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inTheKnowSea
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Combining two DHCP Servers, same scope

I  have two DHCP Servers on a /16 network. Running 2016. Both have the same scope, but different ranges of exclusions. Example:

DHCP1 - Scope 1 10.10.0.0
10.10.0.0 - 10.10.10.255 For Distribution
10.10.0.0 - 10.10.3.255 excluded
10.10.5.1 - 10.10.7.255 excluded

DHCP2 - Scope 1 10.10.0.0
10.10.0.0 - 10.10.10.255 for Distribution
10.10.4.1 - 10.10.4.255 excluded
10.10.8.1 - 10.10.10.255 excluded

So if you do the mental math there... it's quite messy. As a side note, in the actual environment there is about 30 different exclusions. As far as I can tell, they don't overlap... but it is quite confusing. I want to fix this!

What would be the best way to combine these two DHCP Servers in to one? I want to turn DHCP1 in to my primary, with DHCP2 in to a hot standby. But I want to try my best to not lose the reservations/leases already given out on DHCP2...

I tried a export/import, seeing if I could possibly just edit the export and combine both exports in to one, but it doesn't look like it is plain text.

Any ideas?
NetworkingDHCPWindows 10AzureWindows Server 2016

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inTheKnowSea

8/22/2022 - Mon
SOLUTION
Cliff Galiher

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inTheKnowSea

ASKER
That's what I figured, but thought I would put a feeler out there if anyone had any ideas.

I did do some excel work and have identified all leases that don't exist on both servers, so if I really have to I can make those manually.
noci

Two non-windows (ISC-)DHCP server could be  made to cooperate where both can handle ALL requests but only one will answer at a time.
Both will know the leases   Possibly windows DHCP could do the same?

Specification:
https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-ietf-dhc-failover-12#section-5.3

man page:
https://linux.die.net/man/8/dhcpd
Look for failover...
inTheKnowSea

ASKER
Windows definitely can, I got that part figured out. I am just trying to figure out the best way to get them in a state where I can set up that fail over without causing issues.
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Predrag Jovic

There is a lot of resources how to configure failover with load balancing for DHCP windows server 2012/2016.
DHCP Failover Load Balance Mode
Step by Step DHCP Failover in Windows Server 2016
Step-by-Step: Configure DHCP for Failover  Windows Server 2012
You can find also details in book MCSA Windows Server 2016 Complete Study Guide: Exam 70-740, Exam 70-741
noci

@inTheKnowSea: i don't mean by splitting scopes, i mean fully redundant. Where one will do the part of the other if that one fails.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Luc Franken

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inTheKnowSea

ASKER
So I just did a simple export of all leases on both servers. Did some excel work to find all leases on DHCP2 that did not exist on DHCP1. There wasn't many. From there I added the leases to DHCP1. Deleted everything on DHCP2, setup failover. Quick and easy.

Thanks for all the assistance.
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