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Ability to change a Server 2008 R2 FQDN without disrupting environment or clients

Hello people,

I have been reading a little up on the NETDOM command, but most threads conclude to renaming your Domain Controller. I would, basically, like to adjust a domains Fully Qualified Domain Name... with the smallest amount of disruption to the existing network clients etc.

Is this possible?! ..it looks scary!... can it be done without breaking trusts between the clients and the host server?!

Currently, this network is just a little scenario, 5 clients, 2 printers, 1 x 2008 R2 server. The existing FQDN is hqserver.domainname.com and I would like to axe the 'hqserver'.

Any wisdom will be infinitely appreciated.

Best regards,

DD

M A

Please explain what is your objective of this change.
I.e. what do you gain after the change?.

Adam Brown

I'm a little confused at what you're trying to do...The FQDN is the host name + the domain name. Are you saying that the AD Domain name is hqserver.domainname.com, and you want to change that to just domainname.com? Or are is the DC named HQServer on the domainname.com domain? There's a big difference between these two. The latter situation is normal, and you can't just remove the server name in the FQDN. It has to be there or clients have no way to find the server. For the first situation, though, netdom can be used to shorten the domain name to just domainname.com, but only if there are no applications that don't support domain name changes (Exchange, Sharepoint, and just about anything with heavy AD integration will break irreparably if you change the domain name).

Damian

ASKER

Hello Adam Brown,

"Are you saying that the AD Domain name is hqserver.domainname.com, and you want to change that to just domainname.com?"

Yes, you are correct.

PS. The DC (server) is named BRAND-FS01, so it's host name is 'brand-fs01.hqserver.domainname.com' so the hqserver is really not necessary.

Damian

ASKER

Hello MAS,

"Please explain what is your objective of this change.
I.e. what do you gain after the change?."

A tidier FQDN, ultimately, I would like their DNS to become similar to their company web site, for example, currently remote.domainname.com does not resolve locally, but remote.hqserver.domainname.com does. While all this can be edited in the DNS to achieve the desired results. I often wonder is there a better way to tidy up the FQDN.

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footech

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David Johnson, CD

Don't fix what isn't broken

I would like their DNS to become similar to their company web site, for example, currently remote.domainname.com does not resolve locally, but remote.hqserver.domainname.com does.

At the registrar create a "A" record that points remote.domainname.com to your public ip and forward port 80 to remote.hqserver.domanname.com

Damian

ASKER

I appreciate all your comments, I take all the advise as "steering me away from the rocks in choppy seas"... as some of you have pointed out, this is not out of necessity, but rather somewhat vanity. SO, this mission has been terminated.

Thanks very much for your comments.

Best regards,

Damian

footech

Ah, just noticed a misstype in my last post. I meant to say, "Also there are typically fewer DNS gymnastics that have to be done when your AD domain isn't the same as the public domain." :)

@DamoDiggler - If you feel you've gotten your answer, please remember to close your question. Thanks.

Damian

ASKER

Thanks to everyone for their generous thoughts and contributions.