Technical Summary
This document provides a standard mechanism for defining
experimental messages in the DHCPv4 protocol.
Working Group Summary
Standard DHCPv4 message codes are allocated by the IANA
and require working group approval. The current IANA
procedure for message type code allocation requires that a
document pass a working group last call before a code
can be allocated. Current practice among implementors of
new or experimental DHCP messages is to simply bypass the
IANA process and allocate a code. Because this document
provides a clear alternative, the working group hopes that
no new DHCPv4 message type codes will be pirated by
experimenters.
One concern that was raised was that by providing an
unreviewed mechanism for allocating new DHCP message types,
implementors would have less of an incentive for consulting
the working group when developing new DHCP messages.
However, our experience has been that the people least likely
to consult the working group are the same people who would
feel free to simply make up a number and not tell anyone
until a collision arises. Hence, this mechanism is seen
even by those who raised this objection as the lesser of
two evils.
Document Quality
The document has already been used for an implementation
of an experimental authentication protocol at Cisco; the
protocol in question is under consideration for
standardization by the DHC working group.
Personnel
The document shepherd is Ted Lemon <mellon@nominum.com>. The
responsible A-D is Ralph Droms.
RFC Editor Note
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IRTF Note
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IESG Note
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IANA Note
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