Move a DHCP Database to Another Server

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

You can use this procedure to move a DHCP database from one server computer (the source server) to another server computer (the destination server).

Membership in the Administrators group or the DHCP Administrators group on the source and destination DHCP servers is the minimum required to complete this procedure.

To back up the DHCP database (at the source server)

  1. Open DHCP.

  2. In the console tree, click the applicable DHCP server.

  3. On the Action menu, click Backup.

  4. In the Browse For Folder dialog box, select the folder that will contain the backup DHCP database, and then click OK.

  5. Stop the DHCP server.

    This prevents the server from assigning new address leases to clients after the database has been backed up.

  6. Disable the DHCP Server service in the list of services.

    This prevents the DHCP server from starting after the database has been transferred.

  7. Copy the folder that contains the backup DHCP database to the destination DHCP server computer.

Additional considerations

You must choose a local drive for the DHCP database backup folder.

When you stop the DHCP service, DHCP clients cannot obtain address leases or renewals from the server.

The DHCP service creates an automatic backup of the DHCP database during normal operation. The default storage location for this copy of the database backup is systemroot\System32\Dhcp\Backup.

To restore the DHCP database (at the destination server)

  1. If you have not already installed the DHCP server software, install it.

  2. Open DHCP.

  3. In the console tree, click the applicable DHCP server.

  4. On the Action menu, click Restore.

  5. In the Browse For Folder dialog box, select the folder that contains the backup DHCP database, and then click OK.

Additional considerations

To restore the DHCP database, the DHCP service is temporarily stopped. When it is stopped, DHCP clients are unable to contact the DHCP server and obtain IP addresses.

Only DHCP databases from the same language version can be restored. For example, a DHCP database from DHCP server running an English language version of the operating system cannot be restored to a DHCP server running a Japanese language version of the operating system.