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The DHCP database can be moved or migrated from a Windows Server 2003 server to a Windows Server 2008 server, or from one Windows Server 2008 server to another. The information below details the necessary steps.
To move a DHCP database and configuration from a server that is running Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 to another server that is running Windows Server 2008:
1. Log on to the source DHCP server by using an account that is a member of the local Administrators group.
2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Type netsh dhcp server export C:\dhcp.txt all , and then press ENTER.
Note: You must have local administrator permissions to export the data.
1. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, click Server Manager. If needed acknowledge User Account Control.
2. In Roles Summary click Add Roles, click Next, check DHCP server, and then click Next.
1. Log on as a user who is an explicit member of the local Administrators group. A user account in a group that is a member of the local Administrators group will not work. If a local Administrators account does not exist for the domain controller, restart the computer in Directory Services Restore Mode, and use the administrator account to import the database as described later in this section.
2. Copy the exported DHCP database file to the local hard disk of the Windows Server 2008-based computer.
3. Verify that the DHCP service is started on the Windows Server 2008-based computer.
4. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
5. At the command prompt, type netsh dhcp server import c:\dhcpdatabase.txt all , and then press ENTER, where c:\dhcpdatabase.txt is the full path and file name of the database file that you copied to the server.
Note When you try to export a DHCP database from a Windows 2000/2003 domain controller to a Windows Server 2008 member server of the domain, you may receive the following error message:
Error initializing and reading the service configuration - Access Denied
Note You must have local administrator permissions to import the data.
6. To resolve this issue, add the Windows Server 2008 DHCP server computer to the DHCP Admins group at the Enterprise level and redo steps 4 & 5.
7. If the "access is denied" error message occurs after you add the Windows Server 2008 DCHP server computer to the DHCP Admins group at the Enterprise level that is mentioned in step 6, verify that the user account that is currently used to import belongs to the local Administrators group. If the account does not belong to this group, add the account to that group, or log on as a local administrator to complete the import and redo steps 4 & 5.
1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click DHCP.
Note You must be logged on to the server by using an account that is a member of the Administrators group. In an Active Directory domain, you must be logged on to the server by using an account that is a member of the Enterprise Administrators group.
2. In the console tree of the DHCP snap-in, expand the new DHCP server. If there is a red arrow in the lower-right corner of the server object, the server has not yet been authorized.
3. Right-click the server object, and then click Authorize.
4. After several moments, right-click the server again, and then click Refresh. A green arrow indicates that the DHCP server is authorized.
- Wayne Melvin
Greetings NAP fans! I just found out about this and had to share it with the NAP community. The Enterprise
How do you move a DHCP database from 2008 back to 2003? I get errors following the steps above.
What would cause the snapin to display a red x on the "Address Leases" and "There are no items to show in this view."? The reservations are there, but it won't show anything in the lease view.
This is after a somewhat troubled attempt at moving from a 2003 DHCP server to a 2008 DHCP server.
Joey,
what errors do you get? You get error while exporting 2008 database or while importing the same in 2003?
when moving from a windows 2003 Server, French localized version, to a windows 2008 English localzied version, I get an error :
"Error while importing class "Default Routing and Remote Access Class." This class conflicts with the existing class "Classe de routage et d'accès distant par défaut." An internal error occurred."
Is there a workaround or I'm stuck rebuilding all by hands ?
Thx.
I am also experiencing the "Red X" and "There are no items to show in this view." issue with the above process. I did this once before and it worked fine. DHCP, by the way, seems to be working...I just can't see the leases from the console.
I too am getting the red X on the leases after trying to move DHCP from a windows 2003 to a 2008 server. For now I am reverting back to my windows 2003 DHCP server but I would like to pull that out of the mix of servers as soon as possible.
When we manage the server from another 2003 member server, we can see all of the address leases. It's almsot as if the snap-in on the 2008 server is not working.
We created a new scope on the 2008 server and we can see all of the addresses on that scope.....another Windows mystery?
Did any one find a solution for the red x on the DHCP lease?
Are there any changes if you need to move from 2000 to 2008?
We all need solution for the red x on the DHCP lease!
I found interesting post in internet:
Windows 2008 - DHCP - New Production Environment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi All
I will be writing in here to pass on some of my experiences with
Windows 2008 RTM, MS have sponsored a project for us where a largish
organisation will be deploying around 40 W2K8 servers, primarily File,
Print and Network Services.
I have to admit so far the migration has been going well, until DHCP,
this has caused no end of grief. We are over it now, but this is
important to perhaps save other people time.
1. Do not even bother to import an export from W2K3 database, they do
not import correctly killing the capability to issues addresses,
eventually we are now just re-creating new scopes. We experienced a
few seperate issues importing the DBs
a) Importing did not bring over lease information
b) Importing did not bring back all reservations and when it did,
address leases displayed a large red X over the item and stopped
issuing addresses.
2. Do NOT delete your scope and restart the services for DHCP, they
will not start with an error "The specified file cannot be found" and
you find yourself re-installing the DHCP role.
Hope this give others a heads up.
Mike
Hi Cluster Fans, The cluster team has been busy working on some great new features for Failover Clustering
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/962355
It worked!
Great steps, but I'm about to upgrade to a Win2k8 domain from Win2000. What would the process be for moving a database there? Would it just be that the steps from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325473 apply? Or would I have to go from Win2k - Win2k3 - Win2k8?
Thanks!
You should update this article as you do not have to have an account that has an explicit local administrative membership. You do not have to reboot into Directory Services Restore Mode for a DC. Instead, you just have to run the CMD prompt as Administrator when launching it.
Hi, everyone.
Wanted to let you know I'm having the problem described in this article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/169290/en-us , but on a Windows Server 2008 box....
Seems like someone picked up an old library when building 2008...
The workaround is not to use superscopes, but it makes it more difficult to manage when the server has tens of scopes...
Greetings
is there an upgrade path to move WINS from a Windows 2000 Domain to a Server 2008 Domain?
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