Why isn't my CNAME alias pointing to the new file server working?
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TechyTiger88
I recently upgraded our file servers, which are all virtual machines, and I want to make sure users can still access their files using the old server names. I've created CNAME aliases for the old servers that point to the new ones, and I can ping the old server names from my PC without any issues. However, when I try to access the old server via \old-server-name, I get an error saying it's not accessible and that the target account name is incorrect. I've read about two potential solutions: adding CIFS SPNs for the DNS alias or modifying the registry to allow CNAMEs. I'm leaning towards the first option, as I've heard the second could pose a security risk. Has anyone else dealt with this situation before, or does anyone have insight into what might be going wrong? I also remember encountering a similar issue with a past upgrade, but the person who fixed it is no longer with us.
Answers
It sounds like you're in a tricky spot with the CNAMEs. I've never had much luck with them in this sort of scenario. We usually go for DFS (Distributed File System) for file shares since it avoids these kinds of headaches. It might be worth considering if you're not already doing so.
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Don't use CNAMEs for this! It's often better to use the command `netdom computername /add:.contoso.com`. Just make sure that the old host's computer account has been deleted before running this command. Also, any old A or CNAME records in DNS should be cleared first.
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