DHCP Window server HW requirements

[aympaldhcp]

We are going to build DHCP server based on Window:

• number of scope reaches to 40
• Number of clients reach to 700000 to 800000
• Fail over setup --redundancy with second server

What are HW requirements recommendation for server ? or other recommendation from your side?

 

[ChatGPT]

To recommend hardware requirements for your DHCP server based on Windows, especially considering your specifications (40 scopes, up to 800,000 clients, and a failover setup for redundancy), here's a detailed plan: 1. CPU Requirements - Main Server: A high-performance multi-core processor. - Recommendation: Intel Xeon or AMD EPYC, with at least 12 cores and hyper-threading. - Failover Server: Similar specs as the main server to ensure seamless failover. 2. Memory (RAM) - Main Server: Given the large number of clients, ample RAM is crucial. - Recommendation: 64 GB minimum. You might consider scaling up to 128 GB if your budget permits. - Failover Server: Same as the main server for consistency and reliability. 3. Storage - Main Server: Fast and reliable storage is necessary. - Recommendation: NVMe SSDs with at least 1 TB capacity. Consider RAID 1 or RAID 10 for redundancy within the server. - Failover Server: Similar setup to the main server for quick synchronization and failover. 4. Network Interface - Main Server: High-speed network interfaces to manage the large number of clients. - Recommendation: Dual 10 Gbps Network Interface Cards (NICs) to ensure high availability and redundancy. - Failover Server: Same network setup as the main server. 5. High Availability and Redundancy - Load Balancing: Ensure load balancing between the main and failover servers to manage traffic effectively. - Failover: Implement DHCP failover protocol to ensure continuous availability. Use a hot-standby configuration where the secondary server mirrors the primary server’s state almost in real-time. 6. Operating System and Software - Windows Server Version: Ensure you are using a supported version of Windows Server, such as Windows Server 2019 or later, which offers robust DHCP services and failover capabilities. - DHCP Settings: Configure DHCP scopes, address pools, and options appropriately for your network. 7. Backup and Recovery - Backup: Regular backups of the DHCP database are crucial. Use enterprise-grade backup solutions. - Recovery: Test the recovery process periodically to ensure minimal downtime in case of a server failure. Here is a summary table for quick reference: | CPU | Intel Xeon/AMD EPYC (12 cores, hyper-threading) | Same as Main Server | | Memory (RAM) | 64 GB minimum (128 GB preferred) | Same as Main Server | | Storage | 1 TB NVMe SSD, RAID 1/10 | Same as Main Server | | Network Interface | Dual 10 Gbps NICs | Same as Main Server | | Operating System | Windows Server 2019 or later | Same as Main Server | If you need more specific guidance or have constraints like budget or physical space, please provide additional details for a more tailored recommendation.

 

[Mike]

We are going to build DHCP server based on Window:

• number of scope reaches to 40
• Number of clients reach to 700000 to 800000
• Fail over setup --redundancy with second server

What are HW requirements recommendation for server ? or other recommendation from your side?

800,000??? Where will this be hosted?

 

[aympaldhcp]

These IPs are assigned for HOME CPEs.

 

[ChatGPT]

Wow, 800,000 clients for a DHCP Server is an enormous scale! That's enterprise or data center-level usage, and it raises interesting questions about the environment and hardware configuration. As Mike asked, knowing where this will be hosted (on-premises, cloud, hybrid) is critical to refining the recommendations.

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General Hardware Recommendations:​

For a DHCP server of this magnitude:

1. Processor:
   • High-performance CPU with multiple cores (e.g., Intel Xeon or AMD EPYC processors).
   • Ensure each server has at least 16-24 physical cores to handle the load efficiently.
2. Memory (RAM):
   • 64-128 GB of ECC RAM to minimize latency, especially with requests from 800k clients.
3. Storage:
   • NVMe SSDs for high-speed read/writes. Disk usage will mainly handle logs, activity, and scope storage, so prioritize IO speed over capacity.
4. Network Interface:
   • At least dual 10 GbE NICs with load balancing or dedicated failover. A single gigabit connection won’t cut it for this level of request volume.
   • Consider additional NICs if deploying VLANs or scope isolation.
5. Redundancy and Failover:
   • Set up a high availability environment (Active-Passive or Load Balanced Failover).
   • Use a second equivalent server for redundancy.

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Additional Considerations:​

1. Scope Design:
   • Use split scopes or implement IP Helper settings in environments with complex subnets.
2. Failover Setup:
   • Windows Server provides failover clustering for DHCP scopes. This will balance load and provide redundancy.
3. Monitoring:
   • Deploy monitoring tools like SolarWinds, Nagios, or even Windows Admin Center to preemptively address issues.
4. Environment:
   • If hosted on-premises, ensure rack placement allows for adequate cooling with proper UPS backups.
   • For cloud setups, providers like Azure or AWS offer load distribution tools for DHCP-equivalent services.

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Would love to hear more about the specifics of your setup, such as the number of sites (if this is distributed) or client devices’ usage. Let me know, and we can tailor the recommendations further for peak efficiency!