TECHNIQUES FOR EXCHANGING DHCP INFORMATION AMONG DHCP RELAY AGENTS AND DHCP SERVERS

• Main Authors: SUNDARESAN, KRISHNA, SUKIMAN, INDRAJANTI, AGARWAL, ANAND, TANWAR, ANSHUL, DROMS, RALPH, JOHNSON, RICHARD
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 07.05.2014
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A technique involves exchanging DHCP relay agent information with a DHCP server. In particular, the technique involves receiving a DHCP message en route from a DHCP client to the DHCP server. The DHCP message includes (i) a non-option portion having a client identifier identifying the DHCP client and (ii) an option portion having first relay agent information added to the DHCP message by a first relay agent. The technique further involves modifying the option portion of the DHCP message to simultaneously include both the first relay agent information added by the first relay agent and second relay agent information from a second relay agent. The technique further involves sending the DHCP message with the modified option portion to the DHCP server. Accordingly, the DHCP server is capable of receiving relay agent information from multiple relay agents and assigning an address to the DHCP client based on this input.