All clients and servers need an IP address on a TCP/IP network. How will you configure those dotty dot numbers on your TCP/IP property tabs? Manually, or automatically via DHCP?
Let us investigate what advantages an automatic DHCP service has over the manual
alternative.
DHCP needs much less effort - manual configuration is boring and labour
intensive. Above all, DHCP options give a sense of central control.
Easy to update a default gateway or DNS server's IP address. Manual
changes would be a nightmare, you would have to visit every machine.
No IP duplicate addresses. Provided you configure the DHCP scopes
intelligently, there will never be another 'Duplicate IP address' problem to
eat into your valuable time.
Learn more about DHCP. As an MCT trainer, I can thoroughly recommend TrainSignal
because they provide practical hands on training. In particular, I like the way TrainSignal cover all learning methods, instructor lead, video and of course text
material. With TrainSignal you can either take one module, for example DHCP or go for a combination of modules.
See more about DHCP here
10 years ago, when I first saw DHCP, I thought that you would need one DHCP server
on each subnet - wrong. What I now recommend as a default, is two DHCP servers for the
whole company. For those subnets without a DHCP you configure a DHCP Relay
Agent.
If you have two DHCP servers, then provide redundancy by splitting each
scope so that each DHCP server gets a non-overlapping range. For example:
Server A: 10.10.56.1 to 10.10.56.120 Server B: 10.10.56.121 to 10.10.56.254.
Each scope has a class C Subnet Mask /24 (255.255.255.0)
Strategies for the servers
What are you going to do about the IP addresses for the servers themselves?
Configure static IP addresses, then EXCLUDE a range from the scope.
Select static IP addresses, but use a different range.
Choose DHCP configuration, even for file and print servers. (Except the
DHCP server itself.)
If you try the strategy of DHCP address for file and print servers, consider a RESERVATION for each server. Slowly
I am warming to this DHCP idea, the killer advantage is that you can set DNS
and Router options even for the servers. Let me elaborate, if you set
server IP addresses manually, but then you change the default gateway, you may
forget to change the servers default gateway. The result would be a loss
of what ever service the servers were providing. However, if the servers
have a reserved IP address then they come under the umbrella of your scope
options and so there would be no extra work, and no loss of service.
DHCP is now a well established strategy for providing computers with IP
addresses. However, it is full of surprises and
hidden treasures, take the time to develop your DHCP tactics, then explore the properties of both the DHCP
server icon and the scopes. I have a series of tutorials to help you.
Guy
recommends: The SolarWinds ipMonitor
My attraction to
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Installing ipMonitor is a breeze, but learn from gung-ho Guy's mistake and
install SNMP on each computer that you wish to monitor. What sealed my
unreserved recommendation of SolarWinds is their support team, you will get
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