DHCP concepts

DHCP interacts with clients and works in a network.

DHCP provides an automated method for dynamic client configuration. Clients that are DHCP enabled automatically obtain their own IP address and configuration parameters from the server. This process occurs through a series of steps.

• DHCP client-server interaction
  A client gets the DHCP information from the server, and specific messages are sent between the client and the server. DHCP obtains and returns leases.
• Leases
  You can find what DHCP leases are and some questions are provided for you to consider when determining the lease time for your DHCP clients.
• Relay agents and routers
  You might need to use a DHCP relay agent in your network; sometimes a router is sufficient. You can use both a DHCP relay agent and a router to efficiently and securely transfer data throughout the network.
• DHCP client support
  Using DHCP, you can manage each client in your network individually, rather than managing all of the clients as a large group (subnet).
• BOOTP
  This topic describes what BOOTP is, and gives some history about BOOTP and DHCP.
• Dynamic updates
  You can use your DHCP server in conjunction with your DNS server to dynamically update the client information in the DNS when DHCP assigns the client an IP address.
• DHCP options lookup
  DHCP has many configuration options that can be sent to the client when they request information from the DHCP server. You can use a lookup tool that describes all of the DHCP options.