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Swap server names

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I have 2 servers, I want to swap the name and IP addresses. They are in a W2K AD domain, with static IP's.

What order should I do what?

Both servers run a financial application with a web interface. Neither are DCs.

Any problems I should be aware of with DNS, or WINS or AD?

TM

5 replies

by m.r.

As long as DNS and WINs allow dynamic updates and don't have static entries you should be fine. AD will require admin login to change the names and there may be a delay as things get propagated throughout the network and name systems.

by timwalsh

The correct (and least troublesome) way to this would be to remove the computer from the domain (change from domain membership to workgroup membership - workgroup name isn't important), change the computer name and IP address, then rejoin the computer to the domain.

Since you are swapping names and IP addresses, you will probably want to modify this process slightly:
1. Change the membership of both computers from domain to workgroup.
2. Physically disconnect the computer from the network (since you can't have 2 computers with the same name or IP address at any time).
3. Change the names and IP addresses of both computers.
4. Check AD Computer and Users to ensure the computers neither computer exists as far as AD is concerned (otherwise problems might crop up when conducting the next step).
5. Reconnect the computers to the network and rejoin them to the domain.

As long as the DNS records for these servers are still correct (i.e. the appropriate host records, and any aliases, are listed for the appropriate IP addresses), you should need to make no changes to DNS.

You might want to delete any records for these 2 servers from the WINS database, and let WINS repopulate the database with the appropriate records. This isn't really necessary though.

Since neither server is a DC, as far as AD is concerned they are just another computer. Step 4 above should head off any AD problems.

Hope this helps.

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