ITNS Helpdesk

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol also known as DHCP is used to automatically provides an Internet Protocol (IP) host with its IP address and other related configuration information such as the subnet mask, DNS and default gateway. With windows server 2003, DHCP server role is built in to the operating system. You can add this server role and it can serve as a DHCP host. 

Migrating DHCP to a new server or windows server 2012R2 is pretty straight forward process. First you need to back up the configurations and stop the DHCP service from the source server. Then you have to install the DHCP server role in the new server and restore the backup.

Follow the detail steps in below.

1. Login to the 2008R2 DHCP server and review the DHCP configurations. 

1. Get a command prompt as elevated privileges and run the following command to back up the DHCP configurations to a file. 

   Netsh Dhcp Server > export C:\dhcp\dhcpdata.dat all

1. Login to the Windows server 2012R2 server and save the exported DHCP configurations file in C: drive.
    
2. Install the DHCP role in 2012R2 server

1. After successfully completed the installation, run the DHCP post configurations from the Server manager

1. Use a domain admin user account for authorization

1. Login to the old 2008R2 DHCP server to Disable and stop the DHCP server service.

1. Login to the new 2012R2 DHCP server and import the DHCP configurations, use the following command.
   Netsh dhcp server > Import c:\dhcp\dhcpdata.dat all

1. Review the DHCP configurations and test the DHCP by renewing IP addresses.

This is really simple migration process, and this migration would not have an impact to the live clients.