Designing an IP Address Assignment Strategy

Every host on a TCP/IP-based network must have an IP address to communicate on the network. Servers, network printers, and router interfaces should always have statically assigned IP addresses. Clients, on the other hand, should be assigned an IP address from a DHCP server whenever possible.

Automatically assigning IP addresses using DHCP servers saves time and is more accurate than using static address assignments for clients. In addition, an administrator can exercise granular control over the addresses that are available. Administrators can also make changes to the network topology, which affects multiple clients without the need to physically visit each client. This can save a tremendous amount of time and money in medium- and large-size companies. Finally, assigning IP addresses using DHCP servers facilitates integration of DHCP servers with DNS servers, as we discussed earlier in this chapter.