There is no intrinsic reason for DHCP to be based on Windows. There are some "easy of admin" features that I think are nice - such as when you build the subnet the wizard prompts you for the site-aware DNS and WINS server and the automatic DNS and rDNS registrations.
But any "modern" (i.e., the last 15 years) DHCP server knows about WINS and NBNS node types, etc. etc. If DHCP on Windows detects another DHCP server, it'll automatically shut itself down to avoid fighting for control. I prefer running DHCP on Windows - especially in branch offices, I can go one place and control everything and see everything. Regards, Michael B. Smith Consultant and Exchange MVP http://TheEssentialExchange.com -----Original Message----- From: Kurt Buff [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2010 1:34 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: DHCP in Win2k3 R2 domain All, Actually, the issue isn't really that, it's the part time admin in one of our overseas offices. He's running DHCP on a linux box, and handing out DNS/WINS entries pointing to the AD servers. I've got DHCP set up on the DC in their office, but haven't turned it on yet. He's balking because he want to control the handing out of addresses in his environment. Yes, I've taken away a large portion of his former set of control, but he can set up new users (including their mailboxes, etc.) and workstations, and he is an admin on the file server and the ERP box in their office, but little else - he doesn't have access to the DC with WINS/DNS, nor the firewall (though he has pulled the plug on it when "it wasn't working right", without calling me, which really pissed me off.) I could just turn on DHCP on the DC, and let those two machines fight it out, with the resulting chaos that would ensue, but I don't think that's terribly smart. I could just use the management hammer and tell him to turn the linux service off "because I said so" but that seems less than optimal as well. The servers are set up with static addresses, so that bit is not an issue. Can anyone point me to KB articles or other documentation on running DHCP that bolsters the case for centralizing it with AD? OTOH, if there's no compelling reason for doing so, I'd like to hear that as well, though I think that having network infrastructure services served out of the same platform, and manageable by the HQ would be a good thing. Kurt ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
