DHCP and Active Directory question

[Lamar Thomas]

We are getting ready to move to Windows 2003 server from an NT 4.0 domain.
I know that MS DNS is required to run Active Directory. (I know that you
can use other platforms for DNS as long as they are compatible with Active
Directory).

What I want to know is can I move DHCP to another platform without effecting
Active Directory? We are thing about hosting DHCP on a Linux box or an IBM
AS/400. Would Active Directory be okay with that? That way we don't have
to pay M$ for another server + CALs just for that. Any input would be
helpful.


Lamar

 

[Matjaz Ladava [MVP]]

There is no harm in running DHCP on an existing DC box and it won't afect
your linecses. Otherwise you can use other DHCP servers in conjunction with
AD.

--
Regards

Matjaz Ladava, MCSE, MCSA, MCT, MVP
Microsoft MVP - Active Directory
(e-mail address removed), (e-mail address removed)
http://ladava.com

 

[Oli Restorick [MVP]]

Further to Matjaz's comments, unless you want to use the facility in the MS
DHCP server that allows legacy clients to be registered in DDNS by the DHCP
server, any DHCP server will be fine.

Unless you are licensing with per server licensing you would not need CALs
for the extra server. In any case, I don't think a CAL is required just for
DHCP use. Don't take my word for that and check for yourself, but I think
that's the case. If you are big enough to be considering a separate server
just for DHCP then you are certainly big enough to be using per seat
licensing.

Also, unless you environment is particularly large there's no real need to
put DHCP on a server of its own.

Hope this helps

Oli