How To Set Multiple Names for One Computer in Windows Server

I had gone through a project that migrates a file/printer server from Windows Server 2003 to Server 2008 R2. Because we have an application licensed on a specific UNC path I had to keep that same share after the migration. Setting up multiple names on the new server seems to be the easiest way to go.

The old file/printer server was also a VM with the data storage on a separate virtual disk so that I can easily detach the disk and attach it to the new server. That’s the beauty why all servers should be running in a virtual environment.

So here are the steps I took to finish the migration.

1. Install Windows 2008 R2 on a new virtual machine, and have it ready.
2. Disjoin the old File/Printer from the domain, and shut down the server.
3. Detach the data storage virtual disk and attach it to the new Server 2008 R2 server.
4. On the new server, take the new data storage online and create the share with the same share name as the old server.
5. Add an alternative computer name to the new server.
   1. Netdom ComputerName newserver /ADD oldservername
   2. IPConfig /RegisterDNS

It’s important to run IPconfig to register the new computer name to the DNS server.

On the client side, the easiest way is to restart the computer. The new DNS entries will take place after the reboot. Or, if rebooting the computer is not an option to certain computers, restarting the Workstation service will also do the trick as well.

Thanks to this Technet blog post for inspiration.