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Catalyst2950 and Catalyst2955 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter20 Configuring DHCP Feat ures Understanding DHCP Features
The switch drops a DHCP packet when one of these situations occurs:
A packet from a DHCP server, such as a DHCPOFFER, DHCPACK, DHCPNAK, or
DHCPLEASEQUERY packet, is received from outside the network or firewall.
A packet is received on an untrusted interface, and the source MAC address and the DHCP client
hardware address do not match.
The switch receives a DHCPRELEASE or DHCPDECLINE broadcast message that contains a MA C
address in the DHCP snooping binding table, but the interface information in the binding table doe s
not match the interface on which the message was received.
A DHCP relay agent forwards a DHCP packet that includes an rela y-ag ent IP ad dress th at i s not
0.0.0.0, or the relay agent forwards a packet that includes option -82 information to an untrusted port.
Option-82 Data Insertion
In residential, metropolitan Ethernet-access environments, DHCP can centrally manage the IP ad dress
assignments for a large number of subscribers. When the DHCP option-82 feature is enabled on the
switch, a subscriber device is identified by the switch port through which it connects to the network (in
addition to its MAC address). Multiple hosts on the subscriber LAN can be connected to the same port
on the access switch and are uniquely identified.
Note The DHCP option-82 feature is supported only wh en D HCP sn oop in g is e nabl ed gl o bally a nd on t he
VLANs to which subscriber devices using this feature are assigned.
Figure 20-1 is an example of a metropolitan Ethernet network in which a centralized DHCP server
assigns IP addresses to subscribers connected to the switch at the access layer . Because the DHCP clie nts
and their associated DHCP server do not reside on the same IP network or subnet, a DH CP rel ay a gent
(the Catalyst switch) is configured with a helper address to enable broadcast forwarding and to transfer
DHCP messages between the clients and the server.
Figure20-1 DHCP Relay Agent in a Metropolitan Ethernet Network
Subscribers
Catalyst switch
(DHCP relay agent)
Host A
(DHCP client)
Access layer
DHCP
server
Host B
(DHCP client)
98813
VLAN 10