Remote Site DHCP Configuration

[Bradtechonline]

We have small branches all across the state. Right now our DHCP is managed from different routers or PIXs.. We are placing Read Only Domain Controller at these branches that will provide DNS, local logins, and DFS file sharing.. The only problem I have is setting up DHCP at the remote site because this indicates a single point of failure with no redundancy..

Right now the plan is to turn up DHCP, and then if the server goes down turn up DHCP real fast again on the local Pix or Router again until we can get the server back up.. We really have no IT staff at these remote sites..

The main issue is the clients being unable to dynamically update DNS records because we are running an AD Integrated DNS solution which only allows Dynamic updates through DHCP..

Any ideas or opinions on this plan.. Recommendations are welcome..

 

[spidey07]

I've never had any problems with only a single DHCP server. If it does go down the only thing it will affect is people that boot or unplug.

What you could do is have the local server have a scope with addresses 1-100. Then another server somewhere else have a scope with addresses 101-200. Then put a dhcp forwarder on the pix/router. The latency to the second server means the client will almost always get an address from the local server, but it's there in case it's ever needed.

 

[imported_snikt]

We have 7 remote sites, each with its own DC. The DCs provide DHCP and DNS, act as the print servers and file servers. When we went from an NT domain to 2003/2008 domain we replaced the DCs as needed but we never once had any problems with the services provided by the DCs. The only show-stoppers were really blackout/brownouts, which were easily recovered from.