Editing System Management Bus (section)

====Address Resolution Protocol====
The SMBus uses I²C hardware and I²C hardware addressing, but adds second-level software for building special systems. In particular its specifications include an Address Resolution Protocol that can make dynamic address allocations.
Dynamic reconfiguration of the hardware and software allow bus devices to be
‘hot-plugged’ and used immediately, without restarting the system. The devices are recognized automatically and assigned unique addresses. This advantage results in a plug-and-play user interface. In both those protocols there is a very useful distinction made between a System Host and all the other devices in the system that can have the names and functions of masters or slaves.

In the context of motherboard [[PCI Express]] slots, the PCIe Electromechanical Specification expects ARP to be provided for the SMBus pins. However, because ARP is marked "optional" in the SMBus specification, it's commonly left unimplemented.<ref name=pci-2023/>