sharepoint 2010 changes to consider when changing host header

Question

Fellow SharePoint readers,

What all I need to consider when changing host header for web application? I found few but willing to listen for more.

1. rebuilt search contents
2. re-index
3. modify scope is the search result page is hard coded with pre-host header info
4. modify search web parts for target result page (make it relative url)
5. links to site collections and sites (make it relative so is not effected by new host header)
6. update Excel trusted locations
7. Update mysite settings from user profile services in CA
8. verify forms and workflows to make sure is not using absolute url

What else ????

Answer 1

Everything!

• Backup & Restore procedures
• Admin Scripts
• Communication with the new and existing users, update training information
• Proxies / Firewall / QoS / SSL Accelerators / Load Balancers
• Links from other systems (esp problematic links that exist in email)
• Links in documentation
• Links used in any shortcut url type systems/features
• Content Editor webparts where FQ urls are used, instead of relative ones
• Pay attention to Hyperlink columns that reference the sites affected
• Licensing for third party controls that bind to the web address
• Support contracts

In short, you need to consider everything, almost as if creating a new SharePoint instance. Though it really all depends on how complex your installation is to start with. If it's a 200,000 seater SharePoint farm, you have a lot of work ahead of you. If it's a test/dev environment, no worries.