I am looking to use the domain rename tool for a customer that has 350 XP pro workstations/laptops, 20 servers (BBerry, 1 Exchange server, SQL server, Avaya voice server, 2 domain controllers), 50 remote offices. About 75 of the 350 client workstations/laptops are mobile users who disconnect from the network and work offline for periods of time.
What are your experiences with mobile/disconnected/laptop
What are the key items to know/communicate with end users and the domain rename process?
What is your general experience with rendom?
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Where is the official documentation that says not advised at best of times and an absolute no go with Exchange?
I see official MS supported documentation for renaming an AD 2003 domain with Exchange 2003. I see many good experiences with it on EE with small issues here and there.
I performed the AD portion of the rename today without issue with a single DC, SQL server, several 2003 members...no issues. I will add Exchange 2003 to the mix tomorrow.
if it works for you then kudos - there is no official documentation - its an MS tool, they arent going to release it and then say dont use it, Im saying, from a stack of real world experience, that the vast majority of rename procedures fail miserably - not to say them all, but most do - and it is widely known in the exchange community that its one of the most risky things you can do - kind of like demoting or promoting an exchange box, it can work, but the vast majority of times it will kill your exchange server - if it works - then awesome, im happy for you, its just not a path i will ever take, and i work pretty heavily in the AD world
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by: Jay_Jay70Posted on 2008-07-27 at 15:30:07ID: 22099767
Hi,
I would personally push you away from the domain rename tool - its is not advised at the best of times, and when you throw exchange into the mix it is a complete no go
Have a search through EE on the problems that have come up through the rename process - its can be done, but unless you have a lot of in depth experience with the backend of AD, then please please please dont go this path, you will break your network
If you are desperate to change your domain name, build a new domain from scratch and use the migration tools availble from MS to migrate your structure
As much as i hate to be a pessimist, this will cause you heartache
James