In DHCP, what does the DORA process stand for?

• A. Discover, Offer, Acknowledge, Release
• B. Discovery, Offer, Request, Acknowledgement
• C. Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledgement
• D. Detect, Offer, Request, Acknowledgement

Answer: (C)

DHCP uses a four-step exchange to assign an IP address from a server to a client: Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledgement. The client starts by broadcasting a DHCPDISCOVER to locate any DHCP server. Servers respond with DHCPOFFER messages offering an IP address and configuration. The client then chooses one offer and sends a DHCPREQUEST to indicate it will accept that offer from a specific server. The chosen server replies with a DHCPACK to finalize and apply the lease, including the IP address and other configuration data. If anything goes wrong, the server may send a DHCPNAK or not respond at all.

Other options don’t fit because they either use terms not part of this standard sequence (Release is used when a client releases a lease), or swap in incorrect terms like Discovery or Detect, or spell Acknowledgement differently. The established order and naming are Discover, Offer, Request, Acknowledgement.