[mikecel79]

We currently have about 65 users on a 4.1.3 BES that is running on old hardware. We want to upgrade to 4.1.6 on a different server. We know we'll have to push all users through an activation but I want to verify my migration plan.

1. Install a 60 day trial on the new server with a trial SRP key and trial 20 user CAL.
2. Setup the new BES in the existing Exchange org.
3. Move a test user over (myself) to this new BES and verify it works.
4. Inform users about new activation.
5. Move SRP key and CALs from the old BES to the new BES.

Will I have trouble moving my SRP key and CALs from my old installation to the trial installation? As i understand you can only have a SRP key installed on one BES server at a time. Is this correct?

[knottyrope]

Why not do a knife edge cutover?
page 49
http://na.blackberry.com/eng/deliver...ide%5B1%5D.pdf

[mikecel79]

We were hoping to use the new server to test come policies first. Also we could migrate our existing settings over to the new server so we don't have a huge amount of downtime.

I've looked at the BES upgrade guide so I'm familiar with the knife edge approach I am just trying to limit downtime as much as possible with this upgrade.

[stuwhite]

Originally Posted by mikecel79

We were hoping to use the new server to test come policies first. Also we could migrate our existing settings over to the new server so we don't have a huge amount of downtime.

I've looked at the BES upgrade guide so I'm familiar with the knife edge approach I am just trying to limit downtime as much as possible with this upgrade.

I'm confused. How does moving users over and re-activating them all cause less downtime than shutting down their Production BES, doing knife-edge cutover then switching on new BES (say, 2 hours on a Saturday, for example)? All that happens then is that they get new service books and most won't even know you moved them.

As for testing policies first, surely you can do that to your heart's content on the trial machine and then once ready, do the cutover. Or am I missing something?

[mikecel79]

On page 52 of the upgrade guide it says I would rhave to eactivate all my BBs for a cutover anyways. I assume that means you have to push all users through activation when the new server comes up. Is this not correct?

[stuwhite]

Originally Posted by mikecel79

On page 52 of the upgrade guide it says I would rhave to eactivate all my BBs for a cutover anyways. I assume that means you have to push all users through activation when the new server comes up. Is this not correct?

Ah, that bit of the manual isn't talking about a knife-edge cutover, (move the DBs from an existing BES to a new one, so everything travels from old to new seamlessly). It's talking about a straight cutover to a new clean installation. I think you may want to have a look at this first -

View Document

[mikecel79]

Originally Posted by stuwhite

Ah, that bit of the manual isn't talking about a knife-edge cutover, (move the DBs from an existing BES to a new one, so everything travels from old to new seamlessly). It's talking about a straight cutover to a new clean installation. I think you may want to have a look at this first -

This would work except for keeping the name of the server the same. Do the BES server name and the windows computer name need to be the same or can they be different? The existing server is staying up because it's still running another service. I'll have to find out if I can rename that server without affecting the other services on it.

[stuwhite]

Originally Posted by mikecel79

This would work except for keeping the name of the server the same. Do the BES server name and the windows computer name need to be the same or can they be different? The existing server is staying up because it's still running another service. I'll have to find out if I can rename that server without affecting the other services on it.

The Windows name can be anything but the BES instance name (entered when you install the software on the new machine) MUST be the same as the existing BES. So existing BESW2K3 server running instance "BES01" would stay as BESW2K3 and new server BESW2K8 would then take over the instance of BES01.

[lvanek]

Ok i have BES 4.1.6.10 xch2007 in a VM enviroment. This server has become increasingly slow since i created it in July. To work in the management console is a nightmare at this poing; so i was thinking of creating a new server and migrating over to see if it helps. I just want to verify doing this knife edge cutover i will not have to reactivate all 100 BB's that are spread out across the USA and Canada.

[knottyrope]

Knife edge is the preferred way, NO EA needed.

View Document knife edge cutover

[stuwhite]

Not required. If you do knife-edge by the book and make sure you read everything a few times, no activation is required. You are moving the existing DB and SRP to a new box so as long as it comes up after the existing has gone down, you will be fine.

Personally I would look to fix the existing install first though, especially as you have the luxury of being able to upgrade hardware pretty quickly if required.

[lvanek]

any remote place to start? Ill list the specs, let me know what you think.

w2k3 R2 SP2 Server
SQL 2005 Standard
2 - 2.5GHz CPU's
3GB RAM

BES 4.1.6.10
Around a 100 users, nothing else installed on the server dedicated BES

The managment app is slow, you would think its on a Pentium 100 with 32MB ram....

[knottyrope]

you said in a VM enviroment. How is it configured?

[lvanek]

3 Dell ESX hosts each with following specs:
2 - quad core 2.5ghz Xenon's
48GB Ram
iSCSI to a 12TB Equalogic SAN

[knottyrope]

I wonder about the SAN setup.

Did you dedicate drives for SQL/OS, SQL Databases, Exchange/OS, Exch t logs, exch Store
or
did you lump it on one big 12TB space?

[lvanek]

I have several LUN's created on the SAN:

1 - 1TB File Server Data Store
1 - 1TB Exchange Mail Store
2 - 1TB VM Data stores - then VMware has folders on these containing each of the vm's files and snap shots
1 - 500GB VM Data Store
1 - 1TB .ISO File Store

Also the VM For BES is 1 - 30GB drive

[knottyrope]

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