Domain Rename

Steps Required for Domain Rename:-

Preparation : To analyze and prepare DNS zones for domain rename1. Compile a list of DNS zones that need to be created. 2. Use the DNS MMC snap-in to create the required DNS zones compiled in step 1.3. Configure DNS zones according to "Add a forward lookup zone" in Windows Server 2003 Server Help and Support Center.4. Configure dynamic DNS update according to "Allow dynamic updates" in Windows Server 2003 Server Help and Support Center. To use Control Panel to check for primary DNS suffix update configuration for a computer1. On a member computer, in Control Panel, double-click System.2. Click the Computer Name tab and then click Change.3. Click More and then verify whether Change primary domain suffix when domain membership changes is selected.4. Click OK until all dialog boxes are closed.To use the registry to check for primary DNS suffix update configuration for a computer :1. On the Start menu, click Run.2. In the Open box, type regedit and then click OK.3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters.4. Verify whether the value of REG_RWORD SyncDomainWithMembership is 0x1. This value indicates that the primary DNS suffix changes when the domain membership changes.

Steps to Rename the Domain: 1. Back up all Domain Controllers: Perform a full system state backup of all domain controllers in the forest. 2. Set up a Control Station:Set up a single computer as the administrative control station for the entire domain rename operation. . All the steps in the procedures described in this section are performed and controlled from this computer. You will copy all the required tools to perform the domain rename operation to a directory on the local disk of the control station and execute them from there. Although the domain rename operation involves contacting each domain controller in the forest, the domain controllers are contacted remotely by the domain rename tools from the control station. Prerequisites* Computer: Use a computer that is a member of a domain in the forest in which domain rename is to be performed to serve as the control station. * Operating system: The computer must be a member computer (not a domain controller) running Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, or Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition.* Operating system CD: You will need the Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, or Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition operating system CD.Important: Do not use a domain controller to act as the control station for this domain rename operation. 3. Copy the necessary files to the Control Station:copy M:\valueadd\msft\mgmt\domren\*.* C:\domren * where M: is the CDROM drive. In particular, verify that the two tools rendom.exe and gpfixup.exe have been copied into the working directory C:\domren on the control station. 4. Install the Support Tools on the Control Station. 5. Generate the current Forest Description file: At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following command and press ENTER:c:\domren\rendom /list 6. Save a copy of the current forest description file (domainlist.xml) generated in step 5 as domainlist-save.xml for future reference by using the following copy command: copy domainlist.xml domainlist-save.xml 7. Using Notepad.exe, edit the Forest Description file, domainlist.xml, replacing the current DNS and/or NetBIOS names of the domains and application directory partitions to be renamed with the planned new DNS and/or NetBIOS names. 8. Review the new Forest Description in domainlist.xml: At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following command and press ENTER:c:\domren\rendom /showforest 9. Generate the domain rename instructions and upload them to the domain naming master. At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following command and press ENTER:c:\domren\rendom /upload 10. Verify that the domain rename tool created the state file dclist.xml in the directory c:\domren and that the state file contains an entry for every domain controller in your forest. 11. Discover the DNS host name of the domain naming master:At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following command and press ENTER:c:\domren\dsquery server -hasfsmo name 12. Force synchronization of changes made to the Domain Naming Master: At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following and then press ENTER: repadmin /syncall /d /e /P /q DomainNamingMaster (where DomainNamingMaster is the DNS host name of the domain controller that is the current domain naming master for the forest) 13. Check for presence of required DNS resource records: * There must be one CNAME record associated with every domain controller in all authoritative DNS servers.* There must be one SRV record pertaining to the PDC on all authoritative DNS servers.* There must be at least one record pertaining to at least one global catalog (GC) server on all authoritative DNS servers. * There must be at least one record pertaining to at least one DC on all authoritative DNS servers. 14. Verify the readiness of domain controllers in the forest: At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following command and press ENTER:c:\domren\rendom /prepare 15. Execute the domain rename instructions on all domain controllers: At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following command and press ENTER:c:\domren\rendom /execute 16. When the command has finished execution, examine the state file dclist.xml to determine whether all domain controllers have reached either the Done state or the Error state. 17. Ensure that all services on the control station learn the new domain name: Reboot the control station twice to ensure that all services learn of the new domain name. 18. Unfreeze the forest configuration At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following command and press ENTER:c:\domren\rendom /end 18. Reboot all of the workstations twice. * Please refer to the following document for other steps that may be necessary: <http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/f/c/cfcbff04-97ca-4fca-9e8c-3a9c90a2a2e2/Domain-Rename-Procedure.doc>
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19. After all aspects of the rename have been completed you should perform an attribute clean up: At the command prompt on the Control Station, type the following command and press ENTER:c:\domren\rendom /clean