Migrating DHCP Server Service to Windows Essential Business Server

Microsoft Corporation Published: September 2008

Abstract
This article explains the mandatory steps for preparing your environment to work with the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server service for Windows Essential Business Server (EBS). If you did not have the DHCP Server service in your environment prior to installing Windows EBS, this article explains how to start using the DHCP Server service to manage IP addresses.

The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. This White Paper is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. Your right to copy this documentation is limited by copyright law and the terms of the software license agreement. As the software licensee, you may make a reasonable number of copies or printouts for your own use. Making unauthorized copies, adaptations, compilations, or derivative works for commercial distribution is prohibited and constitutes a punishable violation of the law. Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property. Unless otherwise noted, the companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places, and events depicted in examples herein are fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product, domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place, or event is intended or should be inferred. 2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Active Directory, Hyper-V, Internet Explorer, MSDN, Outlook, PowerShell, SQL Server, SharePoint, Forefront, Windows, Windows NT, Windows Server, and Windows Vista are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. UPnP is a certification mark of the UPnP Implementers Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Contents
Migration Requirements .............................................................................................................. 5 Step-by-Step Migration ................................................................................................................ 7 Section A: Configure clients to use the DHCP Server service ................................................... 8 Section B: Migrate scopes and settings to the Management Server .......................................... 8 Section C: Migrate custom settings to the Management Server .............................................. 16 Verify the migration ................................................................................................................ 17 Background Information ............................................................................................................ 18 How to Answer Questions in the Decision Flowchart.................................................................. 19 Additional References ............................................................................................................... 21

Migration Requirements
This article explains the steps for preparing your environment to work with the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server service for Windows Essential Business Server. These steps are necessary regardless of whether you chose to start the DHCP Server service during the Windows EBS Management Server installation. If you did not have the DHCP Server service in your environment prior to installing Windows EBS, this article explains how to start using the DHCP Server service to manage IP addresses. If you are unfamiliar with the DHCP Server service, read Background Information later in this document before you continue.

Preparing for the migration

To ensure optimal performance and reliability, you need to migrate your DHCP Server service to Windows EBS as soon as installation and DNS migration are complete. You should not perform this migration before you migrate the DNS role. For instructions about how to migrate DNS to Windows EBS, see the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=95814). Important If you are migrating from Windows Small Business Server 2003 (Windows SBS), you must complete this migration and decommission your Windows SBS server within seven days of installing Windows EBS. You can extend this grace period to 21 days by installing a software update for Windows SBS 2003 that supports the join domain migration of Windows SBS data and settings. For additional instructions about how to migrate from Windows SBS to Windows EBS, see the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=123374). If your existing DHCP server is running the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server operating system, the migration process requires you to temporarily install the DHCP server role on a server that is running Windows Server 2003. (This temporary server must not already be a DHCP server.) This temporary server is needed to help migrate the scopes and settings from your existing DHCP server to the Management Server. Time estimate You will need approximately one hour to complete this task (two hours if your existing DHCP server runs Windows 2000 Server). The time needed depends on the number of clients with static IP addresses. It is recommended that you perform this migration during a time when network usage is low (such as an evening or a weekend), because if there is an issue during the migration, some computers may experience network disconnections.

Decision flowchart
Study the following flowchart to determine which step-by-step instructions you should start with. It is recommended that you read all the sections before you start the migration. If you are unsure how to answer a question in the flowchart, read How to Answer Questions in the Decision Flowchart later in this document.

Figure 1 Decision flowchart

Migration overview
The following table provides an overview of what will be migrated.
Target State Benefit Start State Action

Windows EBS

Avoid IP address

DHCP Server service

See Section B: 6

Target State

Benefit

Start State

Action

Management Server is the only DHCP server in your environment

conflicts Receive integration benefits from Windows EBS (such as monitoring and security)

is running on one or more existing servers in your environment

Migrate scopes and settings to the Management Server or Section C: Migrate custom settings to the Management Server as directed in the decision flowchart See Section A: Configure clients to use the DHCP Server service See Section B: Migrate scopes and settings to the Management Server or Section C: Migrate custom settings to the Management Server as directed in the decision flowchart See Section A: Configure clients to use the DHCP Server service

No DHCP Server service in environment

Client computers in your environment are dynamically addressed

Reduce network management cost

Client computers are already dynamically addressed

Some client computers are statically addressed

If something goes wrong

If something goes wrong with this migration, you can reactivate your existing DHCP server to restore network connectivity while you troubleshoot the issue.

Step-by-Step Migration
Use the decision flowchart presented in the Migration Requirements earlier in this document to determine which of the following instructions you should start with to migrate your DHCP Server service: Section A: Configure clients to use the DHCP Server service

Configure your client computers to use the DHCP Server service for obtaining IP addresses from the Windows EBS Management Server. Section B: Migrate scopes and settings to the Management Server Migrate the DHCP Server service from your existing DHCP server to the Windows EBS Management Server. Section C: Migrate custom settings to the Management Server Apply the custom settings that your existing DHCP Server service is using to the Windows EBS Management Server.

Section A: Configure clients to use the DHCP Server service

Follow these steps to configure the client computers in your environment to use the DHCP Server service for obtaining IP addresses from the Windows EBS Management Server. Note Operating systems other than Microsoft Windows operating systems can use the DHCP Server service. Consult your system documentation to determine how to set network interfaces to use the DHCP Server service to obtain IP addresses. Perform the following steps on each Windows client computer. To configure clients to obtain IP addresses from the Management Server 1. In Control Panel, open Network Connections. 2. Right-click the connection that corresponds to your organizations LAN, and then click Properties. 3. Depending on the Windows operating system on the client computer, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) or Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and then click Properties. 4. On the General tab, verify that the Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically options are selected, and then click OK twice to close both dialog boxes. 5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for all the client computers on your network. Do not perform these steps on servers. You have completed this migration. Continue with Verify the migration later in this document.

Section B: Migrate scopes and settings to the Management Server

Follow these steps to migrate the DHCP Server service from your existing DHCP server to the Windows EBS Management Server. These instructions assume that all the DHCP scopes and 8

settings that you want to migrate are located on a single DHCP server. If this is not the case, you need to perform the steps for each DHCP server. Caution You must be careful to migrate only the DHCP scopes that serve the subnets that the Management Server resides on. For example, if the internal IP address is 192.168.0.5 for the Management Server, and it has a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, you would migrate all the DHCP scopes (possibly from multiple DHCP servers) that serve IP addresses in the range 192.168.0.1192.168.0.255. You would not migrate the DHCP scope that serves IP addresses in the range 192.168.2.1192.168.2.255 because the Management Server does not reside on that subnet.

Prevent IP address conflicts during migration

Use this procedure if your existing DHCP server is running Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008. This procedure ensures that during the DHCP server migration, no IP address conflicts are created. (Resolving IP address conflicts may require you to physically access each affected computer.) Note If your existing DHCP server is not running Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008, consult your system documentation to determine how to prevent IP address conflicts. To prevent IP address conflicts 1. Log on to your existing DHCP server as domain administrator. 2. Start the DHCP Server service. Wait a few minutes and verify that it is running. If it is not, check the event logs for further troubleshooting steps. (In some cases during the Windows EBS installation, your existing DHCP Server service may stop because a DHCP Server service is temporarily started on the Management Server.) 3. On your existing DHCP server, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP. 4. In the DHCP server console tree, right-click the server object, and then click Properties. (On the Windows Server 2008 operating system, click Properties IPv4.) 5. In the Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab, and then set Conflict detection attempts to 1. Click OK to close the Properties dialog box.

Identify your current DHCP server's operating system

You must follow different instructions for your migration depending on which operating system your current DHCP server is running. Choose from the following instructions: 9

Migrate from a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server operating system Migrate from a server that is running the Windows Server 2003 operating system Migrate from a server that is not running a Windows Server operating system

Migrate from a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server operating system
Follow these steps if your current DHCP server is running the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server or the Windows 2000 Server operating system. Important To support your migration from Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Server to the Windows EBS Management Server, you will use the DHCP Database Export Import tool. This requires that you temporarily import the settings on a server that is running Windows Server 2003 and that is not currently a DHCP server. This migration involves three tasks: 1. Prepare your DHCP server and export your DHCP server configuration. 2. Temporarily configure a server that is running Windows Server 2003 as a DHCP server. 3. Migrate the DHCP server configuration settings from the Windows Server 2003 server to the Management Server. Prepare your DHCP server environment and export your DHCP server configuration To prepare and export your DHCP server configuration 1. Log on to your DHCP server as domain administrator. 2. Install the DHCP Database Export Import tool (dhcpexim.exe) from the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=105111). 3. To disable the DHCP Server service, from Administrative Tools, open Services, rightclick DHCP Server, and then click Properties. On the General tab, in Startup type, click Disabled, and then click OK. 4. To stop the DHCP Server service, right-click the service and click Stop. 5. Open a Command Prompt window and type: Cd %systemroot%\system32\dhcp 6. Compact the DHCP server database by using the Jetpack.exe utility. Type the following command: jetpack dhcp.mdb temp.mdb (The file temp.mdb is used as a temporary database during the compacting operation.) After the database is compacted, the following message appears: Jetpack completed successfully. 7. Type exit to close the Command Prompt window. 10

8. To start the DHCP Database Export Import tool, click Start, click Run, click Browse, and then browse to the folder where you installed the tool (by default, %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Program Files\Resource Kit). Double-click dhcpexim.exe, and then click OK. 9. In the Welcome to DHCP Export Import Tool window, click Export configuration of the local service to a file, and then click OK. 10. In the File browser text box, type dhcpdatabase.txt, and then specify a folder that you will remember. 11. Select all scopes (you can click the first scope, press SHIFT, and then click the last scope). Click Export. 12. After the configuration is exported, the following message appears: The operation completed successfully. Click OK. Select a server on your network that is running Windows Server 2003 and that is not already a DHCP server. This will temporarily become a DHCP server. Copy the dhcpdatabase.txt file that you created to this server. Then use the following procedure to configure this server as a DHCP server. Configure a server that is running Windows Server 2003 as a DHCP server Using Windows Server 2003 as an intermediary DHCP server is necessary because Windows Server 2008 cannot read the format that the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server or Microsoft Windows 2000 Server operating systems use to export DHCP server settings. If you do not have a Windows Server 2003 operating system available, you must re-create all of the settings manually. Follow the instructions in Migrating from a server that is not running a Windows Server operating system later in this document. To configure a server running Windows Server 2003 1. Log on to the server that is running Windows Server 2003 as domain administrator. 2. To start Server Manager, click Start, and then click Manage Your Server. 3. Click Add or remove a role. The Configure Your Server Wizard starts. Click Next on the introduction screen. 4. On the Server Role page, click DHCP server and then click Next. 5. On the Summary page verify that the following text appears: Install DHCP server. Then click Next. 6. The Windows Setup Wizard appears. You may have to insert the Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM or other media to install files. 7. After the Windows Setup Wizard copies the files, the DHCP Scope Wizard starts. Click Cancel to cancel this wizard because you will import the scopes from your Windows 2000 DHCP server. To close the wizard, click Finish. 8. Open a Command Prompt window. If you are not logged in as a user who is explicitly a member of the local administrators group, you can log in with a different account or right11

click the CMD icon and click Run as. (If you try to run the following command under the domain administrator account, an Access denied error message may appear.) 9. To import the DHCP server scope settings that you exported from your Windows 2000 DHCP server environment, type: netsh dhcp server importDrive:\Path\dhcpdatabase.txt all where Drive:\Path\ is where you copied the file in the previous step. Depending on the amount of DHCP server data, it might take some time to import and export the DHCP server scope settings. 10. Export the DHCP server scope settings to the file dhcpNEW.txt. Type: netsh dhcp server export c:\dhcpNEW.txt all 11. To remove the DHCP server role from this server, in Server Manager, click Add or remove a role. The Configure Your Server Wizard appears. On the Server Role page, click DHCP server. Follow the steps in the wizard to remove the DHCP server role. 12. Copy the c:\dhcpNEW.txt file to the Windows EBS Management Server. Place the file in your C:\ drive. Then use the following procedure to import the configuration settings on the Management Server. Migrate the DHCP server configuration settings to the Management Server Important Before you can import DHCP server configuration settings, you must delete the existing settings. If you chose to configure the Management Server as the DHCP server during the installation, you must first delete those settings, and then import the configuration settings that you exported from your existing DHCP Server service. To import DHCP server configuration settings 1. Log on to the Management Server as domain administrator. 2. Verify that the DHCP Server service is started and set to automatically start. (In Administrative Tools, click Services to see the Status and the Startup type of the DHCP Server service.) 3. Open a Command Prompt window and type the following: netsh dhcp server show scope If the command shows that there are IP address scopes configured for this server, you must delete them before proceeding to the next step. To delete the scopes, type the following: netsh dhcp server delete scope IPaddress dhcpfullforce Where IPaddress is the scope address to delete. Repeat this input for the remaining scopes that you want to delete. 4. At the command prompt, type the following: netsh dhcp server import c:\dhcpNEW.txt all 12

After the configuration settings are imported, the following message appears: Command completed successfully. 5. To open the DHCP server console, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP. 6. In the DHCP server console, expand the node for the Management Server in the left pane and expand the IPv4 node until you can see your scopes. If you see a red arrow icon: For a server icon: right-click the icon and click Authorize. Then right-click the icon and click Refresh. For a scope icon: right-click the icon and click Activate. Then right-click the icon and click Refresh.

7. Verify that your scopes, leases, and options imported successfully. 8. In the left pane, right-click Server Options, and then click Configure Options. Verify or configure the values of the following options: 003 Router: the IP address of the Windows EBS Security Server. 006 DNS Servers: the IP addresses of the Management Server and Messaging Server, in that order. There should be no additional IP addresses specified.

9. For each scope in the left pane, click Scope Options. Verify that the settings in the right pane for Router and DNS Servers match the settings that you configured in Server Options. If they do not match, then there is an overriding option set in the scope options. To remove the overriding option: Right-click the option that does not match, click Delete, and then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box. Right-click the right pane and click Refresh. The value should appear and match the value that you configured in Server Options.

Migrate from a server that is running Windows Server 2003

Follow these steps if your current DHCP server is running Windows Server 2003. To migrate from Windows Server 2003 1. Log on to the DHCP server by using an account that is a member of the local administrators group. Note If you try to run the following command under the domain administrator account, an Access denied error message may appear. 2. Open a Command Prompt window and type the following command: netsh dhcp server export c:\dhcpNEW.txt all After the configuration settings are exported, the following message appears: Command 13

completed successfully. 3. To disable and stop the DHCP Server service: a. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Services. b. Right-click DHCP Server, and then click Properties. c. On the General tab, in the Startup type list box, click Disabled. Then click OK. d. Right-click DHCP Server, and then click Stop. 4. Copy the c:\dhcpNEW.txt file to the Windows EBS Management Server. Place the file in C:\. 5. Log on to the Management Server as domain administrator. 6. Verify that the DHCP Server service is started and set to automatically start. (In Administrative Tools, click Services to see the Status and the Startup type of the DHCP Server service.) 7. Open a Command Prompt window and type the following: netsh dhcp server show scope If the command shows that there are IP address scopes configured for this server, you must delete them before proceeding to the next step. To delete the scopes, type the following: netsh dhcp server delete scope IPaddress dhcpfullforce Where IPaddress is the scope address to delete. Repeat for remaining scopes. 8. At the command prompt, type the following: netsh dhcp server import c:\dhcpNEW.txt all After the configuration settings are imported, the following message appears: Command completed successfully. 9. To open the DHCP server console, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP. 10. In the DHCP server console, expand the node for the Management Server in the left pane and expand the IPv4 node until you can see your scope(s). If you see a red arrow icon: For a server icon: right-click the icon and click Authorize. Then right-click the icon and click Refresh. For a scope icon: right-click the icon and click Activate. Then right-click the icon and click Refresh.

11. Verify that your scopes, leases, and options migrated successfully.

Migrate from a server that is not running a Windows Server operating system
Follow these steps to migrate scopes and settings from a DHCP server that is not running a Windows Server operating system. 14

Because you do not migrate leases with this procedure, some computers might be issued addresses that were assigned to other computers. Symptoms of an IP address conflict include: Loss of network connectivity. Pop-up dialog boxes on client computers warning that a conflict has been detected.

If a computer has an IP address conflict, the solution is to restart the computer. Or you can open a Command Prompt window and type ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew. To migrate from a server that is not running a Windows Server operating system 1. Open the configuration settings for the DHCP Server service on your DHCP server. Note Consult the system documentation for your existing DHCP server to determine how to access the DHCP server configuration settings. You may need to open a configuration file, run a command, or open a management console. 2. Write down scope settings, which include the range of IP addresses that the DHCP server is assigning. Also write down any specified options. 3. Stop your existing DHCP Server service, and ensure that the DHCP Server service cannot restart in the future. You may need to disable the service or change the start-up scripts. 4. Log on to the Management Server as domain administrator. 5. Verify that the DHCP Server service is started and set to automatically start. (In Administrative Tools, click Services to see the Status and the Startup type of the DHCP Server service.) 6. To open the DHCP server console, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP. 7. In the left pane, expand the node for the Management Server, right-click IPv4, and then click New Scope. The New Scope Wizard appears. 8. On the Welcome page of the wizard, click Next. 9. On the Scope Name page, type a name for the scope (such as AdventureWorks.Scope). Optionally, type a description, and then click Next. 10. On the IP Address Range page, type the following: The Start IP address and End IP address that match the scope on your existing DHCP server. This defines a block of IP addresses from which the Management Server can assign an address to a computer that requests an address. The Length or the Subnet mask IP address that you recorded on your existing DHCP server. (A subnet mask is the same as a netmask.) Then click Next.

11. On the Add Exclusions page, type a range of addresses if your DHCP server had reserved IP addresses that are available for manual, static assignment. Then click Next. 12. On the Lease Duration page, leave the duration at the default of 8 days, and then click Next. 15

13. On the Configure DHCP Options page, click Yes I want to configure these options now, and then click Next. 14. On the Router (Default Gateway) page, type the IP address of the Windows EBS Security Server, click Add, and then click Next. 15. On the Domain Name and DNS Servers page, type the following: In the Parent domain text box type the name of the domain where you installed Windows EBS (your root domain). This is the domain that you specified during your installation of the Management Server. In the IP address text box, type the IP address of the Management Server, click Add, and then click Next.

16. On the WINS Servers page leave the settings blank, and then click Next. (WINS is an old protocol that you should not need in an environment configured properly with Active Directory Domain Services.) 17. On the Activate Scope page, click Yes, I want to activate this scope now, and then click Next. Click Finish. 18. In the DHCP server console, in the left pane, if you see a red arrow icon: For a server icon: right-click the icon and click Authorize. Then right-click the icon and click Refresh. For a scope icon: right-click the icon and click Activate. Then right-click the icon and click Refresh.

Important If a client computer has an IP address conflict or loses network connectivity, restart the computer (or type ipconfig /release followed by ipconfig /renew in a Command Prompt window). You have completed this migration. Continue with Verify the migration later in this document.

Section C: Migrate custom settings to the Management Server

Follow these steps to apply the custom settings that your existing DHCP Server service is using to the Windows EBS Management Server. To apply custom settings to the Management Server 1. Write down the custom settings that your existing DHCP Server service is using. This includes reservations, scope options, and server options. For instructions about how to find these settings, see the "Do you have custom settings on your existing DHCP server?" section in How to Answer Questions in the Decision Flowchart later in this document. 2. Deactivate your existing DHCP server scopes. For example, if your existing DHCP server 16

is running Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008: a. Open the DHCP console: Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP. b. Right-click each Scope in the left pane and click Deactivate. 3. Disable your existing DHCP server so that it no longer serves addresses. (This is important because network issues will occur if multiple DHCP servers give out IP addresses in the same range to computers on your network.) a. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Services. b. Right-click DHCP Server, and then click Properties. c. On the General tab, in the Startup type list box, click Disabled. Then click OK. d. Right-click DHCP Server, and then click Stop. 4. Log on to the Management Server as domain administrator. 5. To open the DHCP console, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP. 6. In the left pane, expand the node for the Management Server and click IPv4. 7. If an error message appears in the right pane that says: Cannot find the DHCP server, start the DHCP Server service as follows: a. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Services. b. Right-click DHCP Server, and then click Start. c. Right-click DHCP Server, and then click Properties. d. On the General tab, in the Startup type list box, click Automatic. Then click OK. 8. In the DHCP console, click Scope. (If you just started the DHCP Server service, you might need to refresh the console.) Apply the settings that you wrote down in step 1 to the Management Server as follows: a. If your DHCP server had reservations (IP addresses that some computers always receive), click Reservations in the left pane and recreate the reservations. b. If your DHCP server had scope options (such as specifying an IRC server or NNTP server), click Scope Options in the left pane and recreate the options. Be careful not to overwrite the Windows EBS settings for DNS Servers, Domain name, and Router. c. If your DHCP server had server options (options that apply to all scopes), click Server Options in the left pane and recreate the options. Be careful not to specify settings for DNS Servers, Domain name, and Router.

You have completed this migration. Continue with Verify the migration later in this document.

Verify the migration

Follow these steps to verify that you migrated the DHCP servers successfully. 17

To verify the migration 1. Log on to a client computer as domain administrator. 2. Open a Command Prompt window. 3. Type the ipconfig
/release

command followed by inpconfig

/renew.

4. Then type the following:

ipconfig /all

5. In the command output, look for a DHCP Server entry. If you see more than one, look at the one that is under the section for the network device that connects to your Windows EBS network (in many cases, Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection). 6. The DHCP server IP address shown should be the IP address of the Management Server. 7. The DNS server IP addresses shown should be the IP address of the Management Server and the IP address of the Messaging Server. 8. Verify that you can access the Internet from the computer. 9. Log on to any computer that has a reserved IP address. 10. Renew the DHCP server lease by typing the following in a Command Prompt window:
ipconfig /renew

11. Verify that the IP address of the computer matches the reserved IP address.

Background Information
Computers on your network use TCP/IP to communicate with each other. This protocol requires that each network interface in your environment has an IP address (for example, 10.141.169.232). There are two ways a network device can get an IP address assigned to it: It can have an address permanently assigned to it (static addressing). It can have a DHCP server assign it an address (dynamic addressing).

When a computer has an IP address that is assigned from a DHCP server, it is said to have a lease on that address. When that lease expires, the computer contacts the DHCP server again to renew the lease. The DHCP server uses a database to track which computers have leased addresses. Using a DHCP server for dynamic addressing has many advantages over static addressing: You can manage settings centrally (such as which DNS server to use for a group of computers) instead of editing those settings on each computer. You can avoid IP address conflicts (when two network interfaces have the same IP address). You can still assign static addresses by using a reservation. This maps the network interfaces unique MAC address to a specific IP address on the DHCP server. 18

Your desktops and network devices can automatically register with DNS through dynamic updates.

It is recommended that you use the DHCP Server service to assign IP addresses and other network settings to your clients. However, servers should be statically addressed. This includes domain controllers and servers that are running Exchange Server or Windows EBS. When the DHCP Server service runs on a domain controller, the DHCP Server service must be authorized in Active Directory Domain Services to give out IP addresses. Unauthorized DHCP Server services do not give out IP addresses. You can authorize a DHCP server from the DHCP console.

Background information specific to Windows Essential Business Server

During installation, Windows EBS automatically installs the DHCP server role on the Management Server if no DHCP Server service is detected in the environment. In this case the DHCP server role is configured, a scope is created with the settings that you entered, the scope is authorized, and the service is started. If an existing DHCP Server service is detected, you are given the choice to configure and start the DHCP Server service.

How to Answer Questions in the Decision Flowchart

The following information can help you if you are unsure how to answer a question in the decision flowchart presented in Migration Requirements earlier in this document. It is recommended that you read Background Information earlier in this document to familiarize yourself with the DHCP Server service before you try to answer these questions.

Did you have the DHCP Server service present in your environment prior to installing Windows Essential Business Server?
Answer the question in the decision flowchart Yes if: A page in the Management Server Installation Wizard asked you to choose to use your existing DHCP Server service or start the DHCP Server service for Windows EBS. You open a Command Prompt window on an existing computer (not a server running Windows EBS) in your environment, type ipconfig /all, and then see DHCP server in the command output. You set up a new computer system and configure its network settings, and you choose the option Obtain an IP address automatically. 19

Answer the question in the decision flowchart No if: You specified a static IP address and subnet mask for each computer in your environment.

Did you choose to use your existing DHCP Server service or the DHCP Server service for Windows Essential Business Server?
To find which DHCP Server service option you chose 1. Log on to the Management Server as domain administrator. 2. To open the DHCP console, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP. Answer the question in the decision flowchart as follows: If you cannot expand DHCP, you chose to use your existing DHCP Server service. If you can expand the top-level DHCP node, and you see at least one scope (for example, Scope [192.168.0.0] ), you chose to use the DHCP Server service for Windows EBS.

Do you have custom settings on your existing DHCP server?

The following steps assume that your DHCP server is running Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008. If you are not running Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008, open the console that you use to manage your DHCP server and look to see if you have reserved IP addresses by MAC address or if you have changed other custom settings. To search for custom settings on your current DHCP server 1. Log on to your existing DHCP server as domain administrator. 2. To open the DHCP console, click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP. 3. In the left pane, expand the node for your DHCP server name. 4. In the left pane, expand the node for each scope, and then check for custom settings as follows: a. Click Reservations. If you see reservations listed in the right pane, you have custom settings on your existing DHCP server. b. Click Scope Options. If you see any items (except Router and DNS Servers) listed in the right pane, you have custom settings on your existing DHCP server. c. Click Server Options. If you see any items (except Router and DNS Servers) listed in the right pane, you have custom settings on your existing DHCP server. 20

Additional References
If you encounter difficulties with this migration or you want to learn more about the concepts discussed in this document, read the following articles at the Microsoft Web site.
Title Description Link

How to move a DHCP database from a computer that is running Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 to a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 Migrating from Windows NT Server 4.0 to Windows Server 2003

A knowledge base article with detailed steps about how to move a DHCP server configuration and database

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=105110

Chapter on migrating WINS and DHCP with information on how to use the dhcpexim tool to migrate a DHCP server to Windows Server 2003

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=89721

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