vault site created using server name - now migrating to a new server, only option to point the new server to the old server name?

[Sani_B]

Hi,

I have ev server that apparantly doesnt have separate alias dns and the vault alias is the server name..

So now I'm migrating the EV to a new server... in order to keep the old archived messages connected to the excisting shortcuts in users mailboxes is my only option to point the new server to the old server name? I don't want to go through the "recreate shortcuts" choise 'cause it's a big environment with a lot of shortcuts - it would take for ever...

I'm just looking for the confirmation to this from some one more experienced...

Sani B. 

[GertjanA · Accepted solution]

HI Sani,

If the old server is going to be decommissioned (removed from the network and all), you could consider creating an alias for it (i.e. OldServer => NewServer). That should do the trick.

[Sani_B]

Yeah that's how it's said in migration instructions:

Deploy a target server with a name that is different from the source server ’s

name. In this case, create a DNS alias using the name of the source server, and

point the alias to the target server.

Sani B.

[Merv]

Hi Sani, Just did this over the weekend, had to shut down the old server , delete the dynamic dns entry, then create the alias (cname) and point it to the new server A record. Then did ipconfig /flushdns and started the import wizard which verified that alias was good. And yes those options are specified in the server settings migration wizard Howto42445 p9 For the benefit of those caught in this pickle of not having a best practice DNS alias(cname e.g. evserver1 or EVMAIL1/EVJNL1/EV-LDN1) to begin with this is a MUST and should created in DNS prior to installing EV for greenfield deployments. Do Not put in the server hostname or fqdn as DNS alias in the config wizard. This will mess up your ev server alias and vault site alias forever...if you are using FSA you would need to recreate all placeholders besides email shortcuts if changed. So one of those things you need to get right first time around. If you already using your hostname as your EV alias than you are affected in server migrations and DR scenarios . Check this column in SQL enterprisevaultdirectory.computerentry table "computername" column. The computernamealternate is your physical hostname and CAN be changed without much drama. Last point some of you may have an additional alias to deal with which is the site vault alias which also needs updating to point to the first EV server- this was prior to EV8 - i'm not actually sure when this requirement for an additional dns alias for your site got removed. So post ev8 your vault site alias is the same as the first ev server alias. This is also in SQL ( besides being in the site properties in the VAC) under the siteentry table siteentryid column and is just the last portion of the string HTH!