Machine Name Alias (versus host header alias) for use with IIS

Question

I have a SharePoint 2010 server that was virtualized for development. I made changes to the HOSTS file on the dev server to override our network DNS settings and made SQL Server aliases, so all sites using host header resolution in IIS are now working. Sites that use port bindings do not work, however.

Server 1 - PlymouthRock (original, has DNS entries from Domain Controller). Server 2 - ColesHill (virtualized, has DNS entries from HOSTS file)

On PlymouthRock, sites like http://spportal and http://plymouthrock:4321 work. On ColesHill, only http://spportal works; http://plymouthrock:4321 or http://coleshill:4321 does not.

SharePoint's config database expects the URL for this site to be mapped to http://plymouthrock:4321. Is there machine name alias I can set up, akin to how host headers have DNS aliases in the HOSTS file? I tried adding plymouthrock to the HOSTS file, but this did not work.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Might be a long shot.

1. But can you create a Alternate Access Map for http://plymouthrock:4321 and http://coleshill:4321 and then try accessing the new URLs after you have created a DNS Entry on your DC.

2. http://coleshill:4321 I pressume is on the ColesHill Server , which should be able to browse to the site from itself if you create a Local Host Entry within your HOSTS file rt? Is that not working as well?

3. Is there any reason for these sites to be on a different port from Port 80. You may create as Many sites as you want within SharePoint on Port 80. IIS will do the heavy lifting of managing requests on Port 80 when it gets a request. Just remember to keep different URL's for all the sites and preferably Non-Server Name URLS as that is mostly reserved to Central Admin.