Microsoft Active Directory Change - Existing Confluence Settings Edited

[Tim Oldendorf]

Our confluence instance (6.15.10 server) is connected to active directory. We are moving to a new active directory server. The only thing that is changing between severs is the actual hostname or so I am being told by our network team. 

Do I need to just modify the existing user directory hostname in confluence to the new hostname? Or do I need to Add a new directory?

I checked the knowledgebase and I see where it give instructions on how to edit the existing active directory settings, but I was concerned with if these edits will have any impact to existing users/permissions. If I edit the existing active directory - will this have any impact to current users and any confluence permissions assigned through confluence and not AD. 

Thanks for any input. And if this is documented somewhere in the knowledgebase, please point me in that direction!

[Ismael Jimoh]

Hi @Tim Oldendorf 

A direct edit of the hostname/ip address should work here if everything else is staying the same. Once done, synchronized the directory again.

• Please make sure you are accessing the application with an admin account from the local directory else you may be locked out.

For safety my suggestion would be

• set up a new directory with the same configuration as the old,
• move this directory above the old directory (this ensures that you can revert if there are any problems reported by users. Which should normally not be the case.
• If any users are added to a local group, re-do this here.
• Monitor for about a week or so to let people feedback to you if they have problems.
• If not, delete the old directory, 
• Give go ahead to the team to drop the old directory 

This is the safer way to go.

Advantage of the first way where you are just changing hostname over the second is if a user is mapped to a local group, you do not need to add them to the local group.