Demoting A Domain Controller in an exchange enterprise

Ok, I am not an exchange admin, I am working on getting better with it, but Since I installed exchange on a Virtual box that halted all our mail enabled folders, I figure I will ask this question first.

A. What I want to do is demote a current Domain controller then change the name of this server.
B. Install Server 03 Standard on a new sever, recommission this new server with the Old Dc name and then Promote it back to a Domain controller.

Is there anythig special I need to take into consideration since I am running an exchange environment?

Thanks in advance.

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

royal

Upgrade the DC's OS and use the following tool to rename DC:
http://www.petri.co.il/windows_2003_domain_controller_rename.htm

You can do all that without having to demote and re-promote.

HeroPsycho

If you do demote/repromote, allow ample time for replication to occur between each step to be replicated to be safe.

Also, don't demote the DC if it's also an Exchange server, or bad things happen!

blargoe

More importantly, if it's a global catalog, make sure you have another one in the same site as the exchange server...

slinuxuzer

Royal I have to demote / promote I am swapping server hardware. I have another GC in the Same site and this DC is not an exchange server. Anything else to be wary of?

Thanks for the help Guys.

HeroPsycho

Backup Exec System Recovery Server Edition...

Restore to dissimilar hardware....

You can use it for 30 days for free...

royal

Ya personally I'd do what HP wrote. Use that or Acronis Trueimage with Universal Restore License for Bare Metal Recovery (which is restoring to dissimilar hardware). It'll take a lot less time and you can be sure the DC was set up the exact same way it was previously.