DHCP Security/Risk Concerns

[amarnathtiwari]

Hello Cisco,

Are there any security or risk concerns if we configure DHCP on cisco Switch rather than server. 

Please help. 

[Karsten Iwen]

Every running service is a security risk. But somewhere it has to run and in Branch-offices it is very often implemented on routers and switches.

[amarnathtiwari]

Hi,  

That I understand, but I wanted more expert advice in comparison to running Dhcp on switch rather than server. 

[Karsten Iwen]

If you keep up-to-date with vulnerabilities for your routers and switches and have a good device patch-management, then I would consider it an acceptable risk. Not more than on a server. Also keep in mind that you have to reconfigure a router/switch each time you want to configure something like a reservation. Given that one top reason for downtime are config-errors, you could reduce your availability of the network with that.