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Guide to TCP/IP, Third Edition. Chapter 8: The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Objectives. Understand the basic services DHCP offers to its clients and explain its background Understand the specifics of IP address management using DHCP
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Guide to TCP/IP, Third Edition Chapter 8: The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
Objectives • Understand the basic services DHCP offers to its clients and explain its background • Understand the specifics of IP address management using DHCP • Explain the DHCP Discovery, renewal, and release processes • Understand the basic DHCP packet structure and types of DHCP messages in use IP Addressing and Related Topics
Objective (continued) • Describe broadcast and unicast addressing • Describe relay agent communications • Discuss Microsoft DHCP scopes and classes • Use DHCP troubleshooting utilities IP Addressing and Related Topics
Introducing DHCP • DHCP • Service that provides a way for client computer to request IP address assignment • Delivers necessary configuration information to clients • Traces its origins back to an earlier protocol named BOOTP • Servers can manage one or more ranges of IP addresses IP Addressing and Related Topics
How DHCP Works • When TCP/IP is configured on client computer • The Obtain an IP address automatically option is the only necessary set-up element • Next time workstation attempts to access network • It broadcasts a DHCP address request to the network because it has no IP address • All DHCP serverspresent on same broadcast domain • Receive request and send back message that indicates a willingness to grant an address lease IP Addressing and Related Topics
How DHCP Works (continued) • Client • Accepts address lease offer and sends packet to server that extended offer • In reply • Server proffers an IP address for a specific period of time that the client uses thereafter • When half the lease period expires • Client attempts to renew the lease IP Addressing and Related Topics
The Role of Leases • Leases • “Loans” of an address for a specific amount of time • Leases that range from one to three weeks • Typical on networks in which machines seldom move and the workforce is stable • Lease periods • Average between one and three days for networks on which roving workers come and go regularly • Lease periods of four to eight hours • Common on ISP networks IP Addressing and Related Topics
DHCP Software Elements • DHCP client • Enabled at client machine when you select the Obtain an IP address automatically option • DHCP server • Manages address pools and configuration data • DHCP relay agent • Intercepts address requests on local cable segment • Repackages requests as a unicast to one or more DHCP servers IP Addressing and Related Topics
DHCP Lease Types • Manual address lease • Administrator assigns an IP address manually • DHCP server • Assigns addresses for specific periods of time IP Addressing and Related Topics
More About DHCP Leases • How DHCP integrates with DNS • Server addresses are advertised using DNS • All address updates must be entered manually • Client addresses usually come into play only when • e-mail addresses of the form user@domain.name must be resolved IP Addressing and Related Topics
Understanding IP Address Management with DHCP • DHCP Discovery • Occurs when DHCP client broadcasts a request for an IP address • DHCP Discovery • Relies on an initial DHCP broadcast • DHCP servers • PING an address before offering it to the client • Windows clustering • Allows two or more servers to be managed as a single system IP Addressing and Related Topics
DHCP Address Discovery • Uses four packets • DHCP Discover packet • DHCP Offer packet • DHCP Request packet • DHCP Acknowledgment packet IP Addressing and Related Topics
The Discover Packet • During DHCP Discovery process • Client broadcasts Discover packet that identifies client’s hardware address • Header contains • Source IP address 0.0.0.0 • Preferred address • Typically the last address the client used IP Addressing and Related Topics
The Offer Packet • Send by DHCP server to offer IP address to DHCP client • Offer packet • Includes IP address that is offered to the client and, • Sometimes, answers to the requested options in the DHCP Discover packet IP Addressing and Related Topics
The Request Packet • Once Offer packet is received • Client can either accept offer by issuing a DHCP Request packet, or • Reject offer by sending a DHCP Decline packet • Typically • Client sends a Decline only if it receives more than one Offer IP Addressing and Related Topics
The Acknowledgment Packet • Sent from server to client to indicate the completion of the four-packet DHCP Discovery process • Response • Contains answers to any configuration options requested by client in the previous Request packet IP Addressing and Related Topics
The Address Renewal Process • When DHCP client receives an address from a DHCP server • Client also receives a lease time and notes the time that the address was received • Lease time • Defines how long the client can keep the address • In middle of the lease period • Client starts a renewal process IP Addressing and Related Topics
The Renewal Time (T1) • T1 • Defined as the time that the client tries to renew its network address • The Renewal packet • Is unicast directly to the DHCP server • Default value for T1 • 0.5 * duration_of_lease (i.e., lease time) IP Addressing and Related Topics
The Rebinding Time (T2) • The time that client begins to • Broadcast a renewal request for an extended lease time from another DHCP server • DHCP specification, RFC 2131, defines default value for T2 as • 0.875 * duration_of_lease IP Addressing and Related Topics
The DHCP Address Release Process • Client should release its address by • Sending a DHCP Release packet to the server • DHCP Release packet • Sent over UDP • DHCP server does not send any acknowledgment • If client does not send the DHCP Release packet • DHCP server automatically releases the address at the lease expiration time IP Addressing and Related Topics
DHCP Header Fields Opcode • This 1-byte field indicates whether this packet is a DHCP request (0x01) or DHCP reply (0x02) Hardware Type • This 1-byte field identifies the hardware address type, and matches the values assigned for ARP hardware type definitions
DHCP Header Fields Hardware Address Length • This 1-byte field indicates the length of the hardware address Hop Count • This field is set to zero by the client, and may be used by relay agents as they assist a client in obtaining an IP address and/or configuration information
DHCP Header Fields Transaction ID • This 4-byte field contains a random number selected by the client, and is used to match requests and responses between the client and server Number of Seconds • This 2-byte field indicates the number of seconds that elapsed since the client began requesting a new address, or renewal of an existing address
DHCP Header Fields Flags • The first bits of the 2-byte Flags field can be toggled to one to indicate that the DHCP client cannot accept unicast MAC layer datagrams before the IP software is completely configured Client IP Address • The DHCP client fills in this 4-byte field with its IP address after it is assigned and bound to the IP stack
DHCP Header Fields Your IP Address • This 4-byte field contains the address being offered by the DHCP server Server IP Address • This 4-byte field contains the IP address of the DHCP server to use in the boot process
DHCP Header Fields Gateway IP Address • This 4-byte field contains the address of the DHCP relay agent, if one is used Client Hardware Address • This 16-byte field contains the hardware address of the client
DHCP Header Fields Server Host Name • This 64-byte field can contain the server host name, but such information is optional • This field can contain a null-terminated string (all zeroes) Boot Filename • This field contains an optional boot filename or null-terminated string
DHCP Data Field • DHCP Data Field is often refered to as the Options Field • This field is used to expand the data that is included in the DHCP packet. • This field always starts with the “Magic Cookie” number (0x63.82.53.63) and ends with the “End” identifier (0xFF) • DHCP Option 53: Message Type - This required option indicates the general purpose of any DHCP message
DHCP Option 53: Message Type • Only DHCP option required in all DHCP packets • Indicates general purpose of any DHCP message • DHCP boot sequence uses these message types: • DHCP MessageType 1: Discover (client to server) • DHCP MessageType 2: Offer (server to client) • DHCP MessageType 3: Request (client to server) • DHCP MessageType 5: ACK (server to client) IP Addressing and Related Topics
Broadcast and UNICAST in DHCP • DHCP clients • Must broadcast service requests until they obtain IP addresses • DHCP clients • Use unicast addressing after they obtain an address for a local DHCP server or relay agent • DHCP servers • Examine DHCP packets coming from clients IP Addressing and Related Topics
Communications with a DHCP Relay Agent • DHCP boot up process r • Relies heavily on broadcasts, but most routers do not forward broadcasts • Relay agent function • Typically loaded on a router connected to the segment containing DHCP clients • Relay agent device • Configured with the address of the DHCP server • Can communicate using unicast packets directly with that server IP Addressing and Related Topics
Microsoft DHCP Scopes and Classes • Address scopes • Define a set of addresses that a DHCP server can assign to clients • Superscopes • A collection of scopes that contain sets of non-consecutive IP addresses IP Addressing and Related Topics
Setting up a Simple DHCP Server • Field values in the Dynamic Pool Settings • IP Assigned From • The Range of Pool (1-255): • SubMask • Gateway • Wins IP Addressing and Related Topics
Setting up a Simple DHCP Server (continued) • Field values in the Dynamic Pool Settings • DNS • Domain Name • Lease Time (60 – 31536000 sec) • Status IP Addressing and Related Topics
Troubleshooting DHCP • One good way to troubleshoot DHCP • Use a protocol analyzer, such as Ethereal • Analyzer • Can display the sequence of messages that occurs on a network • Commands to release and/or renew an IP address • ipconfig /release • ipconfig /renew IP Addressing and Related Topics
Summary • DHCP • Provides a way for computers to obtain usable, unique IP addresses and necessary TCP/IP configurations • From the administrative side • DHCP makes it easy to define and manage pools of IP addresses • DHCP’s origins • Lie in an earlier TCP/IP Application layer protocol, called BOOTP IP Addressing and Related Topics
Summary (continued) • DHCP • Supports manual or static address allocation • When a DHCP client starts • It begins the process of DHCP Discovery, during which the client receives an IP address and lease • DHCP • Supports a variety of message types and options • Only MessageType 53 (DHCP Message) is mandatory for any given DHCP message IP Addressing and Related Topics