Difference between DHCP Server in 2k8 vs Setting up DHCP server in the router

ericllera · ‎10-01-2013

Hi Experts,

This is maybe a stupid question but I just wanted to know whats the difference between setting up DHCP server in Cisco IOS vs DHCP Server in Windows 2k8 Server?

What if the range i setup in the router is different from that of the GUI of Windows 2K8?

Thanks in advance.

Wilson Bonilla · ‎10-01-2013

Hello Eric.

In regards to how it works there is not really a big difference between each one of them.

Usually engineers stick with servers running dhcp(any other services as well) and leave the routers to routing, but, there have been times where I had no server, so a router did the job just fine.

Now there is also the debate of centralizing dhcp so that all of your pools are serviced from a centralized location, think about desing and what implementation is more scalable and easier to troubleshoot.

Regarding to the second question:

What if the range i setup in the router is different from that of the GUI of Windows 2K8?

You can't serve the same vlan with two different ranges, when you setup a range in a pool is to get serviced a specific vlan, remember a vlan is a broadcast domain, so you can't have two diferent ranges in two different broadcast domains) to serve one vlan.

If you setup something like that, the client will send a DHCP DISCOVER and the server that process it first will be the one that offers an ip address... not a good implementation.

Regards.

Wilson B

Shahzad Arain · ‎10-12-2013

Hi Eric,

Both DHCP have similar basic functionality but different options according to their line of needs. With windows 2k8 windows DHCP is essential cause Active Directory is closely integrated with windows DHCP server for many services, AD require windows DHCP and is best suitable. there are many options that windows DHCP offers but other do not like,

DNS registration, PTR registration,
MAC addressing filtering for DHCP leases
Generate link layer address filtering lists from current leases
Create reservations from current leases
DHCP name protection
Create new DHCP options that apply only to reservations
Integration with NAP
DHCP logging enhancements
DHCP Split Scope Wizard
Delayed DHCP Server Response Setting

etc, So its up to requirement what you use.

You can allocate different ranges from same IP scheme/range for same VLAN. Its used for load balnaceing or failover so atleast if one DHCP is down other can give IP addresses.