Replication of License Info fails

[bluewhaleCA]

We are running a W2K AD Domain with the role holder and one backup DC in the main office and one DC in the remote office. A month ago I brought a 'new' server to the remote office to replace the 800 mhz dual CPU unit there. ( really small office <g> ) I downgraded the DC using DCPROMO then renamed it so that the 'new' server could take that name on the network. I then promoted the 'new' server using DCPROMO.

The problem is that our role master DC keeps giving an event ID 213, stating that

Replication of license information failed because the License Logging Service on server XXXXbackup.main.XXX.com could not be contacted

I've googled a fair bit but can't seem to put my query into the proper words. . . How might I manually remove the old server from the list, as well as make certain the 'new' server is there in it's place?


Paul

 

[Tekmazter]

have you started the license service on the server it's trying to contact?

 

[bluewhaleCA]

I thought I had, however going back in tonight shows the following error when I try to add licenses in on the 'new' server in the remote office:

The license logging service is not running on the target machine, or the target machine is not accessible


I then went to our Role Master ( has anybody come up with a short symbol for this like PDC?? :] ) DC and found there were no purchsed licenses there either.

It appears that the old remote DC somehow became the entire domains license logging server. And that it kept that role even after being demoted then renamed, then taken from the network to be swapped back in for emergency service should the current server fail.

I've found a couple of posts now that it appears I simply need to get the current master DC set as the license logger.. I would like to do this without putting the old server back on line due to just this sort of problem. I thought that when I demoted it I removed any 'need' for the domain to have it connected... guess it's time to google for an hour or two.

Thanks for the idea.


Paul

 

[Davetoo]

First, what are you using the License Service for? It's basically useless and can be disabled in most cases.

However, if you do use it to assist you in tracking license issues, you can set your main licensing server using AD Sites and Services, select your Domain and you'll see "Licensing Site Settings" in the right window. Select it and set it to your existing licensing server.

BTW, they're called "FSMO Roles" for short.

I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[bluewhaleCA]

> It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

Yada Yada Yada <G>

Hi Lander:

Are you saying one does not need to enter X number of licenses in a W2K domain to function? I know it will work, at least for a while, but I always thought that it would also cause small background things to break. But never really followed up on it to see...
No, I'm only trying to get rid of errors in the server logs.
That brings up an interesting related point: We've had more than half of our servers die in the past year. A week ago I thought to check our Hydra licensing server and found I never set one up again. (!) We have 15 CALs and are just rolling out our second Metaframe server.. perhaps 5 users logged on at any one time. I was a little surprised that licensing is 'honor' based. Then again, that's one reason we are looking at Netware again. They seem content to make a living off their product instead of a fortune as MS wishes to via CALs

> BTW, they're called "FSMO Roles" for short.

Is that the specific roles or is that a shortcut for the 'pdc'? I started reading up on this when W2K came out but ended up working on SANS courses instead. MUCH more interesting tho occasionally too 'prepared' for my tastes.

Thanks for the feedback.


Paul