Let's learn about how students can use packet analysis as a learning tool to better understand protocols. For example, when reviewing the DHCP process, the student might see the DORA process, as shown in the following diagram. While the diagram displays each of the four-part transaction, it does not show the details of each part of the four-packet exchange:

In the following screenshot, we can see an actual DHCP transaction. The student can easily identify each of the four stages of the DORA process: Discover, Offer, Request, and Acknowledge. In addition, the student can see the specifics of each exchange, including the transport protocol, the IP and MAC addresses, and the DHCP header flags:

By learning the normal behavior and purposes of common protocols, students will be able to troubleshoot problems that may occur in the future.

As you can see, packet analysis has many benefits for many people. Because of the ability to really examine what is happening on the network, another key group that uses packet analysis are security analysts.