Question : Changing Network IP Address Range & Enabling DHCP

After a few years of ignoring the problem the time has come to change the IP address range of our network from the public one, installed way before my time, to a private 192.xxx.xxx.xxx affair.

At the same time, I want to enable DHCP for the new range - to date everything has been static IP address.  We only have a small network, 3 servers, 50 pc's, printers, router etc so it won't be too big a job.  I'm quite happy setting scopes etc but my question concerns DNS.

Currently we have our DC set up as our DNS server too.  Once I change the IP address of the server, will the DNS server pick up the changes or will I have to manually edit entries in the Foreward and Backward Lookup Zones.  I'm particularly concerned about what might happen to our Exchange 2003 server - will I have to do anything for the MX record?

The network domain name and machine names aren't changing - it's 'just' the IP's.

Thanks.
 

Answer : Changing Network IP Address Range & Enabling DHCP

The DNS server will see the changes when the IP addresses re-register.
The way I do a change is to actually shutdown things - particularly with Exchange. So stop all the Exchange services, then change the IP address, DNS etc and shutdown the server. Then change the domain controller and reboot it.
Once the DC is up, bring the Exchange server up.
Everything else can be restarted to pick up the new settings.

MX record - the internet isn't to know. Just ensure the router is reconfigured with the new internal IP address for the port forwarding.

Mentioning DHCP, if you were clever and did the planning in advance with reservations (can all be done in advance, simply do not activate the scope) you could set the entire site to DHCP, except for the domain controllers. You would need to collect MAC addresses etc.
Then simply activate the scope and set everything to DHCP. They will get their settings automatically. Can save lots of time if you have a small panel to enter the settings on a print for example.

I now have two clients on an exclusive DHCP setup and it works very well. I want to change a DNS server takes me ten seconds rather than an hour or two to change all the printers etc.

Simon.