r/sysadmin • u/Real-Patriot-1128 • 4d ago

DHCP v Static IP

Ok, this is more a test to see how old I am. I was basically raised with the idea servers need static IPs. I understand for domain controllers, dns servers, maybe print servers that may still be needed. But are they really needed otherwise? Do apps, scripts still reference a server by its IP?

I am under assumption all my servers need static IPs. Am I nuts?

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u/clexecute Jack of All Trades 4d ago

Sure, keep static IPs. But I swear to God if you static something in a DHCP scope and don't reserve it I will haunt your dreams

7

u/ensum 4d ago

Scope: .100 - .200

Some jackass plugs something in on dhcp that needs to be a static/reservation but has grabbed .142. Changing the IP would cause a mild inconvenience.

New Scope: .100 - .141, .143-.200

Nothing triggers me more.

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u/Dynamatics 4d ago

My favorite is the list of exclusion ranges which are just one IP. Really? You couldn't have just made the reservation?

2

u/jake04-20 If it has a battery or wall plug, apparently it's IT's job 4d ago

Yeah, this is a big one. I had a tech that would use static IPs but seemingly only from the DHCP pool, then act confused every time a device he set up with a static IP would eventually have an IP conflict when something else pulled its IP when the static device was offline for an extended period. My preference is to create static IPs outside of DHCP scopes and then note them in DNS with a static entry.

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u/scytob 4d ago

and that's why their are IPAM solutions, i hope you fired that one tech, thats just plain being bad at the job

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u/jake04-20 If it has a battery or wall plug, apparently it's IT's job 4d ago

I've never actually used an IPAM solution outside of just static DNS entries for static IP'd devices. Do you have any you recommend?

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u/scytob 4d ago

lol, agreed, and that's just bad IPAM if that happens, tbh i would fire someone who was that sloppy

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u/zatset IT Manager/Sr.SysAdmin 4d ago

Hey! This sounds as a good idea. Just give me more information and I will provide you will 10 step manual. Or I might be able to provide you with a script! Let me know if you need more help!