Automatic Configuration; Understanding Automatic Configuration; Overall Automatic Configuration Process - HP 12500 Configuration Manual

Automatic configuration

With the automatic configuration feature, the device can automatically obtain a set of configuration
settings from some servers when it starts up without a configuration file. This feature simplifies network
configuration, facilitates centralized management, and reduces maintenance workload.

Understanding automatic configuration

The automatic configuration feature requires the cooperation of the following servers: a DHCP server, a
TFTP server, and a DNS server, as shown in
Figure 48 Typical automatic configuration network diagram
When the device is powered on without a configuration file, it automatically starts the automatic
configuration process to try to obtain a set of configuration settings. If one attempt fails, the device waits
for two minutes and then automatically starts the process again for another attempt. The device continues
to make attempts until it gets a set of configuration settings or it is powered off.

Overall automatic configuration process

Overall, the automatic configuration process includes the following steps:
The device selects an interface for automatic configuration.
1.
The device selects an interface according to the following rules:
If one or more Layer 2 Ethernet interfaces are in up state, the device selects the VLAN interface
of the default VLAN.
If no Layer 2 Ethernet interface is in up state, the device sorts all Layer 3 Ethernet interfaces in
up state first by the dictionary order of the interface types and then in ascending order of
interface numbers, and selects the one with the smallest interface number among the interfaces
of the first interface type.
After finding a qualified interface, the device enables the DHCP client on the interface and tries to
2.
locate a DHCP server and obtain a set of parameters for automatic configuration, which might
include a temporary IP address, a configuration file name, a TFTP server domain name, a TFTP
Figure 48.
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