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Migration of DHCP server from 2000 to 2003

Working on a project to migrate all services on an existing Windows 2000 AD server to Windows 2003. The existing 2000 server is running all the AD roles plus DHCP. I successfully did all the role migrations and DNS so the 2003 server is now what I will call the "primary" controller - but I have not yet demoted the 2000 server. My DHCP migration attempt involved exporting and saving the existing DHCP database using the DHCP Export Import utility. I stopped the DHCP server on the 2000 server, did the export, saved it and imported it to the new 2003 server using "netsh dhcp server import c:\dhcpdatabase.txt all". I then authorized the DHCP server on the 2003 box.

The issue is that the 2003 server does not issue IP leases. The client error indicates that a DHCP server could not be contacted. Starting, restarting the services did not help. I validated all the scope and option settings are correct. The 2000 server has it's DHCP service disabled.

Two things of note:
The 2000 server has not been demoted or even rebooted since I moved all the FSMO roles.
If the DHCP service is re-started on the 2000 server - IP's are once again issued. And both DHCP services show as up and Authorized...

Any thoughts?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Toni Uranjek

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Renato Montenegro Rustici

Is your new dhcp server in the same ip subnet as your old one?

mpr2008

ASKER

I will take a look at the logs this week and forward on anything that stands out. Both servers are in the same subnet.

Renato Montenegro Rustici

Are your dhcp clients in the same subnet? When you have a router between your clients and your dhcp server, you probably have an ip helper set up in your router (dhcp broadcasts wont cross routers by default). In some cases, you may have an ip helper pointing to a specific dhcp server. If this is the case, you have to change your ip helper on the router or use the ip of your old dhcp server in the new box. If you dont know for sure, just use the ip of your old box and see if your new box can distribute ips to your clients.

Renato Montenegro Rustici

Also, make sure you read this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325473/en-us

Double check everything and make sure you activate the scope.

mpr2008

ASKER

Thanks RM - all the clients are in fact on the same subnet. We're talking about 30 clients, all XP.

The 325473 article from MS is the exact one I used to do the DHCP migration and I followed it exactly.

One thing puzzling to me is that both DHCP servers will run at the same time - I didn't think you could have two running at once, unless this is a feature of an AD domain.

Toni Uranjek

You can two or more DHCP servers on the same network but they have to be correctly configured. I believe that in your case DHCP logs will reveal an error, why second server is not issuing IP addresses.

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Renato Montenegro Rustici

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yolam

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