BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution

[jrmbtr]

Please pardon my ignorance, I don't have much experience admin'ing a BES. 

What are the upgrading options for BES SBE 4.1.4.15?  I was hoping to at least get HTML, but I know SBE is it's own animal.  I would appreciate any help/suggestions offered...I may need a little spoon-feeding as this is all new to me.

[DarkBES]

Hi jrmbtr,

Do you have BlackBerry SBE or BlackBerry Professional software ? Just want to clarify as the steps are quite different. I'll assume you do have the older SBE which was later replaced by BlackBerry Professional.

The steps are quite simple in this case. You can simply download the latest Service Pack (SP6) and then apply the latest Maintenance release (MR4). The software you have essentially is the same as the full Enterprise version but due to the fact that you entered in SBE licenses it is locked to a 15 user max. Should you want to go above that limit, you can purchase an unlock key.

The downloads can be found at the following site:

https://www.blackberry.com/Downloads/entry.do?code=7B66B4FD401A271A1C7224027CE111BC

If you were to stay at the SBE 4.1.4 version you *could* upgrade to BlackBerry professional software and that would give you the 30 user limit. But the software is a bit different and does not allow for HTML e-mail of course because there are no upgrades available past 4.1.4b. Doesn't sound like this is what you are looking for though.

**Note, once you upgrade your SBE to 4.1.6, you will not be able to upgrade to BlackBerry Professional software at a later date unless they come out with a version equal to or higher than what you have (ie: 4.1.6).

[knottyrope]

1) Go to the Add or Remove Programs Control Panel applet (Start > Run > appwiz.cpl <enter>)

2) Locate the reference to "BlackBerry Enterprise Server", select it and then click "Click here for support information.".

3) The publisher listed should be "Research In Motion" and the Version will be the exact version of BES currently installed.

 tell me the bundle number and I can most likely tell you what you have

[jrmbtr]

My version information is as follows:

4.1.4 (Bundle 25)

I was told we were SBE when an incorrect CAL was purchased last year.

[CerealBypass]

Sounds like you have BlackBerry Enterprise Server SBE 4.1 Service Pack 4 base (i.e. no maintenance releases). This version allows you to upgrade and get all the fun features available in the latest releases of BES (HTML e-mail, free/busy calendar lookups, etc.) but you will still be limited to a max of 15 users.

You certainly can install Service Pack 6, but like DarkBES said, you won't be able to go to the BlackBerry Professional Software which allows a max of 30 users. BlackBerry Pro is limited to Service Pack 4.

[jrmbtr]

I truly appreciate the assistance. 

I'm not particularly worried about capacity, if anything most of our people are going to iPhones; however I'm diehard Blackberry, so I would at least like the added benefits for myself!  And if capacity became a problem, worse case is we could move some to OWA via BIS.

Being that I would be going at this blindly, are there any walk-throughs or tutorials on this upgrade?

[knottyrope]

My how to apply 4.1.x service pack, MR, PDF fix with 1 reboot.

Also all SP's and MR's are and have been cumalative.
This will not update 4.0 or earlier versions of BES.

Do all the following while logged in as BESAdmin on the BES Server.

1. Backup DB
http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=KB10 292&sli...
2. Stop all BES services
http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=KB13 718&sli...
3. Stop SNMP services
4. Install SPx
5. do not reboot
6. install MRx
7. do not reboot
8. Apply PDF fix if you want, SP6 MR4 now includes it and you can goto step 9
http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=KB17 118&sli...
9. now you can reboot.
10 Put below in subject line and a BB will send back to you that it was delivered to a BB device.
<$confirm,removeondelivery> Test BES Update
11. backup DB everynight.

Message Edited by knottyrope on 04-08-2009 04:13 PM

[jrmbtr]

Is SPx this file: Filename: besx_upgrader_4.1.6.exe

And MRx this file: Filename: besx416mr4.zip

[DarkBES]

No need to apply the PDF interim security update as everything is contained within the MR4 update.

Just apply SP6 and then MR4.

You may want to verify everything is working prior to applying the MR4 update especially since you don't have many users. 

Make sure you are logged in with your BlackBerry service account (ie: BESAdmin).

Here is an article that runs through the "best practices" for applying a Service Pack.

KB10555

*EDIT - Yes those are the correct files

Message Edited by DarkBES on 04-08-2009 05:06 PM

[knottyrope]

That KB does not mention stopping SNMP which forces you to reboot even if all BES services are off.

Thanks fo rthe heads up on the PDF fix being included in MR4.

Also keep handy your orig install files since it usually asks for an msi file.

Message Edited by knottyrope on 04-08-2009 04:12 PM