What about renaming the machine name?

Question

Hi together, 
 I worked a few years in Tech Support and I am aware that renaming a machine after installation of the System Platform in general, is not a good idea. But first of all I don't find any documentation that this is not supported and second of all I know that there are a few Tech Notes around that talk about renaming the machine name after the installation of System Platform products. 
 This does affect Historian, PCS, License Server and even InTouch. 
 I am not aware of a complete guide how to handle renaming of machines. If you do have any information about it, please feel free to share. Just to name a few Tech Notes: 
 Rename the License Server node TN IT340 InTouch - Computer Node Rename Process - InSource Solutions Changing the Server Name for Historian Server 10.0 
 So there are two questions subsequently: 
 1. Is renaming of a machine after the installation of System Platform products supported or not? 2. If it is supported, what steps are needed to have a consistent system after the renaming action? 
 Please feel free to discuss and share your thoughts and opinions on that matter. 
 Thanks Peter

Richard Köhlerstrand · Answer

Hi Peter! 
 Thanks for raising an interesting question, 
 Renaming a server or client has been a nuisance for a long time and it seems to become even more of an issue in recent versions. 
 Such a big problem that I personally advise customers to set up a new machine if this is needed. 
 You have mentioned several scenarios where there are known problems, but now with the introduction of System Management server and PCS it is causing issues even on client machines. (Machine name is used in Certificates and registrations on the System Management Server, Identity Manager components, System Monitor configuration and more). 
 Some of our customers has in the past, installed a Client Machine, cloned this and used it as a template for future client computers.,(Installing only installing InTouch, Trend etc) In version 2017 we left the Configurator incomplete and had this finalized after cloning, thus making all node specific configuration with the 'correct' nodename. 
 With 2023 this is not possible, PCS will bind it self to the nodename during install and we have had several issues and support cases with problems that comes from this if node is renamed. The only workaround is to uninstall PCS, clean up the registry , and install this again. The above issue would apply to any machine, no matter the role it plays in the System Platform solution. 
 So after encountering this issue we started to look in to scripted Silent Installation to speed up installation of a new machine and by this making the process of introducing a new machine name in to our system faster and more simple. 
 I would welcome a discussion on this and shared experiences.

Peter · Answer

Hi Federico, 
 There is documentation about it, packed in a Tech Note: Check this one 49077 . 
 Basically there are a few components in System Platform that have the machine name hardcoded. 
 Good luck Peter

What about renaming the machine name?

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