server alias -- need help!!!!

[buddyel]

We have an immediate need to alias a few server names. I have created a custom hosts file to place on a few servers which will run a custom application which has hard coded the names of a few servers. Since we are moving these applications to a new site and are unable to keep the same server names, thus the use of the hosts file. All servers are Server 2003 R2 SP2 so i have also created the reg key to Disable Strict Host Name Checking.
The aliasing works fine except when you try to access the alias name from the actual server which is being aliased (example: accessing \\SERVER01 from \\NEWSERVER01) which causes us to get prompted for network credentials but no matter what we enter (domain admin or local admin credentials) it rejects it. The reason we need to access the alias name from the same server is the application is set to store files by UNC path and not local path and the code is unable to be modified. Any ideas?

 

[markdmac]

Don't use the hosts file, that is a bandaid. Instead just create CNAME records in your internal DNS server.

Your problem is not as unique as you might think and we do this all the time to overcome this issue caused by poorly written legacy applications.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

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[mrdenny]

You will need to disable the local loopback check as well. It's yet another new security feature in Windows 2003. This article is for LCS but you'll get the point. You want method 1.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941095

For documentations sake here is the URL for the reg key you have already done.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281308/en-us

Denny
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