RFC 3736 (rfc3736) - Page 1 of 9
Stateless Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Service for IPv6
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group R. Droms
Request for Comments: 3736 Cisco Systems
Category: Standards Track April 2004
Stateless Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Service for IPv6
Status of this Memo
This document 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" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2004). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
Stateless Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol service for IPv6
(DHCPv6) is used by nodes to obtain configuration information, such
as the addresses of DNS recursive name servers, that does not require
the maintenance of any dynamic state for individual clients. A node
that uses stateless DHCP must have obtained its IPv6 addresses
through some other mechanism, typically stateless address
autoconfiguration. This document explains which parts of RFC 3315
must be implemented in each of the different kinds of DHCP agents so
that agent can support stateless DHCP.
1. Introduction
Nodes that have obtained IPv6 addresses through some other mechanism,
such as stateless address autoconfiguration [6] or manual
configuration, can use stateless DHCP to obtain other configuration
information such as a list of DNS recursive name servers or SIP
servers. A stateless DHCP server provides only configuration
information to nodes and does not perform any address assignment.
Such a server is called "stateless" because it need not maintain any
dynamic state for individual clients.
While the DHCP specification [1] defines more than 10 protocol
messages and 20 options, only a subset of those messages and options
are required for stateless DHCP service. This document explains
which messages and options defined in RFC 3315 are required for
stateless DHCP service. The intended use of the document is to guide
Droms Standards Track