IANAAtmGuy, but could it potentially be possible to use DHCP and map IPs to PVCs instead of to the end user's MAC address? Even if the end user's MAC address changes, the PVC number shouldn't... However, this does get complex when you have multiple machines on a PVC. -C
Managing end user MAC addresses for static IP users would be a big hassle. Every time an end user changes a NIC, swaps a server out, buys a new computer, they would need to put a call in because their MAC had changed.
Having DHCP assigned statics allows us to change DNS server IP's on the fly with minimal implications. It would also allow us to reassign new IP space without breaking everything (end user mail/dns/etc. would break). Worst case senario is an IP subnet change would occur, the user would DHCP their new "static" IP breaking any server services, but would still be able to connect to the Internet.
There were other arguments about possible DHCP spoofing agains't static IP and such.
-- --------------------------- Christopher A. Woodfield rekoil@semihuman.com PGP Public Key: http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0xB887618B