What does the acronym DORA stand for in DHCP?

The acronym DORA in DHCP stands for Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledge. This sequence describes the four fundamental steps involved in the DHCP process used for dynamically assigning IP addresses to devices on a network.

In the first step, "Discover," a client device broadcasts a request to find available DHCP servers on the network. This is essential because the client needs to identify servers that can provide IP address configuration.

The second step, "Offer," involves the DHCP servers responding with an offer of an IP address and configuration information. This response includes details such as the IP address being offered, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server information, enabling the client to choose from available options.

Next comes "Request," where the client responds to the server that offered the desired IP address, essentially requesting the assignment of that specific address. The client may receive multiple offers from different servers, but it will opt for one.

Finally, in the "Acknowledge" phase, the DHCP server confirms the assignment of the requested IP address to the client. The server sends an acknowledgment message back to the client, finalizing the transaction, so the client can use the IP address for communication on the network.

Understanding the DORA process is crucial for networking professionals as it