Exchange 2007 and Domain Rename

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Wrapping up SLDs and Exchange Server 2007, anytime after PrepareAD is run, it is too late to run the Domain Rename (rendom) tool.

As part of PrepareAD, the Exchange Server 2007 setup tool stamps the Active Directory with a number of server names in GUID and fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) formats. This is to enable Exchange Server 2007 to fulfill a much-requested feature: don't require WINS.

Unfortunately, from a Domain Rename perspective, this means that once PrepareAD has occurred, it's too late to go back.

At that time, the ONLY option for a domain rename is to remove ALL Exchange servers. That includes any Exchange 2000 Servers or Exchange Server 2003 servers which may be in the environment. The goal is to be able to remove the Organization container in Active Directory (which removing the last Exchange server in a forest will do). Having an updated schema is not an issue.

Once the Organization container is gone, a domain can be renamed and Exchange re-installed. But that's a very very dangerous option. Doing a full active directory migration to a new forest may be safer.

Consider yourself informed!

Until next time...

As always, if there are items you would like me to talk about, please drop me a line and let me know!

Published Friday, April 04, 2008 9:42 AM by michael
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Comments

Friday, April 04, 2008 12:31 PM by subject: exchange

# Weekend reading

An easy way to remove (some) entries from the autocompletion list in OWA 2007 Exchange Server Public

Thursday, May 08, 2008 7:31 AM by Saleem

# re: Exchange 2007 and Domain Rename

I have a great one for you guys. I installed an MSDN version of exchange 2007 on a new domain that I did not know would be forced into production. Mean while So many experiments on my part has corrupted the exchange instance I was running and when attempting to uninstall it I cannot due to exchange not being able to verify the existance of a public folder. I desperately need to remove these exchange attributes from my domain for I will later have to install a real exchange and migrate from 2003. Any help ?

Thank you

Thursday, May 08, 2008 1:21 PM by michael

# re: Exchange 2007 and Domain Rename

There are KB articles for "Manually Remove an Exchange Server" and "Manually Remove the Exchange Organization". Search for them on http://support.microsoft.com.