Setting up aliases on NT Server

[lir]

At the moment we have a lot of installed software pointing at a particular directory on a server. We're migrating this data to a new machine and we obviously don't want to have to change the settings on every workstation on the network. Is there some way of persuading the new server that it also has the same name as the old one?

Our solution so far is to give it both a new IP address and the same one as the old system, but if anyone has a better idea I'd love to hear it.

 

[SRG]

It depends, are you clients accessing the data via a UNC path or a drive letter? Is there a NT domain involved hrer? Is the machine in question a domain controller.

Is the old server staying and service stuff to clietns as well.

You can't have two machines with the same name. You can rename a server, create logon scripts to change clients mappings.

What kinds of things are you serving? How do the clients access them.

I am note sure how giving the new machine the same IP as the old one will help. Then you will have to give the old machine a new IP. Name resolution will still point you at the old machine name with the new ip address.