How to Rename a NetWare 4.x Server

(Last modified: 26Aug2002)

This document (10021278) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

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Novell NetWare 4.11

Previously TID#2925689

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FOR INFORMATION ON RENAMING A NETWARE 5.X SERVER, SEE How to rename a NetWare 5.x server

Following are the steps required to change a server's name or internal IPX address. In order to rename a NetWare 4.x file server in a single or multiple file server environment:

NOTE: DO NOT CHANGE IPX INTERNAL ADDRESS AT THE SAME TIME THE SERVER NAME IS CHANGED. ALSO, DO NOT CHANGE MORE THAN ONE SERVER'S NAME IN THE TREE AT A TIME.

CAUTION: This information given is intended to show how to change the name or internal IPX address of a server, but NOT to replace an old server with a new server by the same name. If you are trying to replace, or upgrade hardware, please use Solution 4.0.1409387.2203629, Novell DSMaint Procedure.

BEFORE BEGINNING: Verify first that all servers in the NDS tree are up and communicating. Check the DSTRACE screen of the server holding the master replica of root, verify that all replicas are processing correctly. load DSREPAIR | time synchronization. This will check all servers in the tree for current time status and ds revision. In effect, it lets you know they are up and running and synchronized time wise. If there are errors, especially communication errors (-625, etc), stop and fix them before continuing.

Check NWAdmin or NETADMIN to verify that another object does not already exist with the new name of this server. This includes groups, users, print servers, etc.

DO NOT CHANGE BOTH the internal IPX net address and the server name at the same time! Make only one change at a time and give it plenty of time to replicate out to the entire system. If you want to change both, execute the following procedure after each change.

1 - Load the INSTALL.NLM and edit the AUTOEXEC.NCF file to reflect the new file server name OR the new internal IPX number and then save the changes.

2 - Down the file server in question and bring it back up.

3 - Once the file server comes up, it will kick off the Limber process. You can also force the Limber process to start by typing the following commands at the console: SET DSTRACE = ON, SET DSTRACE = +LIMBER, SET DSTRACE = *L, and SET DSTRACE = *H. You can then toggle or ALT ESCAPE over to the Directory Services screen and see the Limber process take off.

The Limber Process defined: Each server in the Directory tree goes out and checks its tree name and modifies it if necessary. The Limber process initiates when a server in the tree comes up, by forcing it as in the above paragraph, when Directory Services restarts by unloading the DS.NLM and reloading it (i.e. SET DSTRACE = *.), or when a server receives a CheckTreeName request from another server in the tree or for any other reason needs to establish communications with another server in the tree.

4 - If the server name was changed, then the login script variables specifying the old server name need to be changed.

5 - Bring up NWAdmin, select the SYS volume object, right mouse click, select Rename, and rename the volume object. Do the same with all other volume objects.

* NOTE: The volume object(s) do not have to be renamed if just the internal ipx address is changed.

To verify that all servers see the proper internal ipx address: load DSREPAIR | advanced options | servers known to this database | select the server | repair all network addresses. This will check the servers known to this database against the current SAP listings for server objects. It will update the server objects address property accordingly.

document

Document Title:	How to Rename a NetWare 4.x Server
Document ID:	10021278
Solution ID:	1.0.38660084.2399493
Creation Date:	08Nov1999
Modified Date:	26Aug2002
Novell Product Class:	NetWare

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