User Class Information

Code

77

Length

Variable; minimum is 2 octets.

Value

ASCII character text.

Description

A DHCP client can use this option to identify the type or category of user or applications it represents. The information contained in this option is an NVT ASCII text object that represents the user class of which the client is a member.

You can use DHCP Manager to define specific user classes. When user classes are created, each class sets an identifying string of information to be used by the DHCP service to classify identifying clients. Also, default user classes can be created for classifying clients that are unable to support a user class ID.

User classes can be helpful for separating client computers that have a shared or common need for similar software configuration or user preferences. For example, an identifier can specify that a particular DHCP client be a member of the class "accounting auditors," who have special service needs, such as a particular database server.

For Microsoft DHCP clients, only computers running Windows 2000 support sending or using this option type. Other legacy DHCP clients do not send a class ID or have the ability to recognize the concept of a user class. Therefore, these clients are assigned as members to the Default User Class, which is a user class predefined for immediate use in DHCP Manager. Other user classes must be manually created.

Structure