Windows Server® 2008 Bible

Chapter 4. DHCP

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Understanding DHCP

• The Windows Server 2008 DHCP server

• Installing and configuring the DHCP server

• Defining and implementing user and vendor classes

• Creating and using superscopes

• Creating multicast scopes

• Configuring global DHCP server properties

• Managing the DHCP database

• Configuring Windows DHCP clients

This chapter covers configuring and managing a Windows Server–based Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server and DHCP clients.

Overview of DHCP

The TCP/IP protocol, which is required for Internet connectivity and has become the protocol of choice for most intranets, requires that each node on the network have a unique IP address. This includes any individual network object, such as a server, workstation, printer, or router. You can assign IP addresses to network nodes either statically or dynamically. With a statically assigned address, you specify a fixed address for a given node, and that address never changes unless you manually change it. Static assignment is the option used when the network node must always have the same IP address. Web and FTP servers or devices such as printers that don't support anything other than static assignments are prime examples of devices with statically assigned addresses.

You also can assign IP addresses dynamically through the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). DHCP enables network nodes to take IP address assignments from a DHCP server automatically at startup. Although dynamic assignment means that IP addresses ...