Chapter 2. Implementing, Managing, and Troubleshooting DHCP

Objectives

Microsoft lists the following objectives for the DHCP portion of the "Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining IP Addressing" section of Exam 70-291, "Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure":

Manage DHCP.

• Manage DHCP clients and leases.

• Manage DHCP Relay Agent.

• Manage DHCP databases.

• Manage DHCP scope options.

• Manage reservations and reserved clients.

• One of the first few network services you will likely deploy and configure when rolling out a production Windows Server 2003 network is the DHCP service. DHCP is highly integrated with both Active Directory and the dynamic DNS (DDNS) service. To meet this objective, you must have a thorough understanding of the workings of DHCP and also how to configure it for use in a network.

Troubleshoot DHCP.

• Diagnose and resolve issues related to DHCP authorization.

• Verify DHCP reservation configuration.

• Examine the system event log and DHCP server audit log files to find related events.

• Diagnose and resolve issues related to configuration of DHCP server and scope options.

• Verify that the DHCP Relay Agent is working correctly.

• Verify database integrity.

• Installing and configuring the DHCP service does not relieve you of monitoring and managing it over time. The ability to monitor, manage, and troubleshoot the DHCP service on a network is critical to the ongoing health of the network as a whole. You should be able to use all the tools available to you to ensure that the DHCP service is operating properly, providing service to network clients.

Outline

Introduction	72
Understanding DHCP	72
DHCP	73
BOOTP	75
What's New with Windows Server 2003 DHCP	75
Configuring and Managing DHCP	77
Installing the DHCP Server Service	77
Understanding DHCP Scopes	79
Understanding DHCP Superscopes	80
Understanding Multicasting and Multicast Scopes	80
Creating a DHCP Scope	82
Configuring Scope Properties	88
Authorizing a DHCP Server in Active Directory	93
Configuring DHCP for DNS Integration	95
Configuring and Implementing a DHCP Relay Agent	99
Configuring Security for DHCP	104
DHCP Server Management and Monitoring	107
Examining the DHCP Server Statistics	107
DHCP Server Backup and Restore	108
Reconciling the DHCP Database	110
Stopping the DHCP Server	110
Configuring Options and Classes	111
Changing the Server State	112
DHCP Server Common Commands	112
Troubleshooting DHCP	115
Troubleshooting DHCP Server Authorization Problems	115
Using the DHCP Logs	120
Troubleshooting DHCP Reservations	123
Troubleshooting the DHCP Relay Agent	124
Chapter Summary	125
Key Terms	125
Apply Your Knowledge	126
Exercises	126
Exam Questions	129
Answers to Exam Questions	134
Suggested Readings and Resources	137

Study Strategies

• Be sure you understand what DHCP is, how it works, why it was created, and what enhancements Microsoft Windows Server 2003 DHCP server service adds to the protocol. DHCP has been used in Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)-based networks for quite a while. Microsoft has extended the functionality of DHCP as part of its Windows Server 2003 operating system. DHCP is used to dynamically allocate IP addresses, and it also plays a critical role in registering hosts with the Domain Name Service (DNS).

• Be sure you understand the types of scopes that Windows Server 2003 DHCP server service supports, how each works, and when you should use each in a production environment.

• Get your hands dirty. The Step by Step exercises throughout this book provide plenty of directions and exercises, but you should go beyond those examples and create some of your own. If you can, experiment with each of the topics we discuss in this chapter to see how they work and why you would use each one.