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Changing email domain name for exchange 2003

My company has requested that I change our email domain name to something easier to type. We have a single exchange server running 2003 and hosting our email domain xxx@domain1.org. The company would like to change from xxx@domain1.org to xxx@domain2.org. Is there an easy way to have users retain their emails and data with going to a new domain? I know I have to create new pointers to the new name from our outside DNS but unsure how I would internally go about this change in AD/exchange. Thank you in advance and I humbly await for any help that might be out there.

cmorffew

Very easy to do.....

1. Open Exchange System Manager
2. OPen the Recipients container
3. Open the Recipient Policy Container
4. Right mouse click on Default policy and choose properties
5. Click on the E-Mail Addresses(policy) tab
6. click new
7. Choose SMTP Address
8. in the address line of the new window type the new address format= @domain2.org
9. click OK
10. ASSUMING YOU WANT THIS DOMAIN TO BE DEFAULT - click Set as Primary

Once you have done this the new domain will be added to the acceptable list. Your users will still reatin the other address so incase someone send to the old address you will still receive it. When you are comfortable that the domain1.org is no longer needed you can remove it.

cmorffew

FYI
You are not actually changing the domain name of your internal domain. You are telling Exchange to accept emails for the new domain. You will notice that if you have setup your internal domain to domain1.org then nothing will have changed. Your AD will still be in domain1.org.

If you want to change the internal domain to reflect your new domain then that is a huge project for you depending on how many servers you have and the network configuration of AD. If this is the case let me know and i can direct you to a wealth of information on a domain rename - currently having to do one this coming weekend.

glandal

ASKER

Thank you for the info. This seems like it will be a lot less painful than I had expected. So basically point from the outside to the new email domain name and follow the steps you have provided above right? On the client side will it be seemless to the user in the sense that they wont have to change any settings and the only difference will be recieving email from both the old and new address until I kill the old one? Thanks in advance again.

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cmorffew

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glandal

ASKER

This was extremely helpful and I appreciate your fast and accurate response to my question. Thank you.

efrimpol

cmorffew,

I would like to know how your domain rename went as there may be a possibility that I may be on a similar endeavor.

I know that this is not for the faint of heart and would appreciate some pointers.

Thanks in advance,

efrimpol