Abstract: A method for suppressing broadcast messages includes intercepting a packet from a client device. If the packet is a bootstrap protocol (BOOTP) request, the method stores the packet in a BOOTP queue and sets a timer for the packet. If the packet is a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request, the method stores the packet in a DHCP queue and sets a timer for the packet. The method then processes the packets stored in the BOOTP queue and the DHCP queue, where each BOOTP packet in the BOOTP queue is processed before any DHCP packet in the DHCP queue is processed.

Abstract: A method for suppressing broadcast messages includes receiving a broadcast message from a client that requests configuration information from a configuration server. The method includes queueing the broadcast message in a request queue and then identifying an oldest message in a request queue. When no configuration server information is available, the method includes broadcasting the oldest message to a broadcast domain. The method includes intercepting one or more additional broadcast messages from one or more other clients and storing the additional broadcast messages in the request queue. The method includes receiving a reply to the oldest message and storing configuration server information extracted from the reply. The method includes converting the additional broadcast messages to unicast messages, and unicasting the unicast messages to the configuration server using the stored configuration server information.