DHCP Options

[kondratev]

Hello,

I need to configure DHCP server on Cisco router. And I need to configure some options (for example, DNS server and domain name) in each pool. But I have too many pools. So I don't want to configure these parameters in each pool. Does anybody know how to configure these options one time and import (or link someway) to every pool?

[Peter Paluch · Accepted solution]

Hello,

You have a valid point. However, to my best knowledge, the available commands in the configuration file currently do not enable you to define a "template" set of DHCP options to be then simply imported into individual DHCP pools.

There is a command import all that is used in a DHCP pool to import many existing DHCP options into that pool, however, the usage of this command requires that the router itself is configured as a DHCP client on some of its interfaces using the ip address dhcp command. I doubt your router is itself a DHCP client, therefore this approach would not help.

It has to be stressed that Cisco itself considers the DHCP server implementation in its IOS to be rather lightweight and not suitable for more complex deployments. For larger networks and more demanding configuration requirements, even Cisco recommends using a standalone DHCP server solution, for example, the ISC DHCP server software.

Best regards,

Peter

[kondratev]

Hello Peter,

Your solution is good! My router isn't dhcp client itsef, but I can make it to be dhcp client on one of its interfaces artificially (to get correct DHCP options from its neighbor). And then I can use the command 'import all' with each DHCP pool.

I think it's good workaround! Thank you!