What port should be open for a server providing IP addressing to clients?

The choice that indicates the correct port for a server providing IP addressing to clients is UDP 67. This port is utilized by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) for the purpose of assigning IP addresses to devices on a network. When a client device connects to a network, it sends a broadcast DHCPDISCOVER message on UDP port 67. The DHCP server listens on this port, receiving requests from clients and responding accordingly with the necessary IP configuration.

In the context of networking, DHCP is critical for managing IP address allocations dynamically, ensuring that devices can communicate effectively without manually assigning addresses. The use of UDP for DHCP is appropriate because it is a connectionless protocol, making it suitable for the transmission of small data packets necessary for address assignment without the overhead of establishing a connection as would be required with TCP.

Understanding the specific functionalities and the associated ports of network services is essential in server management and troubleshooting, as it ensures proper configurations and security measures are in place for the services that are running.