Renaming a windows server 2003 SBS

shanparames

HI

I want to know the steps and precautions to be taken before renaming the domain of a windows server 2003 SBS EDITION in a DELL POWEREDGE SERVER running EXCHANGE SERVER 2003 SP2

swaminathan

Claymoore

Never worked with SBS so I can't give you any specific advice. I do recommend that you install SBS in a virtual lab, rename it and see what happens before you try it in production.

GrayhenTor

If it's SBS 2003 then the server is both your DC and your Exchange server, right ?
I was going to say there is a tool called Rendom that renames domains but it is not supported if you have Exchange on any DCs. I think you are looking at removing Exchange, DCPromo old domain away , DCPromo new domain, reinstall Exchange. Or better, build a second SBS server with the correct domain name and then migrate to that. I guess, as it's SBS, that you have few enough users and data that you can switchover during a weekend perhaps..
And remember .. no domain trusts available in SBS so you can't have a dual domain type of migration.

HeroPsycho

GrayhenTor wrote: »

If it's SBS 2003 then the server is both your DC and your Exchange server, right ?
I was going to say there is a tool called Rendom that renames domains but it is not supported if you have Exchange on any DCs. I think you are looking at removing Exchange, DCPromo old domain away , DCPromo new domain, reinstall Exchange. Or better, build a second SBS server with the correct domain name and then migrate to that. I guess, as it's SBS, that you have few enough users and data that you can switchover during a weekend perhaps..
And remember .. no domain trusts available in SBS so you can't have a dual domain type of migration.

Actually, that's how you "upgrade" to newer versions of SBS is a dual domain migration. But trusts are not supported other for a migration scenario.

Agreed with everyone here. There's no simple way to do this. I'd have to ask if this is truly necessary.

Edit: Official from the horse's mouth. Domain/server rename is not supported.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/a/3/9a306a75-e7da-461f-996d-7b93e09948ee/04_CHAPTER_3A_NewInstallation.doc

Hyper-Me

How would you go about migrating and keeping stuff the same?

I mean since when do companys want to change internal domain names over and over when upgrading to new hardware/OS.

HeroPsycho

Hyper-Me wrote: »

How would you go about migrating and keeping stuff the same?

I mean since when do companys want to change internal domain names over and over when upgrading to new hardware/OS.

You don't. Have a nice day!

This is one of many reasons why I hate SBS.

You could consider when upgrading to new hardware is go P2V, but technically speaking that wouldn't be supported because it's a domain controller.

Hyper-Me

Virtual domain controllers are supported, I believe. There are just a lot of considerations with it and I think they also recommend that at least 1 DC be physical (which would eliminate SBS as a candidate)

HeroPsycho

Hyper-Me wrote: »

Virtual domain controllers are supported, I believe. There are just a lot of considerations with it and I think they also recommend that at least 1 DC be physical (which would eliminate SBS as a candidate)

Virtual DC's are supported. It is sometimes recommended PDC emulator be a physical due to it being the master time server, and time skewing is common in virtual machines. However, moving FSMO roles off an SBS server is unsupported. Keep in mind you may have multiple domain controllers in an SBS 2003 environment.

I wasn't talking though about running DC's as VMs. I was speaking specifically to performing P2V cpnversions on domain controllers. I went back and looked and it's actually not technically declared as unsupported that I could find, but you can definitely run into issues...

VMware KB: Virtualizing existing domain controllers

You would definitely want to cold clone if possible.

GrayhenTor

HeroPsycho wrote: »

Actually, that's how you "upgrade" to newer versions of SBS is a dual domain migration. But trusts are not supported other for a migration scenario.

Oh, I didn't know that. That's why I like TE forums.. I learn something new everyday

( Actually, the only customers I ever knew that used SBS were the kind that were so loathe to spend money on the OS in the first place that they would most likely put off any hardware upgrades too... wait for the machine to fail , panic, and then get us to reinstall/restore using the original domain name. It's a brilliant strategy ! )

HeroPsycho

GrayhenTor wrote: »

Oh, I didn't know that. That's why I like TE forums.. I learn something new everyday

It's funny. I fain utter complete ignorance about SBS at my job, and I'm apparently a resident expert when commenting about it anonymously.