RFC 2563 (rfc2563) - Page 2 of 9

DHCP Option to Disable Stateless Auto-Configuration in IPv4 Clients

RFC 2563             DHCP Auto-Configuration Option             May 1999


   they will have IPv4 addresses, so that they may communicate with one
   another even in the smallest networks.

   This document looks at three types of network nodes, and how IPv4
   address auto-configuration may be disabled on a per-subnet (or even
   per-node) basis.  The three types of network nodes are:

   * A node for which the site administrator will hand out configuration
     information,

   * A node on a network segment for which there is no site
     administrator, and

   * A node on a network segment that has a central site administrator,
     and that administrator chooses not to hand out any configuration
     information to the node.

   The difference between the second and third cases is the clients
   behavior.

   In one case, the node may assign itself an IP address, and have full
   connectivity with other nodes on the local wire.  In the last case,
   the node is not told what to do, and while it may assign itself a
   network address in the same way as case #2, this may not be what the
   central administrator wants.

   The first scenario is handled by the current DHCP standard.  However,
   the current DHCP specification [DHCP] says servers must silently
   ignore requests from hosts they do not know.  Because of this, DHCP
   clients are unable to determine whether they are on a subnet with no
   administration, or with administration that is choosing not to hand
   out addresses.

   This document describes a method by which DHCP clients will be able
   to determine whether or not the network is being centrally
   administrated, allowing it to intelligently determine whether or not
   it should assign itself a "link-local" address.

1.1.  Conventions Used in the Document

   The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
   "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
   document are to be interpreted as described in [KEYWORDS].








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