Snow Leopard™ Server

Chapter 13. DHCP Service

In This Chapter

• Introduction to DHCP

• Planning DHCP

• DHCP setup and configuration

• Managing and monitoring DHCP

Network machines can be configured to obtain a unique IP address and other configuration information from a central DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server. At startup, they look for a DHCP server, and if found, they request a DHCP lease, which provides the client with an IP address it can use for the length of the lease. The DHCP server may also provide the client machine with other information about the network, such as where it can find DNS or directory servers.

The primary purpose of DHCP is to manage the allotment of IP addresses, which can be a relatively scarce resource. Even when lots of addresses are available, DHCP allows administrators to direct how they're distributed so an organization's network can be divided into manageable subnets.

Small groups operating a single Snow Leopard Server in the standard configuration — or a workgroup configuration server plugged into a larger organization's network — have to rely on existing DHCP services already in place, supplied either by an appliance router such as an AirPort base station or by the local IT department's DHCP servers operating on the network.

In the advanced configuration, Snow Leopard Server can host its own DHCP server. Administrators might already have existing DHCP services in place, so enabling DHCP on the server may not be necessary.

Note

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