Rename Windows 2008 and Windows 2019 Domain Controllers

Question

Hi All

I have a strange setup at work, a small item i'm working on. There's a legacy File server that one division connect to. This server is on an isolated Forest, for data security reasons back in 2010. So the server is a file server and DC combined, on the corporate network, but logically NOT within AD.

At the start, this setup was meant to be for 15 people, so what they did was create local batch files to map users to the drives on the server...now this has expanded to well over 100 people connecting at various times. Nightmare. The user accounts they have created on the destination AD DO NOT match-up name-wise with the source accounts the users use on their Home Active Directory Forest.

They don't want to move to a cloud offering...they want to remain on-prem with a new physical server, for now. Long story short, I think I need to rename the 2 domain controllers.

1. OLD DC, windows 2008. Called DCFile01
2. NEW DC, Windows 2019, Called DCFile02

For mapped drive purposes at the client side, where they are using LOCAL batch files to map, I want to rename DCFile01 to DCFile03.
Then, on the same day, I want to rename DCFile02 to DCFile01.
Thankfully, the 2 DC'(s) and File server(s) don't seem to offer anything else. No DFS, no GPO, no other apps installed (Other than backup agents).

In theory, this appears possible and there are some forums posts about it around the web.

Am I correct....is this a non-conventional thing to do, or would you consider this is reasonably commonplace?. I haven't done it before myself, but I'm sure it's often come up in discussions at places I have worked over the years.

Coop

Answer 1

A bit risky but you can follow along here.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2008-R2-and-2008/cc794951(v=ws.10)

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Answer 2

Hi,

If you have 2 domain controllers in same domain ,the recommended method to rename a domain controller is :

1. Demote the domain controller , after this step the domain controller will be a member machine
2. Rename demoted domain controller to target name
3. Promote the domain controller with new name

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Answer 3

Hi,
As others said, you could change the name of a domain controller, however, it is generally suggested to be done including:
New hardware is purchased to replace an existing domain controller.
Domain controllers are decommissioned or promoted and renamed to maintain a naming convention.
Domain controllers are moved or placed in sites.
And after you rename your domain controller, you must manually update the File Replication Service (FRS) or Distributed File System (DFS) Replication member object. This object must be updated with the new domain controller name so that the domain controller can replicate SYSVOL. Because the FRS or DFS Replication member object is not updated with the domain controller name automatically during the domain controller rename, we recommend that you rename your server before you promote it to domain controller status.

Best Regards,
Vicky