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Change Network Administrator Password

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by pyman51

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I have just started as a new Network Administrator for my company. The Network Administrator password has not been changed for a very long time and I am one of a whole line of previous network administrators who have now left knowing the Domain's Administator password. To get back an element of security, how do I change it without affecting other servers and services etc..?
Thanks
Robin

10 replies

by older mycroft

Don't fix it.

If you change the password, you are cutting off an entire range of [i]"previous network administrators"[/i] that you won't be able to call on the phone when you forget it! ;)

How did you get the post of Network Administrator if you don't know how to change a password???

by cmiller5400

Some people just "earn" the spot because they "know the most" :p

Yup, time to get a Network Administration for Dummies book.

by jdclyde

NET admin does not equal SYS admin.

Just because I can program a router does not mean I can program AD.

Sounded more like a double check to make sure she doesn't take the whole thing down by making a change on one system.

And I don't know how it would be done either..... Linux, not Windows servers.... ;\

by pyman51

I understand AD and Group Policies etc.. and how to set up and change user accounts, exchange accounts etc.. However before just rushing in where fools fear to tread I thought I might get some sensible replies back from some more serious technicians about the pitfalls of changing the Administrator's password. After all, it is used by a number of servers and possibly, a number of "hidden" services/applications. Thanks a bunch folks!

by older mycroft

You'll not last long in your Network Administrator job. ;)

I'd be asking myself - "How many people actually know this password?" If it's very few I'd just leave it. :)

by rob miners

for which accounts are setup to run services. I don't normally use the Administrator account to run anything but that may not be the case here.

Keep us informed as to your progress if you require further assistance.

If you think that any of the posts that have been made by all TR Members, have solved or contributed to solving the problem, please Mark them as Helpful so that others may benefit from the outcome. ;) :D

by 1bn0

This is a valid question. Surely there are those among you with the experience and expertise to provide guidance on this issue.

Better an inexperienced , yet cautious approach, than pressing the button just to see what happens.

I have the domain administrator password for the domain at my work location. I do not have the Domain Admin password for the domain at our other location. They are reluctant to divulge it unless absolutely necessary. (I do have a Domain Admin rights account on the second domain)

The main reason for the reluctance seems to be tied to the fact they (the senior administrators) are just as reluctant to consider changing the Domain Administrator password.

These domains were started on NT server by administrators who have long retired.

Maybe an intelligent discourse would provide some guidance on what NOT to do along the way, in relation to the Domain Administrator and the issues it may affect down the road

(Edited again! 10/20/2008. Its hard to correct my spelling mistakes when I can only read two sentences at a time spread over 8 display lines)

by pyman51

Thanks for your support 1bn0. This is exactly the trap I did not want to get into.. Why are so many Domain Administrators so secretative and reluctant to talk about it? Maybe they don't know the ramifications either, or even the safe way to do it?

Surely there are potentially enormous dangers if you don't change the Domain Administrator password after a disgruntled Domain Administrator has left the company?

All help gratefully received, Thanks.

by lvg82648

Robin, I have had to change the administrator password on our network several times in the past 5 years. I dont know if it is the easiest way but I change the password in AD, then I go through the running services on all our servers to see if any are set as "logon" services and change to the new password. It takes a while because we have approx 16 servers and then I usually go and test all my databases and running services to make sure they are working. I usually spend about 2 hours on it. Hope this helps.

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