Patent ID: 6170008
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of providing a boot file to a network device in response to a standard protocol request initiated by a client from the network device, the method comprises: transmitting the standard protocol request from the network device to a standard protocol server, the standard protocol request having at least one network specific parameter, at least one client specific parameter, and a special character, the special character notifies the standard protocol server that the standard protocol request contains the at least one network specific parameter and the at least one client specific parameter; checking by the standard protocol server for the special character in the standard protocol request; decoding the at least one network specific parameter and the at least one client specific parameter from the standard protocol request in response to recognizing the special character; reading at least two additional parameters from a server configuration information based upon the at least one client specific parameter in response to decoding the at least one client specific parameter; building the boot file using the received at least one network specific parameter, the at least one client specific parameter, and the at least two additional parameters; and providing the boot file to the network device.