Network

What is DHCP? How does it work?

Difficulty: unrated

Source: bregman-arie/devops-exercises by Arie Bregman

Answer

It stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol and allocates IP addresses, subnet masks, and gateways to hosts. This is how it works:

  • A host upon entering a network broadcasts a message in search of a DHCP server (DHCP DISCOVER)
  • An offer message is sent back by the DHCP server as a packet containing lease time, subnet mask, IP addresses, etc (DHCP OFFER)
  • Depending on which offer is accepted, the client sends back a reply broadcast letting all DHCP servers know (DHCP REQUEST)
  • The server sends an acknowledgment (DHCP ACK)

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