Windows Server - DHCP on SBS vs Firewall/Router; what are advantages & disadvantage

I'm configuring SBS 2003 R2.  The configuration wizard is prompting to setup
DHCP, but has detected a DHCP server already exists.  Currently, the DHCP
server is hosted on our SonicWall firewall/router.  What are the
advantages/disadvantages to configuring DHCP on SBS 2003 vs our
firewall/router?  TIA, Gary.

No debate... SBS should handle DHCP.

Isn't a server meant to be looking after your network, not a third party
item.

If at all possible, you want to let SBS hand out DHCP requests, not your
firewall/router.

The advatange of letting SBS do the DHCP role is because DHCP, DNS, AD,
Exchange and IIS are all tightly tweaked to work in the SBS environment, and
the SBS management console and wizards work and assume that SBS is handling
all the roles it was designed for.

See Susan's blog for more info:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sbs/2003/maintain/movedata.mspx

--
Kevin Weilbacher [SBS MVP]

One advantage of SBS DHCP is dynamic DNS registration where DHCP updates
DNS zones. it is also much more configurable than a typical router DHCP
implementation.

-- stephen

Kevin,

The link was not to Susan's blog.  I did a google search and I assume her
blog is:
http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/

Was there a specific link that discussed DHCP in her blog?

Gary.

Mea culpa ... I guess I didn't press CTRL-C to grab her URL before pressing
CTRL-V ... here it is ...

http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2004/12/28/27920.aspx

--
Kevin Weilbacher [SBS MVP]

In my case I have three locations so in my central location where the
SBS server is located, I have that issue the DHCP leases.  My two
other locations that are connected by cisco routers and a vpn tunnel,
I let them handle the DHCP releases at their locations.  Actually I'm
using mostly static IPs at those locations but a few laptops use DHCP
issued by the cisco routers.  The alternative was to pass DHCP forward
to the SBS server which is not a secure way have of handling DHCP.  So
local to your box I would let it handle DHCP, remote locations I would
let the routers handle it at those locations (if you have any)

Rick