RFC 1531 (rfc1531) - Page 1 of 39

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

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Network Working Group                                           R. Droms
Request for Comments: 1531                           Bucknell University
Category: Standards Track                                   October 1993


                  Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Status of this memo

   This RFC specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" for the standardization state and status
   of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) provides a framework
   for passing configuration information to hosts on a TCP/IP network.
   DHCP is based on the Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) [7], adding the
   capability of automatic allocation of reusable network addresses and
   additional configuration options [19].  DHCP captures the behavior of
   BOOTP relay agents [7, 23], and DHCP participants can interoperate
   with BOOTP participants [9].

Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  2
   1.1 Related Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
   1.2 Problem definition and issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4
   1.3 Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5
   1.4 Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
   1.5 Design goals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
   2. Protocol Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
   2.1 Configuration parameters repository . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
   2.2 Dynamic allocation of network addresses . . . . . . . . . . . 11
   3. The Client-Server Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
   3.1 Client-server interaction - allocating a network address. . . 12
   3.2 Client-server interaction - reusing a  previously allocated
       network address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
   3.3 Interpretation and representation of time values. . . . . . . 19
   3.4 Host parameters in DHCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
   3.5 Use of DHCP in clients with multiple interfaces . . . . . . . 20
   3.6 When clients should use DHCP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
   4. Specification of the DHCP client-server protocol . . . . . . . 21
   4.1 Constructing and sending DHCP messages. . . . . . . . . . . . 21
   4.2 DHCP server administrative controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
   4.3 DHCP server behavior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24



Droms
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