Configuring a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server

Configuring a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol allows a host on a network to receive configuration parameters including an IP address at boot time. DHCP is an extension of the Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP), but differs in that DHCP can provide a complete set of TCP/IP configuration parameters and allows the dynamic assignment of IP addresses for a fixed lease. DHCP offers the following advantages to you as a network administrator:

The ability to provide complete TCP/IP configuration information to any host connected to the network.
An IP address can be assigned to a client for only as long as the client remains connected to the network.
It allows a limited pool of IP addresses to be shared among a number of clients that do not require permanent IP addresses.
Addresses become automatically available again at the expiration of a period of time, their ``lease'', without requiring you to take any action.

SCO DHCP also provides:

a graphical administration utility, the DHCP Server Manager, to configure and maintain DHCP service.
DHCP client capability; see dhcpc(ADMN) and dhcpc.conf(SFF).

SCO DHCP implements the server aspects of the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol as defined in the Internet standards: RFC 1534, RFC 1542, RFC 2131, and RFC 2132.

The SCO DHCP server receives IP addresses from the Address Allocation Server (AAS), which provides the same service to other network services that assign temporary IP addresses. See ``Configuring an Address Allocation Server (AAS)''.

The configuration parameters supplied by the SCO DHCP server include those supported by BOOTP, the set of parameters specified for DHCP, and user-defined parameters.