How does a client know which dhcp server to logon to

[PaulBarron]

I have one domain with several domain controllers at different locations. Each domain controller has it's own DHCP scope setup.

When a client logs in, will it know to get it's IP address from the nearest physically located DC, or is it not as clever as that?

Also, what if a DC goes down. Is there any way to configure other DC's to be aware of scopes of other DC's. Is this what Superscopes are?

 

[Jpoandl]

Usually something like this is done for fault tolerance:

DC/DHCP Server 1: Physically located at location 1

Scope 1- (10.10.2.1 through 10.10.2.40) (for location 1)
Scope 2- (10.66.3.1 through 10.66.3.40) (for location 2)
Scope 3- (10.43.4.1 through 10.10.4.40) (for location 3)


DC/DHCP Server 2: physically located at location 2

Scope 1- (10.10.2.41 though 10.10.2.100)
Scope 2- (10.66.3.41 through 10.66.3.100)
Scope 3- (10.43.4.41 though 10.43.4.100)

DC/DHCP Server 3: physically located at location 3

Scope 1- (10.10.2.101 though 10.10.2.150
Scope 2- (10.66.3.101 through 10.66.3.150)
Scope 3- (10.43.4.101 though 10.43.4.150)

You can see how if one server went down, the other servers would be able to take over assigning IP addresses. If the you don't have redundant scopes, your clients wouldn't be able to obtain an IP if one of the servers crashes. In the above scenerio, up to two servers can crash without causing logon or DHCP problems. (of course you would also have to make sure that you have enough addresses in each scope to accomidate ALL users...)

Super Scope (as I know it) is when you take two or more predefined SCOPES and combine them into a single scope.

-hope this helps Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000

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