NIM and DHCP

NIM (Network Information Manager) is the system used on campus to manage IP address and domain name assignments. Before a host can be used on the campus network, an IP address must be registered in NIM and then assigned to the machine. The registration includes ownership information, which is used to alert the owner when a problem is reported about a specific host on campus.

While NIM is used for static IP addresses (meaning the IP address assigned to a machine will never change), DHCP is used for dynamic address allocation. DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, allows automated IP address assignment. At Texas A&M, DHCP is being used in the residence halls and some departments, and will be available to the campus as a whole in the near future.

Full information and instructions on NIM and DHCP can be found at http://nis.tamu.edu/Home/Networking/IP_Addresses_and_Domain_Names.php.