We Got Served

Brendan Grant has released a new Windows Home Server Add-in for testing and feedback over at the MS Forums. It’s a DHCP server for WHS.

DHCP is a protocol used by networked computers (clients) to obtain IP addresses and other parameters such as the default gateway, subnet mask, and IP addresses of DNS servers from a DHCP server. The DHCP server ensures that all IP addresses are unique, e.g., no IP address is assigned to a second client while the first client’s assignment is valid (its lease has not expired). Thus IP address pool management is done by the server and not by a human network administrator.

The add-in gives you much more control over your DHCP leases than your home router, whilst protecting you from all of the complexity offered in Windows Server with a simple to use interface within the Windows Home Server Console.

Over to Brendan:

What does it do? Just a couple of things really:

• Allows you to manage existing DHCP leases
• Create new DHCP reservations based on:

• Existing leases
• Computers associated with your Windows Home Server, and
• From scratch

Not much sure… but a heck of a lot easier than reprogramming ones home router or dealing with the Microsoft server.

I’ve got a few cosmetic changes to make and perhaps a minor structural one or two before submitting it to the Code2Fame challenge… in the mean time, anyone brave enough to give my code a try and offer some feedback?

This add-in falls within the “Advanced User” category, or if you’re a more casual user looking to learn more about networking concepts, then this could be a great place to test and play.

Brendan has more details on his blog.

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