A network device comprising: a control unit that stores data that 1) defines a network address pool shared by both a first network device and a second network device and 2) individual addresses of the network address pool reserved for use by the first and second network devices in allocating the respective individual addresses to one or more subscriber devices coupled to the first and second network devices, wherein the network device comprises the first network device, and wherein the control unit includes a shared pool manager module that evaluates the data that defines the network address pool to determine a block of addresses identified by the data that defines the network address pool that is not indicated as currently reserved for use by the first or second network device in allocating addresses from the identified particular block of addresses to the one or more subscriber devices coupled to the second network device; and at least one interface that transmits a request to the second network device requesting that the determined block of addresses within the network address pool be reserved for use by the first network device in allocating addresses from the requested block to the one or more subscriber devices coupled to the first network device, and receives a response from the second network device indicating whether one or more addresses of the requested block of addresses is available for use by the first network device in allocating addresses from the requested block to the one or more subscriber devices, wherein the shared pool manager module updates the data that defines the network address pool to reflect that the block of addresses has been reserved for use by the first network device based on the indication in the response received from the second network device, and wherein the control unit, when the data has been updated to reflect that the block of addresses has been reserved for use by the first network device, allocates one or more addresses from the reserved block of addresses in response to a request by one of the one or more subscriber devices for one or more addresses. a control unit that stores data that 1) defines a network address pool shared by both a first network device and a second network device and 2) individual addresses of the network address pool reserved for use by the first and second network devices in allocating the respective individual addresses to one or more subscriber devices coupled to the first and second network devices, wherein the network device comprises the first network device, and wherein the control unit includes a shared pool manager module that evaluates the data that defines the network address pool to determine a block of addresses identified by the data that defines the network address pool that is not indicated as currently reserved for use by the first or second network device in allocating addresses from the identified particular block of addresses to the one or more subscriber devices coupled to the second network device; and at least one interface that transmits a request to the second network device requesting that the determined block of addresses within the network address pool be reserved for use by the first network device in allocating addresses from the requested block to the one or more subscriber devices coupled to the first network device, and receives a response from the second network device indicating whether one or more addresses of the requested block of addresses is available for use by the first network device in allocating addresses from the requested block to the one or more subscriber devices, wherein the shared pool manager module updates the data that defines the network address pool to reflect that the block of addresses has been reserved for use by the first network device based on the indication in the response received from the second network device, and wherein the control unit, when the data has been updated to reflect that the block of addresses has been reserved for use by the first network device, allocates one or more addresses from the reserved block of addresses in response to a request by one of the one or more subscriber devices for one or more addresses.