DHCP Protocol Principles

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.

 Foreword

An enterprise network may often consist of a substantial number of host

devices, each requiring network parameters in the form of IP addressing
and additional network configuration information. Manual allocation is
often a tedious and inaccurate business which can lead to many end
stations facing address duplication or failure to reach services necessary
for smooth network operation. DHCP is an application layer protocol that
is designed to automate the process of providing such configuration
information to clients within a TCP/IP network. DHCP therefore aids in
ensuring correct addressing is allocated, and reduces the burden on
administration for all enterprise networks. This section introduces the
application of DHCP within the enterprise network.

Copyright © 2016 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. Page 2
 Objectives

Upon completion of this section, trainees will be able to:

 Describe the function of DHCP in the enterprise network.

 Explain the leasing process of DHCP.

 Configure DHCP pools for address leasing.

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 DHCP Application In The Enterprise Network

Request IP Address

Host A Switch
Assign IP Address

DHCP Server

Request IP Address

Host B

 Networks comprising of a large number of users requires a

central management system for IP address allocation.

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Enterprise networks are often comprised of multiple end systems that require
IP address assignment in order to connect with the network segment to which
the end system is attached. For small networks, a minimal number of end
systems attached to the network allows for simple management of the
addressing for all end systems.
For medium and large-scale networks however, it becomes increasingly
difficult to manually configure IP addresses with increased probability of
duplication of addressing, as well as misconfiguration due to human error, and
therefore the necessity to implement a centralized management solution over
the entire network becomes ever more prominent. The Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is implemented as a management solution to
allow dynamic allocation of addresses for existing fixed and temporary end
systems accessing the network domain.
In cases it is also possible that there may be more hosts than available IP
addresses on a network. Some hosts cannot be allocated a fixed IP address
and need to dynamically obtain IP addresses using the DHCP server. Only a
few hosts on a network require fixed IP addresses.
 Address Allocation Mechanisms

DHCP Server

Server Management Users

Manual:192.168.1.1/24 Auto:192.168.1.8/24 Dynamic:192.168.1.10/24 -192.168.1.252/24

 DHCP supports three mechanisms for IP address allocation.

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DHCP supports three mechanisms for IP address allocation. The method of

automatic allocation involves DHCP assigning a permanent IP address to a
client. The use of dynamic allocation employs DHCP to assign an IP address
to a client for a limited period of time or at least until the client explicitly
relinquishes the IP address.
The third mechanism is referred to as manual allocation, for which a client's IP
address is assigned by the network administrator, and DHCP is used only to
handle the assignment of the manually defined address to the client. Dynamic
allocation is the only one of the three mechanisms that allows automatic reuse
of an address that is no longer needed by the client to which it was assigned.
Thus, dynamic allocation is particularly useful for assigning an address to a
client that will be connected to the network only temporarily, or for sharing a
limited pool of IP addresses among a group of clients that do not need
permanent IP addresses.
Dynamic allocation may also be a good choice for assigning an IP address to
a new client being permanently connected to a network, where IP addresses
are sufficiently scarce that addresses are able to be reclaimed when old
clients are retired. Manual allocation allows DHCP to be used to eliminate the
error-prone process of manually configuring hosts with IP addresses in
environments where it may be more desirable to meticulously manage IP
address assignment.
 DHCP Messages

Message Types Function

DHCP DISCOVER Client broadcast used to locate available DHCP servers.
Server responds to DHCPDISCOVER with an offer of
DHCP OFFER
configuration parameters.
Client message to servers, either (a) requesting offered
parameters from one server and implicitly declining offers
DHCP REQUEST from all others, (b) confirming the correctness of previously
allocated address after, e.g., system reboot, or (c)
extending the lease on a particular network address.
Server confirmation sent to the client with configuration
DHCP ACK
parameters, including committed network address.
Server indicates to the client that client's requested network
DHCP NAK
address cannot be assigned.
Client relinquishes the network address to the server and
DHCP RELEASE
cancels the remaining lease.

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A DHCP server and a DHCP client communicate with each other by exchanging a
range of message types. Initial communication relies on the transmission of a DHCP
Discover message. This is broadcast by a DHCP client to locate a DHCP server when
the client attempts to connect to a network for the first time. A DHCP Offer message is
then sent by a DHCP server to respond to a DHCP Discover message and carries
configuration information.
A DHCP Request message is sent after a DHCP client is initialized, in which it
broadcasts a DHCP Request message to respond to the DHCP Offer message sent by
a DHCP server. A request message is also sent after a DHCP client is restarted, at
which time it broadcasts a DHCP Request message to confirm the configuration, such
as the assigned IP address. A DHCP Request message is also sent after a DHCP
client obtains an IP address, in order to extend the IP address lease.
A DHCP ACK message is sent by a DHCP server to acknowledge the DHCP Request
message from a DHCP client. After receiving a DHCP ACK message, the DHCP client
obtains the configuration parameters, including the IP address. Not all cases however
will result in the IP address being assigned to a client. The DHCP NAK message is
sent by a DHCP server to in order reject the DHCP Request message from a DHCP
client when the IP address assigned to the DHCP client expires, or in the case that the
DHCP client moves to another network.
A DHCP Decline message is sent by a DHCP client, to notify the DHCP server that the
assigned IP address conflicts with another IP address. The DHCP client will then apply
to the DHCP server for another IP address.
A DHCP Release message is sent by a DHCP client to release its IP address. After
receiving a DHCP Release message, the DHCP server assigns this IP address to
another DHCP client.
A final message type is the DHCP Inform message, and is sent by a DHCP client to
obtain other network configuration information such as the gateway address and DNS
server address after the DHCP client has obtained an IP address.
 Address Pools

Host B

Host A 10.1.1.254/24 DHCP Server

G0/0/0

Pool2(global)
10.2.2.0/24

Pool Interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0

10.1.1.0/24

 Address pools can be either global or interface based.

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The AR2200 and S5700 series devices can both operate as a DHCP server to
assign IP addresses to online users. Address pools are used in order to define
the addresses that should be allocated to end systems. There are two general
forms of address pools which can be used to allocate addresses, the global
address pool and the interface address pool.
The use of an interface address pool enables only end systems connected to
the same network segment as the interface to be allocated IP addresses from
this pool. The global address pool once configured allows all end systems
associated with the server to obtain IP addresses from this address pool, and
is implemented using the dhcp select global command to identify the global
address pool. In the case of the interface address pool, the dhcp select
interface command identifies the interface and network segment to which the
interface address pool is associated.
The interface address pool takes precedence over the global address pool. If
an address pool is configured on an interface, the clients connected to the
interface obtain IP addresses from the interface address pool even if a global
address pool is configured. On the S5700 switch, only logical VLANIF
interfaces can be configured with interface address pools.
 DHCP Address Acquisition

Host A DHCP Server

DHCP Discover (Broadcast) ①

DHCP Offer (Unicast) ②

DHCP Request (Broadcast) ③

DHCP ACK (Unicast) ④

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The acquisition of an IP address and other configuration information requires

that the client make contact with a DHCP server and retrieve through request
the addressing information to become part of the IP domain. This process
begins with the IP discovery process in which the DHCP client searches for a
DHCP server. The DHCP client broadcasts a DHCP Discover message and
DHCP servers respond to the Discover message.
The discovery of one or multiple DHCP servers results in each DHCP server
offering an IP address to the DHCP client. After receiving the DHCP Discover
message, each DHCP server selects an unassigned IP address from the IP
address pool, and sends a DHCP Offer message with the assigned IP address
and other configuration information to the client.
If multiple DHCP servers send DHCP Offer messages to the client, the client
accepts the first DHCP Offer message received. The client then broadcasts a
DHCP Request message with the selected IP address. After receiving the
DHCP Request message, the DHCP server that offers the IP address sends a
DHCP ACK message to the DHCP client. The DHCP ACK message contains
the offered IP address and other configuration information.
Upon receiving the DHCP ACK message, the DHCP client broadcasts
gratuitous ARP packets to detect whether any host is using the IP address
allocated by the DHCP sever. If no response is received within a specified
time, the DHCP client uses this IP address. If a host is using this IP address,
the DHCP client sends the DHCP Decline packet to the DHCP server,
reporting that the IP address cannot be used, following which the DHCP client
applies for another IP address.
 DHCP Lease Renewal

Host A DHCP Server

DHCP Request (Unicast) ①

50% of lease
period remains

DHCP ACK ②

 DHCP initiates an IP lease renewal process when a lease

period of 50% remains.

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After obtaining an IP address, the DHCP client enters the binding state. Three
timers are set on the DHCP client to control lease update, lease rebinding,
and lease expiration. When assigning an IP address to a DHCP client, a
DHCP server specifies values for the timers.
If the DHCP server does not set the values for the timers, the DHCP client
uses the default values. The default values define that when 50% of the lease
period remains, the release renewal process should begin, for which a DHCP
client is expected to renew its IP address lease. The DHCP client
automatically sends a DHCP Request message to the DHCP server that has
allocated an IP address to the DHCP client.
If the IP address is valid, the DHCP server replies with a DHCP ACK message
to entitle the DHCP client a new lease, and then the client re-enters the
binding state. If the DHCP client receives a DHCP NAK message from the
DHCP server, it enters the initializing state.
 DHCP Rebinding Expiry

Host A DHCP Server

DHCP Request (Unicast) ①

50% of lease
period remains

12.5% of lease DHCP Request (Broadcast) ②

period remains

DHCP ACK/NAK ③

 Rebinding will occur if the lease is not renewed in time.

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After the DHCP client sends a DHCP Request message to extend the lease,
the DHCP client remains in an updating state and waits for a response. If the
DHCP client does not receive a DHCP Reply message from the DHCP server
after the DHCP server rebinding timer expires which by default occurs when
12.5% of the lease period remains, the DHCP client assumes that the original
DHCP server is unavailable and starts to broadcast a DHCP Request
message, for which any DHCP server on the network can reply with a DHCP
ACK or NAK message.
If the received message is a DHCP ACK message, the DHCP client returns to
the binding state and resets the lease renewal timer and server binding timer.
If all of the received messages are DHCP NAK messages, the DHCP client
goes back to the initializing state. At this time, the DHCP client must stop
using this IP address immediately and request a new IP address.
 IP Address Release

Host A DHCP Server

DHCP Release

 DHCP will result in the release of an IP address if the client fails

to renew the IP address before the lease expiry.

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The lease timer is the final timer in the expiration process, and if the DHCP
client does not receive a response before the lease expiration timer expires,
the DHCP client must stop using the current IP address immediately and
return to the initializing state. The DHCP client then sends a DHCP
DISCOVER message to apply for a new IP address, thus restarting the DHCP
cycle.
 DHCP Interface Pool Configuration

G0/0/0

10.1.1.1/24

Host A DHCP Server

[Huawei]dhcp enable
[Huawei]interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/0]dhcp select interface
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/0]dhcp server dns-list 10.1.1.2
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/0]dhcp server excluded-ip-address
10.1.1.2
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/0]dhcp server lease day 3

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There are two forms of pool configuration that are supported in DHCP, these
include defining a global pool or an interface based pool. The dhcp select
interface command is used to associate an interface with the interface address
pool in order to provide configuration information to connected hosts. The
example demonstrates how interface Gigabit Ethernet 0/0/0 has been
assigned as part of an interface address pool.
 DHCP Configuration Validation
[Huawei]display ip pool interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0
Pool-name : GigabitEthernet0/0/0
Pool-No : 0
Lease : 3 Days 0 Hours 0 Minutes
Domain-name : huawei.com
DNS-Server0 : 10.1.1.2
NBNS-Server0 : -
Netbios-type : -
Position : Interface Status : Unlocked
Gateway-0 : 10.1.1.1
Mask : 255.255.255.0
VPN instance : --
----------------------------------------------------------------
Start End Total Used Idle(Expired) Conflict Disable
----------------------------------------------------------------
10.1.1.1 10.1.1.254 253 1 251(0) 0 1

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Each DHCP server will define one or multiple pools which may be associated
globally or with a given interface. For determining the pool attributes
associated with an interface, the display ip pool interface <interface>
command is used. The DHCP pool will contain information including the lease
period for each IP address that is leased, as well as the pool range that is
supported. In the event that other attributes are supported for DHCP related
propagation to clients such as with the IP gateway, subnet mask, and DNS
server, these will also be displayed.
 DHCP Global Pool Configuration

G0/0/1

10.2.2.1/24

Host B DHCP Server

[Huawei]dhcp enable
[Huawei]ip pool pool2
Info: It's successful to create an IP address pool.
[Huawei-ip-pool-pool2]network 10.2.2.0 mask 24
[Huawei-ip-pool-pool2]gateway-list 10.2.2.1
[Huawei-ip-pool-pool2]lease day 1
[Huawei-ip-pool-pool2]quit
[Huawei]interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1
[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/1]dhcp select global

 Establishment of an address pool and associated parameters is

implemented on the DHCP server.

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The example demonstrates the DHCP configuration for a global address pool
that is assigned to the network 10.2.2.0. The dhcp enable command is the
prerequisite for configuring DHCP-related functions, and takes effect only after
the dhcp enable command is run. A DHCP server requires the ip pool
command be configured in the system view to create an IP address pool and
set IP address pool parameters, including a gateway address, the IP address
lease period etc. The configured DHCP server can then assign IP addresses
in the IP address pool to clients.
A DHCP server and its client may reside on different network segments. To
enable the client to communicate with the DHCP server, the gateway-list
command is used to specify an egress gateway address for the global address
pool of the DHCP server. The DHCP server can then assign both an IP
address and the specified egress gateway address to the client. The address
is configured in dotted decimal notation for which a maximum of eight gateway
addresses, separated by spaces, can be configured.
 DHCP Configuration Validation

[Huawei]display ip pool
-------------------------------------------------------------
Pool-name : pool2
Pool-No : 0
Position : Local Status : Unlocked
Gateway-0 : 10.2.2.1
Mask : 255.255.255.0
VPN instance : --
IP address Statistic
Total :253
Used :1 Idle :252
Expired :0 Conflict :0 Disable :0

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The information regarding a pool can be also observed through the used of the
display ip pool command. This command will provide an overview of the
general configuration parameters supported by a configured pool, including
the gateway and subnet mask for the pool, as well general statistics that allow
an administrator to monitor the current pool usage, to determine the number of
addresses allocated, along with other usage statistics.
 Summary

 Which IP addresses should generally be excluded from the address

pool?

 What is the default IP address lease period?

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1. IP addresses that are used for server allocation such as any local DNS
servers in order to avoid address conflicts.
2. The default lease period for DHCP assigned IP addresses is set at a
period equal to one day.
Thank you
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