DHCP for Windows 2000

Summary

In this chapter, I described the differences between BOOTP and DHCP. Although they share many traits, there are significant differences in their operation. The BOOTP conversation is very simple, comprising a request and a reply. Because BOOTP uses static configuration files, and a client’s MAC address must be listed in the file to receive an IP address, only one BOOTP server can be operational on a network at a time. The DHCP conversation in which a DHCP client broadcasts a request that multiple DHCP servers can receive is more robust. All DHCP servers that receive the request can respond. The DHCP client can then select a lease offer.

Also covered were the reasons why DHCP was developed and is currently being used in today’s TCP/IP-based networking environments. Next I went step by step through the DHCP conversation, detailing the data that is supplied by each type of message. Finally I covered how the DHCP relay agent operates. When the DHCP client requests an IP address, it broadcasts the request. In a routed environment, routers do not route broadcasts. The DHCP relay agent provides a method for DHCP to function in a routed environment by intercepting DHCP requests and forwarding the request as a unicast message directly to the DHCP server.