How to keep hostnames and IPs when migrating domain controllers
Upgrading domain controllers requires deciding whether to reuse the old name and IP after demotion or clean up metadata and DNS. While the process is mind-numbing and laborious, it lets you maintain the same hostnames and IPs during the migration.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using temporary domain controllers to leapfrog roles before decommissioning old servers
- 2Performing in-place operating system upgrades
- 3Demoting old servers one at a time, cleaning up metadata, and reusing hostnames and IPs on fresh builds
- 4Searching for specialized managed service providers or consulting partners via industry networks and referrals
- 5Keeping the legacy system running as long as possible with minimal patches
- 6Isolating outdated systems behind strict firewalls with solid backup plans
- 7Relying on external contractors or specific key people who understand the old code
- 8Wiping and resetting the server via a server rebuild
- 9Creating a new server and manually migrating the site and database
- 10Running outdated software inside virtual machines
- 11Downgrading virtual machine operating systems to match legacy hardware or software
- 12Shopping for a company buyout instead of paying for system migration
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I have a website that after some time I finally finished building to my liking. It already has a few users using the site. Along with a lot of information/content I manually added.”source ↗
“For optimal performance and security reasons, you should consider running MariaDB version 10.11 or higher. Contact your web hosting company to correct this.”source ↗
“Is there by chance an easier way to do this?”source ↗
“Hi guys wondering if anyone can recommend any companies that do NAV 2018 to Cloud migrations in Australia ?”source ↗
“Migrating DCs from 2016 to 2022 while keeping the same hostnames and IPs”source ↗
“is it OK to change the name of a DC even after I clean up all the metadata and DNS stuff or would it be better to reuse the name and IP after I demote the old DC?”source ↗
“Its a bit mind numbing and labourious. But it is pretty safe and eventually it should work outomagically without need for any necromancy.”source ↗
“I went in with 47 bullet points trying to convince them to upgrade to something newer.”source ↗
“I don't want to think what would happen.. if that cent vm fell over.. how many days weeks whole place would be down.”source ↗
“A lot of our production machines. I don't know what the deal is, but the vendor won't go beyond XP. Heck, I tried spinning up a Windows 10 virtual machine, and had to downgrade it to Windows 7 in order for a production machine to work better.”source ↗
“Some Avigilon access management system on a windows xp vm because bosses won’t greenlight a new system.”source ↗
“I’ve got two different XP VMs for two different clients who use them for two different proprietary software that was sunsetted my original publishers many years ago. Replacing them would be in the neighborhood of $5k each (plus $500/yr maintenance), plus a steep learning curve, with no data migration path.”source ↗
“We have a BMS management system that cant be upgraded past 2008r2, not as bad as most!”source ↗
“Our financial system, a 30 year old ERP (we got the cobol out though!) with 30 years of customizations that make upgrades a pita.”source ↗
“One of my clients is finding leaving their current very old version of JD Edwards to be so expensive that they started shopping for a buyout instead.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 2Why won't my store data update through the API?