Setting host names in a domain

Chronictank · 29 Jul 2010 at 21:18

Probably a silly question but I am playing around with setting up a domain but am having trouble setting host names for machines that join the domain.

What ways would you guys recommend for a centrally managed method of doing so, surely there is a better way than scripts to give a client a hostname (based on IP/MAC address) after it has joined the domain

Thanks in advance

ecksmen · 29 Jul 2010 at 21:30

Chronictank said:
Probably a silly question but I am playing around with setting up a domain but am having trouble setting host names for machines that join the domain.

What ways would you guys recommend for a centrally managed method of doing so, surely there is a better way than scripts to give a client a hostname (based on IP/MAC address) after it has joined the domain

Thanks in advance

If you're talking Active Directorey, once a computer is joined there will be an entry created in the default Computers OU and a DNS entry will also be a A record created within the zone for your AD.

Chronictank · 29 Jul 2010 at 21:46

Yeah I get a computer report but it reports whatever hostname has been set, I am trying to work out a way of telling the machine what hostname it should have.

I guess i could script a nslookup based on IP address and set the hostname that way but I just thought maybe there is a better way?

ecksmen · 29 Jul 2010 at 21:52

Chronictank said:
Yeah I get a computer report but it reports whatever hostname has been set, I am trying to work out a way of telling the machine what hostname it should have.

I guess i could script a nslookup based on IP address and set the hostname that way but I just thought maybe there is a better way?

Oh, I'm with you now. I do not think this is possible without some scripting. The normal method is to name computers/servers correctly first.

Chronictank · 30 Jul 2010 at 00:48

ecksmen said:
Oh, I'm with you now. I do not think this is possible without some scripting. The normal method is to name computers/servers correctly first.

How would you recommend I get the correct name into sysprep?

howler · 30 Jul 2010 at 08:40

You can specify the computer name in the sysprep answer file

Chronictank · 30 Jul 2010 at 14:14

Yes thats right, do you do a reverse lookup for the hostname and append it into the file?

The idea is to create an automated system so when a machine is broken you can network boot and it will set it up as new