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Network Objects

networking objects image

These models manage how the DHCP and DNS servers built into DRP work. They determines what IP addresses it can hand out to which systems, what values to set for DHCP options, and how to handle DHCP requests at various points in the lifecycle of any given DHCP lease. They also determine the record values returned to DNS queries.

Networking Models

DRP includes a built-in DHCP server and DNS server whose behavior is entirely controlled by the networking objects described in this section. Rather than editing configuration files, operators manage these objects through the DRP API, CLI, or UX, and the servers respond dynamically to changes.

Subnet

The Subnet is the primary unit of DHCP configuration. Each Subnet defines a CIDR range and controls how IP addresses are allocated to clients within that range. Subnets specify the active address pool, lease durations, allocation strategy (MAC-based), picker algorithms, and the list of DHCP options sent to clients. A subnet may represent a local broadcast network on a DRP interface or a remote network forwarded via a DHCP relay agent.

Lease

A Lease is created by the DHCP server when it assigns an IP address to a client. Each Lease records the client identity token, assigned address, expiration time, and any DHCP options the client provided in its request. Leases are ephemeral objects managed automatically by the DHCP engine; operators generally inspect them for troubleshooting rather than creating or modifying them directly.

Reservation

A Reservation creates a fixed, permanent binding between a client identity (MAC address) and an IP address, ensuring that a specific device always receives the same address. Reservations can be scoped to a Subnet to inherit its options, or can operate independently with their own option set. Reservations also support automatic machine parameter updates and can trigger DNS A and PTR record creation when combined with hostname and domain options.

DHCP Option

A DHCP Option is a structured key/value pair embedded within Subnet, Lease, and Reservation objects. Each option consists of a numeric RFC 2132 option code and a string value that may use Go template expansion evaluated against the client's incoming DHCP options. DHCP Options are not standalone API resources; they appear as embedded lists within the objects that use them.

Zone

A Zone configures the built-in DRP DNS server for a single DNS zone. Zones define the origin domain, default TTL, DNS records, source packet filters, forwarders, and priority ordering for zone selection. Zones support static records, dynamic template-evaluated records (for machine FQDNs), automatic A and PTR record generation from Reservations, and recursive DNS delegation.

Relationships Between Networking Models

These models form a hierarchy that governs the full lifecycle of an IP address assignment:

  1. A Subnet defines the pool of addresses available and the default DHCP options for a network segment.
  2. A Reservation may override the Subnet for specific clients, fixing their address and customizing their options.
  3. When a DHCP request arrives, the server creates or updates a Lease to record the active assignment. Lease options are derived from the Reservation (if any) or the Subnet.
  4. DHCP Options embedded in Subnets, Reservations, and Leases carry protocol-level configuration (gateway, DNS servers, boot filename, etc.) to the client.
  5. Zones operate alongside the DHCP objects: when a Reservation is created with hostname and domain options, DRP can automatically populate matching DNS A and PTR records in the appropriate Zone.

This layered design means that most sites can manage IP addressing entirely through Subnets and Reservations, while Leases are maintained automatically by the server and Zones provide integrated name resolution without external DNS tooling.