What must be configured to allow a group of servers to retrieve the same content from a single host?

To enable a group of servers to retrieve the same content from a single host, it's essential to configure IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) to manage group membership. IGMP allows network devices to establish and maintain multicast groups, enabling efficient communication where multiple servers can receive the same data stream from a single source. This is particularly useful for applications like video streaming, online gaming, or any scenario where bandwidth efficiency is critical, as it reduces the duplication of data transmission over the network.

Using IGMP, routers and switches can effectively allow multiple servers to join a multicast group and receive updates or content from the primary host without needing separate unicast transmissions for each server. This leads to optimized performance and reduced network congestion, making it suitable for content delivery to multiple endpoints efficiently.

Implementing DHCP and assigning static IP addresses focus on IP address management and allocation rather than multicast communication, while direct routing pertains to establishing a path for data flow rather than managing group communication. Hence, utilizing IGMP for configuring group membership is the best approach for achieving this goal.