Amer Networks E5Web GUI - Manual (Page 368)

5.3. IPv4 DHCP Relay
Note
DHCP relaying is a feature which is currently only available with IPv4 DHCP.
The DHCP Problem
With DHCP, clients send requests to locate the DHCP server(s) using broadcast messages.
However, broadcasts are normally only propagated across the local network. This means that the
DHCP server and client always need to be on the same physical network. In a large Internet-like
network topology, this means there would have to be a different DHCP server on every network.
This problem is solved by the use of a DHCP relayer.
The DHCP Relayer Solution
A DHCP relayer takes the place of the DHCP server in the local network and acts as the link
between the client and a remote DHCP server. It intercepts requests coming from clients and
relays them to the DHCP server. The DHCP server then responds to the relayer, which forwards
the response back to the client. DHCP relayers use the TCP/IP Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) to
implement this relay functionality. For this reason DHCP relayers are sometimes referred to as
BOOTP relay agents.
The Source IP of Relayed DHCP Traffic
For relayed DHCP traffic, the option exists in cOS Core to use the interface on which it listens as
the source interface for forwarded traffic or alternatively the interface on which it sends out the
forwarded request.
Although all cOS Core interfaces are core routed (that is to say, a route exists by default that
routes interface IP addresses to Core) for relayed DHCP requests this core routing does not apply.
Instead, the interface is the source interface and not core.
Example 5.3. Setting up a DHCP Relayer
This example allows clients on cOS Core VLAN interfaces to obtain IP addresses from a DHCP
server. It is assumed the Clavister Security Gateway is configured with VLAN interfaces vlan1 and
vlan2 that use DHCP relaying, and the DHCP server IP address is defined in the cOS Core address
book as ip-dhcp. cOS Core will add a route for the client when it has finalized the DHCP process
and obtained an IP.
Command-Line Interface
1. Add the VLAN interfaces vlan1 and vlan2 that should relay to an interface group called
ipgrp-dhcp:
Device:/> add Interface InterfaceGroup ipgrp-dhcp
Members=vlan1,vlan2
2. Add a DHCP relayer called vlan-to-dhcpserver:
Device:/> add DHCPRelay vlan-to-dhcpserver Action=Relay
Chapter 5: DHCP Services
368