osoitteenantomenetelmiä

Osoitteenantomenetelmiä, or address assignment methods, refer to the techniques and protocols used to distribute IP addresses to devices on a network. The primary goal is to ensure that each device has a unique IP address to facilitate communication. There are two main categories of address assignment methods: manual and automatic.

Manual assignment involves a network administrator directly configuring the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server settings on each individual device. This method is typically used in small, static networks where devices do not frequently change or join/leave the network. While it offers granular control, it is time-consuming and prone to human error in larger environments.

Automatic assignment relies on protocols to distribute IP addresses dynamically. The most common protocol is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). When a device connects to a network, it broadcasts a request for an IP address. A DHCP server, which manages a pool of available IP addresses, responds with an available address and its associated network configuration parameters. DHCP offers significant advantages in terms of ease of management, scalability, and reducing the likelihood of IP address conflicts. Other automatic methods exist, but DHCP is the de facto standard for most modern networks.