Novell Client 2 does not retrieve SLP information when using static IPv4 address

A system running Novell Client 2 for Windows will not request DHCP options 78 and 79 when the system is configured to use a static IPv4 address assignment.

Novell Client 2 for Windows requests DHCP options 78 and 79 when the client is using DHCP for its IP address assignment.

DHCP options 78 and 79 are requested with the Novell Client 4.9x client for Windows XP/2003, whether the system is configured to use DHCP or a static IP address. 

When a manually configured static IPv4 address configuration is being used on Windows 6.x, a manually configured SLP DA list (or multicast) will need to be used for SLP configuration, too.

1. Right click the "Red N" system tray icon, and select "Novell Client Properties"
2. Click the "Service Location" tab
3. Enter the appropriate Scope and Directory Agent information

The Novell Client for Windows 7 uses the OpenSLP User Agent (LIBSLP).  The OpenSLP LIBSLP included with Novell Client for Windows 7 uses the Microsoft DHCP Client to retrieve the DHCP option 78 & 79 parameters.  The Microsoft DHCP Client service is not supported and will not function when the Windows network adapter is configured for a static IP address.

The Novell Client for Windows XP/2003 uses a propritary kernel-mode driver implementation of an SLP User Agent (SRVLOC.SYS), which in turn used a Novell Client kernel-mode DHCP client (NWDHCP.SYS) to perform DHCP option 79 & 79 retrieval on demand.  Neither SRVLOC nor NWDHCP exist on the Windows 6.x client platforms; instead the Novell Client for Windows 7 uses the OpenSLP LIBSLP agent, which in turn is using the Microsoft DHCP Client API provided by the Windows OS platform.