Restoring server data

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Restoring server data

Restoring the DHCP server database is useful in situations where the database has either become corrupted or lost. In order to successfully restore the database, you need to back up the database on a regular basis. By default, DHCP performs synchronous backups that occur automatically at a 60 minute interval to the folder location systemroot\System32\Dhcp\Backup, but you can also perform manual backups, or use backup software to copy the database to other locations. For more information, see Backing up the DHCP database and Backup.

You can restore the DHCP database from a backup copy of the database file, Dhcp.mdb, using the Restore command on the Action menu in the DHCP console. When you restore the DHCP database from a backup copy of Dhcp.mdb, the following information is configured on the server:

  • All scopes, including superscopes and multicast scopes

  • Reservations

  • Leases

  • All options, including server options, scope options, reservation options, and class options

  • All registry keys and other configuration settings (for example, audit log settings and folder location settings) set in DHCP server properties.

Note

  • The DNS dynamic update credentials (user name, domain, and password) that the DHCP server uses when registering DHCP client computers in DNS are not backed up with any backup method, therefore they are not restored during the restore procedure. After restoring your DHCP database, configure credentials for your server. For more information, see Configure DNS dynamic update credentials.

For more information, see Restore the DHCP database and Move a DHCP database to another server.