Changing the Windows NT Computer Name on an SNA Server (123779)

SUMMARY

If the Windows NT computer name is changed on a machine running SNA Server or SNA Workstation, the SNA Server configuration file continues to reflect the old computer name. As a result, the SNA Server fails to start.

You can run the SNA Admin program to update the SNA Server service name to the new computer name. To do so, you must login with local administrator authority.

NOTE: You may introduce additional problems with any AS/400 connections if the local control point name is also changed.

MORE INFORMATION

SNA Server 2.1, 2.11, and 2.11 SP1

To update the SNA Server configuration file with the new server name, run the SNA Admin program as follows

snaadmin <config file>

where <Config File> is the fully qualified path to the SNA Server configuration file. For example:

snaadmin c:\sna\system\config\com.cfg

When you open the configuration file you can change the SNA Server service name through the server properties dialog box. After you change the server name, choose Save from the File menu to save the configuration.

If the SNA Server machine is supporting connections to one or more AS/400 computers, and the Local Control Point Name is changed to reflect the new server name, the AS/400 connections fail to activate. This problem occurs because the SNA Server local control point name corresponds to the APPC controller description name on the AS/400, and the old entry still points to the SNA Server's adapter address (for 802.2 Token Ring or Ethernet connections) or to the poll address (for SDLC connections).

To correct this problem, create a new APPC controller on the AS/400 associated with the new SNA Server control point name. To do so, delete the old entry and add a new entry. The new entry is added automatically on Token Ring or Ethernet if the auto-create controller option is enabled. For SDLC you have to add the new entry manually.

SNA Server 3.0 and 4.0

SNA Server 3.0 Service Pack 1 (Service Pack 1 and later) and 4.0 allow the administrator to change the server name in the SNA Server configuration file. For more information about this, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

165153 SNA Server Name Cannot Be Changed in Manager

If the original version of SNA Server 3.0 is being used (with no service packs) there is no way to change the server name within the SNA Server configuration.