Step By Step Enabling Automatic DHCP Server Backup

Like any database, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)server also at

times may require actions such as backup and restore in the event of hardware
failure, software failure, migration or in fault configuration change. Microsoft
eases this process by providing tools to automatically backup said DHCP database
and configuration. This Step-By-Step will detail how default parameters can be
adjusted to automate this backup process.
This demo will use a Windows Server 2012 R2 in a domain enabled with the
DHCP server role.
1. To start the process log in to server as Domain admin or Enterprise admin
2. Then Server Manager > DHCP

3. Once mmc load, right click on the server node and click properties

4. In the new window you can see it shows backup path

as C:\Windows\system32\dhcp\backup. This is the default path. But we
can change it to local folder or network share. Click on brows to select the
new path. In my demo it is set to C:\DHCPBackup. Once path set click on
ok

5. System automatically backs up the configuration every 60 minutes. This

can be changed as per our requirement.
To do that we need to do some registry key edit. To open the registry mmc,
go to Run > regedit

6. Then go to
pathHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Service
s\DHCPServer\Parameters
In there you will be able to see a key called BackupInterval

7. To edit the value double click on it, and then once open select, decimal
value option

8. As you can see default value is 60, to change it type the value you needs
(the value represent the number of minutes) and press ok. In my demo I am
going to set for 10 minutes

9. Once done we can check the folder path we set to confirm the backup its
made