Method for enhancing the availability, scalability and/or performance of a DHCP functionality (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol functionality) provided by a DHCP entity - comprising multiple, cooperating DHCP server entities (11, 12) - within a telecommunications network, said DHCP server entities (11, 12) sharing the state of a database held in a distributed data structure that the DHCP server entities (11, 12) of the DHCP entity are able to access, wherein the distributed data structure is configured to store data items in order for the DHCP entity to provide the DHCP server functionality towards network nodes (101, 102, 103) within the telecommunications network, wherein the distributed data structure is a distributed hash table, wherein the distributed data structure comprises a leases table part, the leases table part comprises a set of data items, the data items of the leases table part describing the complete state of all leases of IP addresses (Internet Protocol addresses) towards the network nodes (101, 102, 103) of the telecommunications network, wherein the leases table part is keyed by the MAC addresses (Media Access Control addresses) and/or the DUID (DHCP Unique Identifier) of the network nodes (101, 102, 103), wherein the method comprises the following steps: -- in a first step, at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12) is triggered by a trigger event to access the distributed data structure, -- in a second step, subsequent to the first step, the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12) accesses the distributed data structure in such a manner that a specific data item of the leases table part - that is assigned to the lease of an IP address leased to the at least one network node (101, 102, 103) - is locked by the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12), -- in a third step, subsequent to the second step, and after the specific data item of the leases table part has been generated and/or updated and/or otherwise modified, the lock of the specific data item is released by the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12), wherein the trigger event triggering the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12) to access the distributed data structure corresponds to at least one out of the following: -- a lease expiration event, especially due to the expiry of a lease timer, -- the reception, at the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12), of a request message from the at least one network node (101, 102, 103), the request message especially referring to a lease acquisition request and/or a lease renewal request, especially by means of a DHCPREQUEST message and/or a DHCPDISCOVER message, -- the reception, at the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12), of a lease release message from the at least one network node (101, 102, 103), -- a lease abandonment event. -- in a first step, at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12) is triggered by a trigger event to access the distributed data structure, -- in a second step, subsequent to the first step, the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12) accesses the distributed data structure in such a manner that a specific data item of the leases table part - that is assigned to the lease of an IP address leased to the at least one network node (101, 102, 103) - is locked by the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12), -- in a third step, subsequent to the second step, and after the specific data item of the leases table part has been generated and/or updated and/or otherwise modified, the lock of the specific data item is released by the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12), -- a lease expiration event, especially due to the expiry of a lease timer, -- the reception, at the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12), of a request message from the at least one network node (101, 102, 103), the request message especially referring to a lease acquisition request and/or a lease renewal request, especially by means of a DHCPREQUEST message and/or a DHCPDISCOVER message, -- the reception, at the at least one DHCP server entity (11, 12), of a lease release message from the at least one network node (101, 102, 103), -- a lease abandonment event.