Renaming a Domain Controller Best Practices

Question

Hello, What are the best practices for renaming a domain controller?

Answer 1

Hi @LULU

Before renaming domain controller , you should check if there are another application can be impacted. If all applications instaled on domain controller supports name modification you have two use case:

1. If you have another domain controller in same domain you can perform the following steps:

• If the target DC hosts FMSO role , move them to another Domain controller
• Demote domain controller and convert it to member server
• Rename Server
• Promote it again as domain controller
• If the target DC hosts FMSO role , move them again to this Domain controller

2. If you have only one domain controller in this domain , you can perform the following steps:

• Promote another domain controller in temporary machine
• Move FSMO roles to temporary Domain controller
• Demote domain controller and convert it to member server
• Rename Server
• Promote it again as domain controller
• Move FMSO roles them again to this Domain controller
• Demote temporary Domain controller

Please don't forget to accept helpful answer

Answer 2

To rename a domain controller, Microsoft recommends that you follow these best practices:

1. Ensure that the domain controller is running the latest supported version of Windows Server for your organization, as recommended in the "Securing Domain Controllers Against Attack" article.
2. Make sure that the domain controller is not a read-only domain controller (RODC), as RODCs cannot be renamed.
3. Verify that the domain controller is not a global catalog server, as global catalog servers cannot be renamed.
4. Ensure that the domain controller is not hosting any operations master roles, as these roles cannot be transferred to a renamed domain controller.
5. Verify that the domain controller is not running any applications or services that rely on the computer name, as these applications or services may not function properly after the rename.
6. Follow the procedures outlined in the "Core network components" article to rename the domain controller.

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References:

• Securing Domain Controllers Against Attack
• Core network components

Answer 3

You can do like this: https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000226230/windows-server-how-to-properly-rename-an-active-directory-domain-controller#:~:text=At%20an%20elevated%20command%20prompt%2C%20type%20netdom%20computername,name%20was%20added%2C%20type%20netdom%20computername%20%3Coldname%3E%20%2Fenumerate.?msockid=08a6e76781e064813f6af28380a76506