Patent ID: 6490677
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A method for automatically configuring a boot process of a network computer initially connected within a network comprising at least one server, said method comprising the steps of:broadcasting a request from a network computer to a network for an available server having a downloadable operating system that is executable with one of a plurality of bootstrap programs on said network computer, upon a first initiation of said network computer within said network; gathering responses from said broadcasting indicating whether said server is available; downloading an operating system that is executable by a selected bootstrap program from among said plurality of bootstrap programs available in said network computer; executing said selected bootstrap program and said operating system; and storing said selected bootstrap program and an identity of said available server as boot process configuration settings in a nonvolatile storage of said network computer, in response to successful execution of said bootstrap program and said correlated operating system, such that aboot process of a network computer is automatically configured upon a first initiation thereof such that for subsequent initiations of said network computer within said network said selected bootstrap program and server provided operating system are already selected for said boot process of said network computer.