Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) Practice Exam

The protocol that is primarily responsible for dynamically assigning IP addresses within a network is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, commonly known as DHCP. DHCP automates the process of assigning IP addresses to devices on a network, which simplifies network administration and reduces the likelihood of errors associated with manual IP address assignment.

When a device connects to a network, DHCP allows it to request an IP address from a pool of available addresses. The DHCP server responds by assigning an IP address and providing relevant network configuration information, such as the subnet mask, gateway, and DNS server information. This process ensures that network devices can communicate effectively without conflict over IP address assignment.

In contrast, TCP/IP is a suite of communication protocols used for sending data over a network, but it does not directly handle dynamic IP address assignment. UDP is a transport layer protocol within the TCP/IP suite that enables data transmission without establishing a connection, but it is not involved in IP address assignment. IPX/SPX is an older protocol suite used primarily in Novell networks and is not applicable in modern IP networking where DHCP is the standard.