberry Manager (within the console) and selecting Import Server(s). THis is how I did it with 3.6 servers. I was able to move a user between servers...

Hope this helps.....

[jibi]

I was under the impression that importing a server into BB Manager would be the same as setting it up on there. Is this for cosmetic management purposes only, though? I guess I should read up a bit on that.