Migrating DHCP Scopes between Windows Servers

 

Need to move a DHCP database from a computer that is running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 right through to Microsoft Windows Server 2012 r2 update 1. Here is how…

 

The one-time export/import process

Export the DHCP database from Windows, On the Windows DHCP server, navigate to a command prompt, type the following commands:

netsh

DHCP

\\Name or IP Address

export c:\oldserver.txt all

Or in a single command: netsh dhcp server \\servername export c:\oldserver.txt all

Then to import the DHCP database onto another server. Copy the exported DHCP database file to the local hard disk of the Windows Server that you have installed the DHCP Role on the server.

Stop the DHCP server service on the server.

net stop DHCPserver

Delete the c:\windows\system32\DHCP\DHCP.mdb

net start DHCPserver

Open the cmd prompt using elevated privileges. Type the following Commands:

• netsh
• DHCP
• server \\Name or IP Address
• import c:\oldserver.txt all

To do the import in one command: netsh dhcp server \\servername import c:\oldserver.txt all

• Activate the server if needed then restart DHCP.
• You need to update all affected router DHCP relays.

 

Consolidating scopes onto one server

NOTE: split scopes cannot be consolidated from two servers and server options that conflict will fail to import.

To do this you need to just to the specific scopes. Type the following Command:

• netsh
• DHCP
• server \\Name or IP Address
• export c:\dhcp-scopename.txt scope-ip-range

In one command line: netsc dhcp server \\servername export c:\dhcp-scopename.txt scope-ip-range

Repeat for all affected scopes

To import: netsc dhcp server \\servername import c:\dhcp-scopename.txt

 

DHCP relay

If you have multiple physical networks connected through routers, and you do not have a DHCP server on each network segment, the routers must be capable of relaying DHCP traffic. If you do not have such routers, you can set up the DHCP Relay Agent component on at least one server in each routed subnet. The relay agent relays DHCP message traffic between the DHCP-enabled clients on a local physical network and a remote DHCP server located on another physical network.

 

Here is the original material: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/962355