RFC 1531 (rfc1531) - Page 1 of 39
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
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