Hi,

I'd like to know how complex it would be if we had to rename our AD domain
name?  Long time ago when we promoted Windows from NT4 to 2003 domain, we
chose to use this name for FQDN: hq.company.com.  Now, we'd like to get rid
of hq and just company.com, is this possible?  We don't have any sub-domains
and we have Exchange 2007 SP1.

Appreciate your inputs.

Exchange is the issue. You should post this to an Exchange news group.


hth
DDS

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Hi there, domain renaming is technically possible if the domain functional
level is set to w2k3, however, do you really need to go down this path? As
Danny said exchange may well be an issue here and could cause you many more
problems than might first become apparent. I suspect you may well have other
applications that rely on the domain name/netbios name as well and they may
not come to light before hand.
If its not broken dont fix it. Can i ask why you want to change the name?
James.
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Hi James,

We're not changing the NETBIOS name, only the FQDN (i.e. ad1.company.com).
Our infrastructure contains both Linux and Windows and in the past, we've
always separated Linux from Windows, hence the domain name ad1.company.com
for Windows world and Linux is just company.com.  We have setup various DNS
servers to work with each other for name resolution.  It's been working fine
but now we're trying to move services from Linux to Windows, if we can have
just company.com domain, could make the integration a bit easier.

Thanks for your advise.


"James Yeomans BSc, MCSE, MCTS"
<JamesYeomansBScMCSEM***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
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Hi

Is it complex?

- No. IF you know what you're doing.

Can things go wrong?

-YES, actually you can crash your entire forest, that's why it should be
planned carefully and tested, and tested again... before going to
production. Although it's a simple process that doesn't mean that you
shouldn't plan very carefully and evaluate the impact that this action will
have in your Forest, including Apps, users, downtime, etc...

Why people are afraid?

-Unfortunately there're many known stories of broken forests using domain
rename.

What should you do?

-Read MS documentation, test and test again in a lab scenario, evaluate the
impact on apps in your network, plan the backups, plan the rollback, test
rollback actions, if possible you can ask for MS Support services to help
you on that.

After all this you can ask yourself if you really need that domain rename
and if all work will pay in the end.

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Hello Newbie,

As said also from the others, it is possible, also when exchange is installed.
Forest functional level must be windows server 2003. Some additional steps
are needed for exchange. So TEST it before in a lab.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2005.05.domainrename.aspx

http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2004/08/30/222719.aspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842116

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Domain-Rename.html

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/838623


Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm


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Newbie <nom***@noserver.com>, posted the following:
In addition to the other responses, I have put together the following that I
think may be helpful. Keep in mind, domain renames are not supported if
Exchange 2007 is involved. Read below for more info.

Good Luck!!!

================================================
Domain Rename Procedure and Notes:

Note: The Domain and Forest functional levels must be set to 2003. If you
have Exchange 2003, make sure it is minimal SP1 in order to support a domain
rename. If Exchange 2000, either upgrade to 2003, or Exmerge all of your
mailboxes to PSTs, uninstall Exchange 2000, run the domain rename operation,
then reinstall Exchange 2000, and use Exmerge to pump the mailboxes back in
the user's newly created mailbox accounts.

Also, if a PKI infrastructure was installed (Certificate Services), it will
need to be removed first prior to a domain rename:

How to decommission a Windows enterprise certification authority:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/889250

819145 - Support WebCast Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Implementing an
Active Directory Domain Rename Operation:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;819145&Product=winsvr2003

Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Domain Rename Tools:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb405948.aspx

Domain Rename - Rename a Windows 2003 Forest with Exchange 2003 installed
(ifyou don't have Exchange, you can ignore the Exchange part)
http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Domain-Rename.html

Domain Rename Part 1 - Setup
http://thelazyadmin.com/blogs/thelazyadmin/archive/2006/06/07/Domain-Rename-Part-1-_2D00_-Setup.aspx

Domain Rename Part 2 - Renaming
http://thelazyadmin.com/blogs/thelazyadmin/archive/2006/06/08/Domain-Rename-Part-2-_2D00_-Renaming.aspx

Domain Rename Part 3 - Exchange 2003
http://thelazyadmin.com/blogs/thelazyadmin/archive/2006/06/09/Domain-Rename-Part-3-_2D00_-Exchange-

2003.aspx

Now if you have Exchange 2003, here is what you need as well:
Supplemental steps for using the Exchange Server Domain Rename Fixup tool
together with the Windows Server 2003 domain rename tools:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842116/

Domain Rename - Rename a Windows 2003 Forest with Exchange 2003 installed
http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Domain-Rename.html

The following was quoted from:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738208.aspx

Keep in mind after a rename procedure, the DC's Primary DNS Suffix is not
automatically changed to match the new domain name. You are required to
change the Primary DNS Suffix to match the new name. In other words, unlike
the names of member computers, the DNS names of domain controllers in a
renamed domain will remain unchanged.  The domain controllers can be renamed
in a separate step, using a special domain controller rename procedure,
after the domain rename operation is complete. You must double-check ALL
domain members to insure that their Primary DNS Suffix matches the new
domain name.

257623 The DNS suffix of the computer name of a new domain controller may
not match the name of the domain after you upgrade a Windows NT 4.0 primary
domain controller to Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;257623

------------------------------

If Exchange 2007 is involved, it is not supported at this time. You must
uninstall Exchange 2007, then rename the domain, then reinstall Exchange
2007. I know it is easier said then done, but that seems to be the only
option at this time.

Exchange 2007 installed is not supported:
The Microsoft Exchange System Attendant service does not start on a computer
that is running Exchange Server 2007 after you rename a Windows Server 2003
domain
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925822

Exchange 2007 and Domain Rename
http://theessentialexchange.com/blogs/michael/archive/2008/04/04/exchange-2007-and-domain-rename.aspx

==============================================

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