New Enterprise Server

We are on 8.12 8.96.4. Our Enteperise server is on Windows 2003 32 bit with sql 2005. I'm doing research in attempt to replace the enterprise server with a new one (I have a development background/not cnc). Can I go right to Windows 2008 64 bit and keep the SQL on 2005 until I am ready to upgrade to 2008? Or should I upgrade the db on the old server to 2008 first? Also, I do plan to do a Tools release upgrade prior to this. Another question, will upgrading the Enterprise server interfere with my webclients or deployment server, or I can just do a server swap and don't have to do anything to the other servers? Any input you have is greatly appreciated.

erpfun,

As has been said many times in these forums, you really need a CNC person/consultant to help you since you don't have the background. Swapping and upgrading an Enterprise Server is not for the faint of heart.

Always start with the MTRs on Oracle's support site. Especially since you are talking Windows/SQL 64-bit. I think there is a document for swapping Enterprise Servers as well.

1) The JDE MTRs (Minimum Technical Requirements) do not list SQL 2005 on Windows 2008 as a supported combination. They also do not list SQL 2008 on Windows 2003 as a supported combination. Fortunately, upgrading the database itself from SQL 2005 to SQL 2008 is not a hard process.

2) If you plan to upgrade the database, then upgrading the Tools Release will be a required step, since SQL 2008 is not supported until 8.98.1 or higher (the current release is 8.98.3.4). If you upgrade to this Tools Release level, then you have several ESUs you will also need to apply, and it will most definitely require that you apply the Tools Release to your Deployment Server and JAS server(s).

This will affect your web clients, since they will be required to update their ActiveX controls (if using IE), and there will likely be some registry changes you will have to perform to get them to use the new HTML client.

Also, since the web server requirements have changed, I would expect that you would have to install a new version of WebSphere or Oracle Application Server, or move to WebLogic.

3) So, while your initial desire is to move to a new Enterprise Server with updated database, you will have to go at it from the other direction and make sure you have everything for the new Tools Release running first.

To help with your research, read through the JDE MTRs here: link.

P.S. Hopefully, you can see from these points why ebearman is recommending that you find someone with the requisite skills to handle these tasks.

Thanks Ken.
You have confirmed that I am heading in the right direction. I have a lot of work ahead of me. My IT co-workers are putting together a test network so I can run through the tools release upgrade to the release you mention and make note of any issues. Before I even load the tools release, I have to rename my deployment server, since we have an "_" in the name. Then I will upgrade our SQL from 2005 to 2008. Then we'll plan the swap to the new enterprise server running Windows 2008 64 bit.