Operation Manual - DHCP 
Quidway S5600 Series Ethernet Switches-Release 1510  Chapter 2  
DHCP Server Configuration
 
Huawei Technologies Proprietary 
2-1 
Chapter 2  DHCP Server Configuration 
2.1  Introduction to DHCP Server 
2.1.1  Usage of DHCP Server 
Generally, DHCP servers are used in the following networks to assign IP addresses: 
z  Large-sized networks, where manual configuration method bears heavy load and 
is difficult to manage the whole network in centralized way. 
z  Networks where the number of available IP addresses is less than that of the 
hosts. In this type of networks, IP addresses are not enough for all the hosts to 
obtain a fixed IP address, and the number of on-line users is limited (such is the 
case in an ISP network). In these networks, a great number of hosts must 
dynamically obtain IP addresses through DHCP. 
Networks where only a few hosts need fixed IP addresses and most hosts do not need 
fixed IP addresses. 
2.1.2  IRF Support 
In an IRF (intelligent resilient framework) system, DHCP servers operate in a 
centralized way to fit the IRF environment. 
z  DHCP servers run (as tasks) on all the units (including the master unit and the 
slave units) in a Fabric system. But only the one running on the master unit 
receives/sends packets and carries out all functions of a DHCP server. Those 
running on the slave units only operate as the backup tasks of the one running on 
the master unit. 
z  When a slave unit receives a DHCP-REQUEST packet, it redirects the packet to 
the DHCP server on the master unit, which returns a DHCP-ACK/DHCP-NAK 
packet to the DHCP client and at the same time backs up the related information 
to the slave units. In this way, when the current master fails, one of the slaves can 
change to the master and operates as the DHCP server immediately. 
z  DHCP is an UDP-based protocol operating at the application layer. When a 
DHCP server in a fabric system runs on a Layer 2 network device, DHCP packets 
are directly forwarded by hardware instead of being delivered to the DHCP server, 
or being redirected to the master unit by UDP HELPER. This idles the DHCP 
server. DHCP packets can be redirected to the DHCP server on the master unit 
by UDP HELPER only when the Layer 2 device is upgraded to a Layer 3 device.