Additional Domain Operations

This section discusses a few miscellaneous domain controller manipulations:

  • Demoting a domain controller, including demoting the last domain controller in a domain

  • Renaming a domain controller

  • Renaming a domain

Demoting Domain Controller

Unlike NT PDCs and BDCs, Windows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 domain controllers can be demoted to become member servers. This demotion strips away the services involved with authenticating users and passing out group policies but does not affect the server's name or capability to support applications.

The domain controller must be able to communicate with its replication partners or it will refuse to accept demotion. If you pull the server off the wire then attempt to demote it, it ...

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