MODULE: Windows server administration

MODULE CODE: ICT 211

LEVEL: 2 IT D
ACADEMIC YEAR 2019-2020
Date: 31/03/2020

NAMES: MUGIRANEZA Josue

REG N® 18RP00511

WINDOW SERVER ADMINISTRATOR

ASSIGNMENT
Question 1. The DHCP employs a connectionless service model, using the User Datagram
Protocol (UDP). It is implemented with two UDP port numbers for its operations which
are the same as for the bootstrap protocol (BOOTP). UDP port number 67
is the destination port of a server, and UDP port number 68 is used by the client.

Question 2..DHCP operations fall into four phases: server discovery, IP lease offer, IP lease
request, and IP lease acknowledgement. These stages are often abbreviated as DORA for
discovery, offer, request, and acknowledgement.

1. A DHCP client sends a broadcast packet (DHCPDiscover) to discover DHCP servers on the
network.

2. The DHCP server receives the DHCPDiscover packet and respond with a DHCPOffer packet,
offering IP addressing information to the DHCP client.

3. If there is more than one DHCP server on the network segment and the DHCP client receives
more than one DHCPOffer packets, the client will accept the first DHCPOffer packet. The
DHCP client responds by broadcasting a DHCPRequest packet, requesting network parameters
from the DHCP server.

4. The DHCP server approves the lease with a DHCPACK (Acknowledgement) packet. The
packet includes the lease duration and other configuration information.

Question3. DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. DHCP used to provide IP

addresses to different Hosts or Client machines present in a Network. DORA is nothing but a
sequence of messages which is exchanged between the DHCP Server and Client. DORA stands
for mentioned messages :

 Discover
 Offer
  Request
 Acknowledgment
Now, take a look on this image. This image will clear the sequence of different messages which
is used in DORA Process.

Below, we will discuss these messages in more detail

DHCP Discover Message

This is the first message which is sent by the DHCP client to discover DHCP Server in the
network. This message is broadcast at Network and Data Link Layer.

DHCP Offer Message

DHCP Offer Message is sent by the DHCP Server to DHCP client. In this message, DHCP
Server offers an IP address to DHCP client. This message is unicast at Data Link Layer but
broadcast at the network layer.

DHCP Request Message

This message is sent from the DHCP client to the DHCP Server. In this message, DHCP client
request to DHCP server for the offered IP address. This message is unicast at data link layer but
broadcast at the network layer.

DHCP Acknowledgement Message

This is the final message of DHCP DORA Process. This message is sent by the DHCP Server to
the DHCP Client. This message is unicast at data link layer but broadcast at the network layer.

Question4. The disadvantages of DHCP are:

 Tracing internet activity may be difficult as the same machine may have two or more
different IP addresses over a period of time.
 Not having a static IP means computers with DHCP cannot be used as servers as their IP
will change

Security Issues

DHCP automation can be a serious security risk if a rogue DHCP server is introduced to the
network. A rogue server isn't under control of the network staff, and can offer IP addresses to
users connecting to the network. If a user connects to the rogue DHCP, information sent over
that connection can be intercepted or looked at, violating user privacy and network security. This
is known as a man in the middle attack, and can lead to serious consequences if confidential
information is sent over the rogue DHCP server.

Failure

Another issue is that if only a single DHCP server is in place, it forms a single critical junction
where failure can erupt from a single issue to a system-wide problem. If the server fails, any
connected computers that don't already have an IP address will try and fail to obtain one.
Computers that already have an IP address from before the server's failure will attempt to renew
it, which will lead to the computer losing its IP address. All network access would be lost until
the server is restored, leading to potential complications for those connected and needing to
communicate with the network. 

Additional Configuration

If the network has multiple subnetworks, or segments, a single DHCP server may be insufficient.
Making up for this lack requires additional configuration, which means additional time and
money spent setting everything up. Each network segment may require its own DHCP server, or
a DHCP relay agent. If neither option is viable, all connected routers may have to be configured
to Bootstrap Protocol (BootP) broadcasts. BootP is older and less advanced than DHCP
protocols, and not all systems may support BootP network protocols.

Windows Server 2003

If your network is running Windows Server 2003, an older Microsoft server operating system,
you may have problems with your DHCP client. Not all DHCP clients function properly when
connected to Windows Server 2003, although this problem may or may not occur depending on
the client being used.

Question 5. DNS and DHCP both work on the client-server architecture but are dissimilar
terms. DNS maps the domain name to IP address whereas DHCP is a protocol which assigns IP
to the hosts in a network be it statically or dynamically. DHCP is also used while setting up the
DNS server to the host.
Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR
COMPARISON DNS DHCP

Basic It is an address resolving It is a protocol used for assigning IP's

mechanism. to the host in a local area network
statically or dynamically.

Features Coverts symbolic names into IP Provide additional information such as

address and vice-versa. IP addresses of the host, router and
name server and Subnet mask of the
computer.

Used for locating active directory Assigns IP to host for a particular lease
domain servers. time.

Port number used 53 67 and 68

Related protocols UDP and TCP UDP

Server DNS server translates the DHCP server configures the hosts
Domain name to the IP and vice- automatically.
versa.

Working Decentralized Centralized

methodology

Advantage Eliminate the need to remember Reliable IP address configuration and

the IP address; instead, the reduced network administration.
 BASIS FOR
COMPARISON DNS DHCP

domain name is used for the web

address.

Key Differences Between DNS and DHCP

1.DNS is used for resolving and recursively resolving the address to name or name to address of
the host. On the other hand, DHCP is used for allocating the addresses to the host in the network
dynamically or statically.

2.DNS uses port number 53 whereas DHCP could either use 67 or 68.

3.DHCP supports only UDP while DNS can support TCP and UDP both protocols.

4.Servers in DNS and DHCP performs different operations where DNS server is responsible for
accepting the queries through client and responding back to the client s along with the results. As
against, DHCP server is responsible for allocating the temporary addresses to the client machines
for a lease time and then extending the lease according to the requirement.

5.DNS follows a certain hierarchy which does not allow the storage of all the domain names at
one place instead it breaks it into subdomains and then the particular piece of information is
stored on a particular server. Hence it is decentralized in manner. In contrast, DHCP server
configures IP addresses of the clients from a pool of IP addresses and centrally handles all the
tasks, in case a DHCP server is not directly attached to the clients then it uses a router to receive
the DHCP broadcasts and relay them to the DHCP server.

Conclusion

DNS and DHCP both of the technologies were devised for the convenience of the users and
administrators using the network or internet. DNS eliminated the need of remembering the
complex IP addresses for the casual users while DHCP reduced the time-consuming process of
configuring the systems in a network manually, nowadays it is all automatic and fast.