Village of Oak Lawn Strengthens Network Stability with DNSBOX
The Village of Oak Lawn, a local government in Illinois, needed a reliable and easy-to-manage DHCP and DNS solution to replace their existing setup. Their Windows Server went down for several hours following a CrowdStrike-related outage, forcing them to move DHCP onto their firewalls as an emergency fix. However, this temporary solution lacked key functionality, particularly Dynamic DNS (DDNS) support, and was difficult to manage.
While Oak Lawn wanted to retain Microsoft Active Directory for DNS, they preferred to replace Microsoft DHCP with a dedicated appliance that offered greater reliability and ease of use. Their key priorities were to:
- Ensure network resilience with an independent, appliance-based DHCP solution.
- Simplify administration so less technical staff could take over DHCP management.
- Retain Active Directory integration while enabling DDNS updates.
- Reduce cost and complexity compared to Windows DHCP and firewall-based alternatives.
After evaluating DNSBOX, Ray Gaida, Senior Network Administrator, found it to be the ideal fit. The appliance delivered all the key DHCP features they relied on, including DDNS support and IP reservations—a function Ray described as "huge for me" due to frequent use.
DNSBOX provided a technically sound, cost-effective solution that was:
- Feature-complete, matching the DHCP capabilities of their Windows Server.
- Easier to manage, with a straightforward UI that simplified setup and control.
- More reliable, eliminating the dependency on Windows or firewall-based DHCP.
- Backed by strong references, with nearby municipalities successfully using DNSBOX.
Following a successful demo, Oak Lawn proceeded with their first DNSBOX appliance, with the option to add an additional appliance for high availability across their five SD-WAN-connected sites. With DNSBOX now in place, Oak Lawn has a robust, dedicated DHCP solution that ensures network uptime, simplifies management, and future-proofs their infrastructure.
