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Migrating DNS and DHCP to another Server

Hi,

What is the best procedure to migrate DNS and DHCP from Server B (Windows 2000 Server) to Server A (Windows 2003 Server)?

Server A holds all the fsmo roles. Server B is basically an additional DC to Server A and hosts DNS and DHCP but I will be bringing this server down before I do that I need to transfer DNS and DHCP to Server A. Can someone plz advise....

Cheers.

Mazaraat

Their is a utility to export your DHCP settings, but I'm not a big fan of it...having had mixed results with it. I would go to the new server create my DHCP scope and setup the network printers, don't enable the DHCP yet, go to the backup DC, set the DHCP scope lease time to something short, like 4 hours. Then after the leases start to expire, deactivate the old scope and activate the new. It should be transperent to the users.

Here is a good link for doing the Export DHCP option:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325473/

Step-by-step migrating DNS:
http://channels.lockergnome.com/it/archives/20050114_stepbystep_how_to_migrate_dns_information_to_windows_server_2003.phtml

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Netman66

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Nirmal Sharma

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Netman66

The client will attempt to renew at 50% of lease. If the original server is not available it will send a new DHCP_REQUEST out on the wire. The new server will answer. If the same IP is available it may simply be allowed to continue using it, otherwise it will get another address.

Nirmal Sharma

So to use the same IP Address lease must be exported using DHCPEXIM.

and also do not forget to set DHCP-packet threshold to 3 or 4 - DHCP will try to ping the IP address before it can lease out.

Nirmal Sharma

One more thing I wanted to address in here...

DHCP Server may not release the same IP Address if you use DHCPEXIM tool to move DHCP databse:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;287031

Netman66

Agreed.

Just stand up the other server and shutdown the old DHCP service. You may need to reboot each workstation to clear up any problems, but they should talk to the new server with no issues.