What is the best solution for a network administrator who needs to accommodate new devices when all allocated IP addresses are in use?

Increasing the size of the DHCP scope for the network segment is the best solution when a network administrator needs to accommodate new devices and all allocated IP addresses are in use. A DHCP scope defines the range of IP addresses that the DHCP server can assign to devices on the network. By enlarging this range, the administrator can provide more IP addresses available for assignment, allowing more devices to connect without running into IP exhaustion.

This approach directly addresses the immediate problem of not having enough IP addresses on the network segment. It’s a relatively straightforward and effective solution that ensures the DHCP server can allocate IP addresses to new devices as they join the network.

While creating a new DHCP scope might provide additional addresses, it usually requires more configuration and management overhead. Configuring the DHCP server for IPv6 would solve the problem in the long term, but if the network and devices currently operate with IPv4, this change may not be feasible without significant adjustments. Utilizing NAT could help manage IP addresses by allowing multiple devices to share a single public IP address, but it does not increase the available private IPs for new devices directly within the local network. Thus, increasing the size of the DHCP scope is the most efficient solution in this scenario.