[goshawk]

Hi All,
I have a customer who is hammering out the exact details on migrating from a 3.6 BES to a 4.1 BES. The existing 3.6 servers currently use SQL Server 2000 and run on a Exchange 2003 A.D. domain. As SRP's are limited the plan was to simply bring the 4.1 online with the same SRP and then migrate the users but I do understand that this will cause Blackberry to cease functioning (2 servers using the same SRP).

So for this particular operation I was thinking this scenario:

1. Install SQL server on the new server
2. Move the old BES database to the new SQL server 2000 Instance
3. Install the new BES server v 4.1 making sure to use the same Exch 2003 account, same SRP, etc. but yank it's LAN cable before it finishes rebooting
4. Disable all BES services on the 4.1 server
5. Reconnect the new BES 4.1 server (services disabled)
6. Stop BES on the 3.6 server
7. Start BES on the 4.1 server

Questions:

As I am moving to a new version of BES will this work?

Will the initial install attempt of BES 4.1 fail if I input a SRP that is currently in use on the network? (note: I won't try to test the connection or hit the RIM)

Will the users need to re-cradle with the upgrade?

Will the users lose any files/email with the upgrade action?

Any help would be most appreciated and thanks!

[goshawk]

Oops. There is a mistake in my list above. Currently the customer has roughly 6 disparate MSDE databases that they want to consolidate down to 2 SQL Server instances. Which MSDE database goes where depends on where the satellite office is compared to the primary site they will have their email hosted too. How hard is migrating and consolidating individual MSDE datastores to SQL 2000?

[BBAdmin]

OK, you can't point a 4.1 BES at a 3.6 database, the tables are different and it simply won't work.

Are you going to run the new instance of BES on the same machine? If so then just upgrade if you want. If not then export the user list from the 3.6 BES, install the new 4.1 instance on the new BES (shut the old one down first), then import the user base list in to the new instance. If the devices are all 4.0 or above they will reactivate themselves.

If it were me and if I was keeping it on the same box I'd go for a fresh install to be honest. Again, export the user list, uninstall the 3.6 instance, install the new 4.1 instance and then import the user list.