89 results about "Preboot Execution Environment" patented technology

A method and system are presented for facilitating a PXE-compliant (Preboot Execution Environment) remote boot process between clients and multiple available servers on a network. Each server device can respond to a PXE-extended DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) Request message from any client device on the network. Each client can receive responses from the alternate servers, select a server from one of those responses, and be directed by that response to complete the remote boot process from the same server. Each server also employs a self-throttling process to prevent the server from responding to new PXE-extended DHCP request messages from additional clients while the server has insufficient resources to remote boot additional clients with the required quality of service. This automatically redirects those additional clients to other servers that can provide the required quality of service without affecting the remote boot of clients already being serviced by the server.

A system uses a protocol stack on a card external to a motherboard in a target computer system. A processor on the motherboard is able to make use of the external protocol stack during boot-up of the computer, or at any other time, so that it is not necessary to load the protocol stack into the motherboard's memory. This saves time, memory, and disk space and permits an external, managing, computer system to communicate with a computer just after power-up without loading and configuring a protocol stack so that the managing computer system can control the boot-up of the target computer system. The extra memory saved, especially, is important in running many MS-DOS applications, such as firmware flash utilities. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses a UDP / Internet Protocol (UDP / IP) stack resident in a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) on, e.g, a network card. The approach described herein can be applied to other utilities, protocol stacks or resources (hardware and software) on other cards.

A method and system for managing a secure network boot of a secondary server (server blade). The server blade sends a request, via an Ethernet switch, for a boot program to multiple Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers. One of the DHCP servers responds with an address of at least one Pre-boot Execution Environment (PXE) server that can upload a boot program to the server blade. Only if the responding DHCP server is on a list of known trusted DHCP servers will the Ethernet switch allow the server blade to receive the response from the responding DHCP server, thus allowing the download of a boot program from a PXE server.

A remote control apparatus is provided. The remote control apparatus enables a host computer (network administrator) to execute certain pre-boot services on each computer on a network. This remote control apparatus is configured with a primary connection module and a connection and service control module. The primary connection module is to use one MAC address selected from the MAC address table to directly connect to the associated computer, and then a virtual IP address is assigned for the computer. After the initial stage, the connection and service control module takes over the network connection using TCP / IP interface to allow packets to be routed to the virtual IP address of the computer, whereby certain pre-boot services such as network OS deployment, virus scanning, BIOS update, and system configuration and restoration can be performed in the pre-boot execution environment.

A system uses a protocol stack on a card external to a motherboard in a target computer system. A processor on the motherboard is able to make use of the external protocol stack during boot-up of the computer, or at any other time, so that it is not necessary to load the protocol stack into the motherboard's memory. This saves time, memory, and disk space and permits an external, managing, computer system to communicate with a computer just after power-up without loading and configuring a protocol stack so that the managing computer system can control the boot-up of the target computer system. The extra memory saved, especially, is important in running many MS-DOS applications, such as firmware flash utilities. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses a UDP / Internet Protocol (UDP / IP) stack resident in a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) on, e.g, a network card. The approach described herein can be applied to other utilities, protocol stacks or resources (hardware and software) on other cards.

A method and a system are presented for facilitating a PXE-compliant (Preboot Execution Environment) remote boot process between clients and multiple servers. All clients are initially directed to the address of the central boot server when they initially request remote boot service. The central boot server returns the same small initial bootstrap program to every client, which is then executed by the client's embedded boot program. The received initial bootstrap program contains only enough logic to have the client request and receive a list of alternate boot server addresses. The list may be ordered to present to the client a series of best-available boot servers, or the client may search the list to determine an address of an alternate boot server that can efficiently continue the remote boot process. The client selects a boot server from the list and requests the next program from the selected boot server.

A preboot execution environment (PXE) test device includes a microprocessor, one or more indicators, a network interface, a power connector, and a storage device. The network interface connects the PXE test device with a computer. The power connector connects an external power source to supply a voltage to the PXE test device. The storage device stores a boot loader, an embedded operating system, and one or more programs. The microprocessor executes the boot loader and the embedded operating system to start the PXE test device. The one or more indicators indicate a power supply status and a starting status of the PXE test device. The microprocessor further executes the one or more programs to remotely boot the computer for test PXE of a network card in the computer.

A method and system for managing a secure network boot of a server blade. The server blade is part of a server blade chassis, which holds multiple server blades that communicate with outside devices via a Pre-boot eXecution Environment (PXE) enabled network interface card. When a server blade receives a response from a PXE boot server offering a boot program download, a Remote Supervisory Adapter (RSA) card, managed by a remote manager, compares the identity of the responding PXE boot server with a list of trusted PXE boot servers. Only if the responding PXE boot server is on the list of trusted PXE boot servers will the server blade be allowed to use a boot program provided by the responding PXE boot server.

A method and system for managing a secure network boot of a server blade. The server blade is part of a server blade chassis, which holds multiple server blades that communicate with outside devices via a Pre-boot eXecution Environment (PXE) enabled network interface card. When a server blade receives a response from a PXE boot server offering a boot program download, a Remote Supervisory Adapter (RSA) card, managed by a remote manager, compares the identity of the responding PXE boot server with a list of trusted PXE boot servers. Only if the responding PXE boot server is on the list of trusted PXE boot servers will the server blade be allowed to use a boot program provided by the responding PXE boot server.

The invention relates to a PXE (preboot execution environment) function test system and method which are used for testing the PXE function of a network interface card. The PXE function test system operates in a baseboard management controller of a server, wherein the baseboard management controller is connected with the network interface card in a communicating way through a network interface of the baseboard management controller. The PXE function test system comprises a DHCP(dynamic host configuration protocol) service module, a boot service module and a TFTP (trivial file transfer protocol) service module; the DHCP service module is used for responding to a DHCP DISCOVER packet sent by the network interface card and returning a DHCP OFFER packet so as to provide an IP (internet protocol) address for the network interface card; the boot service module is used for responding to a DHCPREQUREST packet sent by the network interface card and returning a DHCP ASK packet so as to provide an remote boot image file name and a TFTP configuration parameter for the network interface card; and the TFTP service module is used for responding to a packet which is sent by the network interface card and used for requesting for downloading a remote boot image and establishing a connection based on an MTFTP (multicast trivial file transfer protocol) or TFTP so that the remote boot image can be downloaded from the baseboard management controller by the network interface card through the connection. According to the PXE function test system and method, the network for PXE function test does not need to be built additionally, and the PXE function test cost is saved.