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demoting an enexchage server?

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by s.johnston

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What is the effect of demoting a Win2k Domain Controller if exchange 2000 is installed on that server?

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by timwalsh

If the DC is the only DC in your domain, Exchange will cease to function as it REQUIRES Active Directory to function properly. Because Exchange gets all its mailbox information from AD, even if you repromote the server with the same domain name, and recreate all the same user accounts, it will in effect be a different domain than what Exchange is looking for.

If other DCs exist in the domain, as long this server doesn't have any FSMO roles assigned, there should be no impact on how Exchangefunctions (other than the time it takes to reboot the server after running dcpromo).

Hope this helps.

by s.johnston

Thanks for the help Tim.
The Exchange server is one of 2 DC in the domain. They have replication issues because the GUID on the exchange server has been changed and the 2nd DC cannot locate the server with an RPC call because it has the wrong GUIDfor the 1st server. Microsoft recommended using NETDOM to reset the GUID (which lets the nearest DC know the new ID and replication should kick off again. I had also heard that demoting and promoting the DC after this was considered a good idea, but not necessary - any ideas?

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