Anyone have any experience moving DHCP from one server to another?

[Uberwilhelm]

I have an aging DC that I want to demote but it is running DHCP. I want to move the role to a new server. I have looked up all of the steps and it seems pretty straight forward. I just want to know if anyone has done this and run into any problems. Thanks

[YeOldeStonecat]

Are you simply shutting off one and enabling it on another? If so...yes, easier than it sounds.

Or..do you have a large network with lots of unique settings...such as a bunch of DHCP reservations, and it would take you a painfully long time to enter all those from scratch..so you'd like to move the "DHCP database"? Microsoft has an article on copying that over.

[Uberwilhelm]

Sorry I should have been more specific. Yes I will be doing the database move. I have waaaayy to many reservations to put back in. LOL I have the article, I was just wondering if anyone had any real life experiences with doing it and if any problems came up that's all.

[YeOldeStonecat]

I think I used this article here...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325473
Doing the built in backup and import utility.

Although last time I had to move the DHCP to a diff computer....I think I only had 4 or 5 reservations for printers...so just did it manually. One of the times I moved the DHCP database to another server....ended up getting corrupted a few months down the road...so usually if the network is small enough..just rebuilding from scratch gives me a warmer feeling. Not having to deal with networks of over 75 pcs usually...I don't mind redoing from scratch..but I can certainly appreciate the need to export/import on large networks.

[koldchillah]

I've moved DHCP quite a few times on both 2000 & 2003, but the most recent time I used the DHCP Export/Import Tool that is referenced in the article that Stonecat posted. The tool worked great for me.

Prior to using the tool, the MS article was a few steps longer since you pretty much had to manually run all the commands that the little tool batches together for you. It was still a fairly straightforward procedure and I've never really experienced much trouble with it. The networks that I moved DHCP on were 50 - 200 PC's with about 15 - 30 reservations.

[Uberwilhelm]

Excellent. Thanks for the info. I have about 200 PCs with about 80 reservations and I didn't really want to re create them all. I will be doing it this weekend so I will post the results just for giggles.