DHCP Windows Server or Meraki DHCP?

[DTheMan]

Hi Everyone,

We are planning on implementing Meraki Infrastructure for our new office. What are Pros and Cons using Meraki DHCP vs Windows DHCP server?

[dlowery]

What size shop is this going to be? Would the Windows server be onsite, remote, or hosted somewhere else? What other Microsoft tools are you using (AD, Group Policy, DNS)? Just trying to get a better idea of what this will look like so I can answer your question more accurately.

[DTheMan]

Size of the shop is about 200 users.  All our windows servers are hosted in Azure. On-Prem we will have AD server  for authentication and laptop group policy. 

[ph0t0g]

Are there other IP devices? Printers, phones, etc. What Meraki device are you thinking of using as a DHCP server?

[DTheMan]

Yes, we do have pritners onsite and voip phones that use cloud PBX. We bought 2 MS425 as our core switches and MS350 as access switches.

[ph0t0g]

The MS425's have more than enough power to act as DHCP servers for your environment. 

[BlakeRichardson]

I'd suggest using network equipment for DHCP as opposed to servers, the reason being server failure means your DHCP is offline and client devices will start to lose connectivity as leases expire. 

Network equipment is very rarely offline or rebooted.