We want to change our domain name 1

[GWINTO]

We have two servers, one running W2k with AD running in mixed mode and the other NT4 with exchange 5.5. Our company is about to go through a name change and I need to change the domain name accoringly.

Is there a way to globally do this in one hit? Can anybody advice on the best way for us to go forward with this please.

 

[brontosaurus]

in 2k, you can't change the name without demoting, so if you've got nothing going on with that domain right now, that's one option. the other would be to bring up a new DC in it's own Forest with the domain name you want, establish a trust to the old domains and use ADMT to migrate users.

 

[GWINTO]

That would require more hardware, is there a third party utility that will handle this? Something like upromote.

What would the consequences be of changing the domain name then re-booting?

 

[ashpp]

>What would the consequences be of changing the domain name >then re-booting?

The problem is the domain name is engrained in almost every aspect of AD & DNS. You can't just change it and reboot. I don't know of a better solution other than demoting but I'm sure there must be one out there.

Ash.

 

[brontosaurus]

the only "utility" would be upgrading to 2003 which allows for domain name changes.
As for consequences, there are none, because you simply can't do it.

 

[peteway]

From what you have said it sounds like you are working on a somewhat small domain. I would defintely recommend using the ADMT to get to your new domain name. This can be done over the course of a weekend if done right. as for new hardware, just use a powerful workstation, then after the migration format your current win2k AD box and add it to the new domain and move the master roles to it and remove the workstation. Its been done before in a pinch like this.

 

[monoflotech]

OK...Let's say I want to change My Domain Name but keep my NETBIOS Domain Name the same???

 

[MartijnM]

Don't go there. Having dissimilar NetBIOS and DNS (AD) domain names can cause serious naming resolution and browsing inconsistencies. I know this, since I am currently dealing with it.

I wholeheartedly subscribe to brontosaurus' earlier assessment: you can't do it, except for in the way described.

MM

Martijn Middelplaats
CCDA, CCNA, MCSA, MCSE
martijn at middelplaats dot net