Reference Guide

2. Servers unicast or broadcast a DHCPOFFER message in response to the DHCPDISCOVER that offers to the client values
for the requested parameters. Multiple servers might respond to a single DHCPDISCOVER; the client might wait a period of
time and then act on the most preferred offer.
3. The client broadcasts a DHCPREQUEST message in response to the offer, requesting the offered values.
4. After receiving a DHCPREQUEST, the server binds the clients’ unique identifier (the hardware address plus IP address) to
the accepted configuration parameters and stores the data in a database called a binding table. The server then broadcasts a
DHCPACK message, which signals to the client that it may begin using the assigned parameters.
5. When the client leaves the network, or the lease time expires, returns its IP address to the server in a DHCPRELEASE
message.
There are additional messages that are used in case the DHCP negotiation deviates from the process previously described and
shown in the illustration below.
DHCPDECLINE A client sends this message to the server in response to a DHCPACK if the configuration parameters are
unacceptable; for example, if the offered address is already in use. In this case, the client starts the
configuration process over by sending a DHCPDISCOVER.
DHCPINFORM A client uses this message to request configuration parameters when it assigned an IP address manually
rather than with DHCP. The server responds by unicast.
DHCPNAK A server sends this message to the client if it is not able to fulfill a DHCPREQUEST; for example, if the
requested address is already in use. In this case, the client starts the configuration process over by
sending a DHCPDISCOVER.
Figure 32. Client and Server Messaging
Implementation Information
The following describes DHCP implementation.
● Dell Networking implements DHCP based on RFC 2131 and RFC 3046.
● IP source address validation is a sub-feature of DHCP Snooping; the Dell Networking OS uses access control lists (ACLs)
internally to implement this feature and as such, you cannot apply ACLs to an interface which has IP source address
validation. If you configure IP source address validation on a member port of a virtual local area network (VLAN) and then
apply an access list to the VLAN, the system displays the first line in the following message. If you first apply an ACL to a
VLAN and then enable IP source address validation on one of its member ports, the system displays the second line in the
following message.
% Error: Vlan member has access-list configured.
% Error: Vlan has an access-list configured.
NOTE:
If you enable DHCP Snooping globally and you have any configured L2 ports, any IP ACL, MAC ACL, or DHCP
source address validation ACL does not block DHCP packets.
● The system provides 40K entries that can be divided between leased addresses and excluded addresses. By extension, the
maximum number of pools you can configure depends on the subnet mask that you give to each pool. For example, if all
pools were configured for a /24 mask, the total would be 40000/253 (approximately 158). If the subnet is increased, more
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
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