Creating a second DHCP scope

[billybunter]

At the moment I have one DHCP server with a scope of 192.168.0.11 - 192.168.0.240 with the rest excluded for DC's etc, I now want to set up a secondry DHCP server for fault tolerance, If I split the scope up using the 80/20 that microsoft surgest can I just reduce the scope on my first DHCP server and then put a new scope of 20% on the new DHCP server? Is there any issues? can I do it with users logged in and will it cause any problems with users with DHCP issued IP addresses that have moved server?

Many thanks

 

[dk87]

I would suggest creating the full scope on both servers, and adding exclusions on each. Provided that you exclude all in-use addresses on your new server, you will have no issues. Do you plan on disabling the secondary server until you need it? Or will you be running them together? If you want fault tolerance, you will need to run them both at the same time. Will the 20% scope handle enough addresses if the primary server goes down?

 

[billybunter]

Thanks for that

We only have 40 users so the 20% scope rule should be fine I did intend to run them at the same time so all will be well hopefully.

Out of interest what would the implementations be if the second server was disabled or switched off would it just be a case that the primary server goes down then enabling or turning the second server on to issue users their ip address?

 

[dk87]

Yes. But that's not really ideal, because if it happens the week you're on vacation.....ouch...