Chapter 3 - DHCP Server Management

Abstract

All common network protocols assign each computer a unique identifier. In the case of Internet work Package Exchange (IPX), this number is assigned automatically by the workstation in a way that is guaranteed to make the number completely unique; NetBEUI uses a 16-character NetBIOS name. The Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol uses an IP address. TCP/IP was designed to connect a relatively small number of servers together. The purpose of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is to provide a way to dynamically assign IP Addresses to computers when they connect to the LAN. The availability of a DHCP server on a network makes it easier for users when they move their computer, or visit another office with their laptops. The DHCP server also gives out other TCP/IP configurations to the client, including the IP address of the gateway, DNS server and the client's DNS Domain Name. Windows 2000 DHCP is integrated with Microsoft DNS Server. This feature allows a Windows 2000 DHCP Service to communicate IP addressing and host name information to a Windows 2000 Dynamic DNS (DDNS) Service. This provides dynamic IP addresses to host name registration and resolution. As application standards move toward using the WinSock interface, it is critical in large corporate networks to locate clients by host name and IP address. DHCP is a mission-critical feature of enterprise networks. Most corporate networks have moved to TCP/IP, and they rely on DHCP for IP address administration.