ip helper

I'm looking for a clear detailing of how the "ip helper" command works. Anyone out there know this command's syntax and functionality inside and out? :

As far as I know, you use it to let the router work as a DHCP agent. forwarding all DHCP broadcasts to a DHCP server at another sub-net.

The following is what appears in ciscopedia:


Syntax:
ip helper-address address

no ip helper-address address

Syntax Description:
address Destination broadcast or host address to be used when forwarding UDP broadcasts. There can be more than one helper address per interface.

Command Description:
To have the Cisco IOS software forward User Datagram Protocol (UDP) broadcasts, including BOOTP, received on an interface, use the ip helper-address interface configuration command. To disable the forwarding of broadcast packets to specific addresses, use the no form of this command.

Example:
Router(config-if)#ip helper-address 121.24.43.2

I try in any thread I start to not just get an answer for myself, but to make my thread a go-to source of information for people who are interested in learning more or trying to tackle a problem that involves what I'm discussing in the future.

That said, it appears we're off to a good start. Anyone else care to throw their hat in the ring with their own explanation? How about an explanation in more clear terms than Cisco offers.

In my terms, the ip-helper command will take a broadcast packet and sent it out unicast to a specific computer/device like a dhcp server.

I normally use the ip-helper command to forward the DHCP broadcasts to a server-based DHCP server.

The ip-helper command also sends other types of packets.