Migrate DHCP scopes with or without leases?

Question

Hello

I'm in a process of migrating DHCP scopes from current server to a new server. Current and new servers are in different AD Forests. Both servers are running Windows Server 2019.

I'm aware that PowerShell Export/Import-DhcpServer cmdlets can be used to migrate scopes. What I still don't understand is that should you migrate scopes with or without leases?

If leases are not migrated with the scope, new server is not aware of IP addresses that current DHCP server has possibly leased to clients. Though if Conflict Detection feature is enabled on new DHCP, this shouldn't be a problem since new server would test if there is a device on the network already using that address before handing out that address to anyone.

My colleges told me they have never migrated DHCP scopes with leases. I have migrated scopes years ago and I think I did the opposite way. What would be the right way to do this?

Answer 1

Hi

On my side I always migrate with lease as it prevent the conflict ip detection's error, as if you have a limited scope in example that can lead you to lease exhaution.

The other thing too is it prevent the user to need to reboot and to see the conflict ip error message on their computer.

As said, it's not an obligation to do with lease, it's just more transparent to the end user IMO