Diary of a BES 3.6 - 4.x in place upgrade (Exchange)
 

Comments are welcome:

Performing in place upgrade today. Later on we will move BES off the exchange server 2000 to it's own machine. I know having BES on exchange server isn't the best config, but I inherited that issue. Doing inplace upgrade to 4 with all SPs and HFs then will migrate to new server later.
-80 Blackberries in NA

Procedure I'm following:

1. Backup Blackberry Database.
2. Send Lipman Email.
3. Send email to Berry users.
4. Run Through upgrade requirements checklist from manual.
5. Reboot Farmexch and test email and berry email. Just to verify can reboot.
6. Install MDAC2.8 on WELEXCH and reboot. Test all ok. Testing with smaller environment first.
7. Install MDAC2.8 on FARMEXCH and reboot. Test Exchange and Berry communication.
8. Install MSDE SP3a update to Microsoft SQL Desktop edition.
9. Test exchange and berry communication.
10. Install Latest Java VM and restart if necessary.
11. Test exchange and berry communication.
12. Upgrade 3.6BES to 3.6sp6. Latest service pack.
13. Test Exchange and Berry communication.
14. Upgrade 3.6BESSP6 to HotFix1.
15. Test Exchange and Berry communication.
16. Upgrade to 4.0. Will take about 30 minutes for DB updates.
17. Check services. 4.x Berrys will "activate" for 90minutes. Older Berrys will remain functional.
18. Test exchange and Berry communication.
19. Update to 4.3sp3
20. Test exchange and Berry communication.
21. Update to 4.3sp3 hotfix 2.
22. Test exchange and berry communication.

Step 8. BES 3.6 is still using MSDE1 from SQL7!!!! Upgrading to SP3 for MSDESQL7. Trying to use NT Authentication for upgrade.
Then will try to upgrade to MSDE2000sp3a.

Looks like you have a nice plan, hope it goes well! (y)

Ugh,
Thanks.
Just passed Step 8. Problem getting my MSDE7 to MSDE8. Continuing upgrade. Haven't even gotten to the BES upgrade yet. lol

Done 10 hours later. Notes below. X signifies done step.
 

A few issues updating the server BEFORE getting to the BES 4.0 upgrade. the BES4.0 upgrade went smooth.

X 1. Backup Blackberry Database.
X 2. Send Lipman Email.
X 3. Send email to Berry users.
X 4. Run Through upgrade requirements checklist from manual.
X 5. Reboot Farmexch and test email and berry email. Just to verify can reboot.
X 6. Install MDAC2.8 on WELEXCH and reboot. Test all ok. Testing with smaller environment first.
X 7. Install MDAC2.8 on FARMEXCH and reboot. Test Exchange and Berry communication.
X 8. Install MSDE SP3a update to Microsoft SQL Desktop edition.

Step 8 took hours to figure out how to update MSDE1 to MSDE2000sp3. Something was flakey?
The upgrade from MSDE1 to MSDE2000 kept the berry database in c:\mssql7\data, but installed the rest of msde2000 into c:\progra~1\mssqlserver etc. So KEEP MSQL7 folder in root of C forever!

X 9. Test exchange and berry communication.
X 10. Install Latest Java VM and restart if necessary.
X 11. Test exchange and berry communication.
X 12. Upgrade 3.6BES to 3.6sp6. Latest service pack.

Step12-Located original na\blackberryadmin account in default "USERS" OU in Active directory, moved it to farmington's Service account OU and edited the description explaining what the account is for.
Need to be logged on as that account for upgrade. password is ******. BB services use this account as well

X 13. Test Exchange and Berry communication.
X 14. Upgrade 3.6BESSP6 to HotFix1.
X 15. Test Exchange and Berry communication.
X 16. Upgrade to 4.0. Will take about 30 minutes for DB updates.

Redirected install directory of BES4.0 to E:\programfiles . Note old BES3.6 folder may exist in c:\programfiles, this will have to stay.
Finished install. chose NOT to restart services. will restart after 4.3sp3.

X 17. Check services.
X 18. Test exchange and Berry communication. Exchange works. BES services off until step 22.
X 19. Update to 4.3sp3
X 20. Test exchange and Berry communication.BES services off until step 22.
X 21. Update to 4.3sp3 hotfix 2.
22. Test exchange and berry communication. 4.x Berrys will "activate" for 90minutes. Older Berrys will remain functional.
Complete.