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Chapter 35 DHCP Snooping option 82 
Configuration 
35.1 Introduction to DHCP Snooping option 82 
DHCP option 82 is the Relay Agent Information Option, its option code is 82. DHCP option 82 
is  aimed  at  strengthening  the  security  of  DHCP  servers  and  improving  the  IP  address 
configuration  policy.  Switch  obtain  DHCP  request  packets(include  DHCPDISCOVER, 
DHCPREQUEST, DHCPINFORM  and DHCPRELEASE), DHCP SNOOPING  is addesd to 
option 82 by request packets (including the client’s physical access port, the access device ID 
and other information), to  the DHCP request message from the client  then forwards  the 
message  to  DHCP  server.  When  the  DHCP  server  which  supports  the  option  82  function 
receives the message, it will allocate an IP address and other configuration information for the 
client according to preconfigured policies and the option 82 information in the message. At the 
same time, DHCP server can identify all the possible DHCP attack messages according to the 
information in option 82 and defend against them. DHCP SNOOPING will peel the option 82 
from the reply messages it receives, and forward the reply message to the specified port of the 
network access device. The application of DHCP option 82 is transparent for the client. 
DHCP option 82 Message Structure 
A DHCP message can have several option segments; option 82 is one of them. It has to be 
placed after other options but before option 255. The following is its format: 
Code: represents the sequence number of the relay agent information option, the option 82 is 
called so because RFC3046 is defined as 82. 
Len:  the  number  of  bytes  in  Agent  Information  Field,  not  including  the  two  bytes  in  Code 
segment and Len segment. 
Option 82 can have several sub-options, and need at least one sub-option. RFC3046 defines 
the following two sub-options, whose formats are showed as follows: 










