DHCP option 43

[Jason Gerfen]

Glenn Satchell wrote:
>> From: "Sivaraman, Radhakrishnan" <radhakrishnan.s at hp.com>
>> To: "dhcp-users at isc.org" <dhcp-users at isc.org>
>> Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2008 13:24:48 +0000
>> Subject: DHCP option 43
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I have some doubts about ISC DHCP. Software version is 3.0.1.
>>
>>
>> 1)   Does ISC DHCP server sends "Vendor Specific Information" (DHCP option =
>> 43) as "encapsulated vendor specific option"?
>>
>> 2)   Based on what info DHCP client can identify that, whether the data fol=
>> lowing option code 43 is encapsulated or not?
>>
>> 3)   If dhcpd.conf contains only one DHCP client configuration entity for o=
>> ne VCI (vendor class identifier), will it be encapsulated form or not?
>>
>> I am really new to DHCP. All answers are greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks in advance,
>> Radhakrishnan S
> 
> The option 43 data can either be a single plain option, or
> encapsulated, depending on your configuration. The details
> are in the dhcpd.conf man page.
> 
> Some suggested reading is:
> 
> The DHCP Handbook 2nd Ed by Raplh Droms and Ted Lemon
> (both subscribers to the list)
> 
> RFC 2131 - DHCP
> RFC 2132 - Vendor Extensions

Hello, this might be somewhat off-topic but I have developed a web based 
interface to manage the ISC DHCPD service and am in the process of 
upgrading my code base to include several features and would like some 
input as to the what may considered the "most useful" features.

The following is already included:
  - Global Configuration options:
   - Option Domain Name
   - Option DNS Server List
   - Option default lease time
   - Option max least time
   - Option Time Offset
   - Option Routers
   - LPR server list
   - Broadcast address
   - subnet mask
   - server ident
   - ddns update style
   - authoritative (boolean)
   - bootp (boolean)
   - pxe options (mtftp-ip, mtftp-cport, mtftp-sport, mtftp-timout, 
mtftp-delay, discovery-control, discovery-mcast-addr)
   - dns zones
    - zone (unique identifier)
    - type
    - file name
    - use dnssec (boolean)
     - dnssec key
     - allow update (boolean)
   - dnssec
    - key name (unique identifier)
    - algorithm
    - passphrase
    - key strength
  - Adding subnet configuration data details
   - subnet name (unique identifier)
   - subnet
   - subnet mask
   - dns server 1 & 2
   - router
   - enable scope (boolean)
    - scope start & stop range
  - PXE group
   - pxe group name
   - pxe server
   - bootp file name
  - Static host configuration
   - hostname
   - ip address
   - mac address
   - assign to subnet (generated list to select from)
   - assign to pxe group (generated list to select from)

I am currently writing a way to import lists of static hosts, importing 
an existing dhcpd.conf and parsing the values to place in my database 
tables and fields etc. as well as a way to validate the syntax of the 
dhcpd.conf once it is writes a new file based on the database contents.

Anything else that might be useful?

> 
> online manual pages (read using 'man' command)
> 	dhcpd.conf
> 	dhcpd
> 	dhcp-options
> 	dhcp-eval
> 
> regards,
> -glenn
> 
> 


-- 
Jason Gerfen
Systems Administration/Web application development
jason.gerfen at scl.utah.edu

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