Changing a NetWare Server's Name

Articles and Tips: qna

01 Jun 2001

Dear Ab-end: How do I change a server name on my NetWare 4.x and 5.x servers? -- Needing a Change in Chatanooga

Dear Needing a Change: For a NetWare 4 server, perform the following steps:

Make sure that NDS is synchronized correctly (SET DSTRACE=ON and look for "All processed=Yes").
Change the file server name in the AUTOEXEC.NCF file of the server.
Down the server.
On another server, enter the RESET ROUTER command.
Wait 5 minutes, then reboot the server which has been renamed.
Check DSTRACE again to make sure NDS is synchronized.
Go into NWAdmin to rename Volume objects associated with the server.

For a NetWare 5 server, perform the following steps:

Change the server name in the AUTOEXEC.NCF file, and restart the server. Give NDS time to synchronize the name throughout the tree.
Rerun SETUPNLS to set up NLS with the new server name.
Change the HOSTS file entry (sys:etc\hosts). A number of services rely on this setting.
Change the NDS volume name in NWADMN32.

You may also have to perform the following steps:

Delete/reinstall licenses.
Change 'Other Name' in Server objects in NWADMN32.
Update NS and A records in DNS.
Update SOA Zone Master server name in DNS.
Update DNS server name.
Update DHCP server name.
Update NLDAP.
Delete and recreate the Certificate Authority (CA). This will invalidate all the Key Material Objects (KMO) configured under the old CA. KMO's are used for SSL in LDAP and BMgr server objects.
Renew each Key Material Object. If you must recreate the CA, you must renew the KMOs.
Run SMDR NEW on the server. The SMS Group object may or may not update the group membership automatically (without running SMDR NEW)
Rerun QMAN NEW to create a new <servername> Backup Queue if you want it to reflect the new name.
Change login script mappings.

* Originally published in Novell AppNotes

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The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.