Quick- Removing Exchange server out of domain, can it be re-added?

[mdcr]

If I take the Exchange server out of a domain (it is not a DC), restart it as just a stand-alone server, can I then choose to re-join it to the domain without it affecting the Exchange email system? It is the only Exchange server in the domain. Thanks, Chad

 

[jbud]

Your question is a little unclear. Are you referring to the changes made when one does setup /forestprep and /domainprep?

If it is the only Exchange server in the domain, and you remove it, there's going to be a pretty dramatic effect on mail delivery to users.

 

[mdcr]

No, this is a Windows 2000 Server whose name is PCNAME.ABC.net in a domain that every other machine is named PCNAME2.accounting.ABC.net, so we want to take the machine out of the domain (with the "change this machine's DNS suffix when the domain changes" option checked), and then re-add it to the domain immediately afterwards....It is the only exchange server so we would not want it out of the domain for more than a couple minutes. Besides people not getting mail, would the actual server and services really get screwed up to the point where I don't want to do it? Thanks

 

[jbud]

Don't do it. The configuration for an Exchange server is server-name specific and stored in AD. I see the following choices:

1. deploy a new server matching the naming convention, install Exchange on it, move your mailboxes to it, then remove the old server.

OR

2. if all you need is the @accounting.abc.com addressing for your users, you can add these as a recipient policy.

Maybe someone else will chime in with another idea.

 

[mdcr]

Well, I should say this is a 5.5 Exchange box, getting ready to move/upgrade it to E2K, so maybe should have posted this to the 5.5 forum (I just realized). I will post it there too, but does anyone have an opinion now knowing that it is not E2K yet? Thanks