Nile Cloud DHCP
Overview
Nile Managed DHCP is responsible for allocating IP addresses to endpoints, ensuring that connected devices can access the network and the internet. By leveraging Nile's cloud-native platform, organizations can benefit from a secure, flexible, and scalable DHCP solution without the need for on-premises infrastructure.
Benefits of Nile Managed DHCP
Nile Managed DHCP offers several advantages over traditional on-premises DHCP servers:
- Security
- All DHCP transactions between the Nile Access Service and the Nile Managed DHCP are encrypted over a secure tunnel, preventing packet spoofing and ensuring the integrity of the DHCP process.
- Simplicity
- The Nile Managed DHCP is easy to configure and manage through the Nile Customer Portal, reducing the administrative burden on IT teams.
- Flexibility and Scalability
- The Nile Managed DHCP can scale to accommodate growing network requirements across multiple sites and regions.
- High Availability
- Nile runs the industry's first microservices based DHCP in the cloud, providing redundancy and ensuring uninterrupted network connectivity, even in the event of cloud or internet unavailability.
Configuring Nile Cloud DHCP
- Log in to the Nile Portal. In the left navigation, select Network Setup > DHCP.
- Click on Nile DHCP.
- Click on the '+' icon and enter the following details:
- Pool Name: Enter a name for the DHCP user subnet.
- Network: Enter the subnet.
- Default Gateway: This is auto-populated once you enter the network subnet. Please keep it as is.
- Lease Time: Select the lease time. The default is 1 day.
- DNS Server: Please enter the IP addresses of your DNS server.
- For example: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4.
- IP Range: Click on the '+' icon to add an IP range. Specify the start and end IP addresses. The fields are pre-populated; modify them as required.
- The basic setup is now complete and it covers the most common configuration.
- Advanced:
- DHCP Reservation: Enter the device hostname, MAC address, and the IP address to reserve for each device.
- Options: This section is used to configure advanced settings such as NTP, TFTP and DNS servers.
Supported DHCP Options
Nile Managed DHCP currently supports the following DHCP options:
- Option 3: Router option (gateway address)
- Option 6: DNS server option
- Option 15: DNS domain name
- Option 26: Interface MTU size
- Option 42: NTP server addresses
- Option 60: Vendor class identifier
- Option 66: TFTP server name
- Option 67: Boot file name
- Option 150: TFTP server IP address
Custom DHCP options are on the roadmap and will be supported in the next release.
High Availability and Failover
Nile Managed DHCP is designed for high availability and failover. In the event of cloud or internet unavailability, existing devices with active DHCP leases will continue to have network connectivity, though new device connections may be impacted until the service is restored.
Visibility and Monitoring
Customers can monitor the status and performance of Nile Managed DHCP through the Nile Customer Portal. This includes visibility into subnet utilization, IP address allocation, and client information.
Nile will also proactively alert customers about any service-related issues or upcoming maintenance activities.