Implementing DHCP failover
To enable DHCP failover, begin by installing two DHCP servers
running Windows Server 2012, designating one of them as the primary
server and the other as the secondary server. If the DHCP servers are
domain members, they must be authorized in Active Directory. However,
you can also implement DHCP failover on standalone DHCP servers in a
workgroup.
After deploying your two DHCP servers, create and configure
scopes on the primary DHCP server for the DHCP clients in your
environment. Then perform the following steps:
-
Open the DHCP console and add the primary server. Then
right-click on a scope and select Configure Failover:
-
In the Configure Failover Wizard, select an available
scope.
-
Add the partner server that will be used as the secondary
server for the host server (the primary server).
-
Configure the new failover relationship for either
load-balance mode (shown in Figure 2) or standby
mode (shown in Figure 3). Adjust the
mode settings to meet the needs of your environment.
-
Complete the wizard and make sure the progress dialog
indicates success for all operations.
The preceding steps should perform these actions:
-
Add scopes on the partner server.
-
Disable scopes on the partner server.
-
Create a failover configuration on the partner
server.
-
Create a failover configuration on the host server.
-
Activate the scopes on the partner server.
Note
DHCP failover and Windows PowerShell
You can also use Windows PowerShell to implement DHCP
failover. The practice exercises in this chapter will give you an
opportunity to do this.
