Patent ID: 7587750
Filing Date: 2009-09-08
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: executing firmware instructions to initialize a supplicant system into a system management mode (SMM) during a pre-boot phase; receiving a network boot request during the pre-boot phase to boot the supplicant system from an operating system (OS) image accessible over a network; executing port authentication firmware instructions during the pre-boot phase to authenticate a network port hosted by an authenticator system and coupled to the supplicant system to which the supplicant system is linked wherein the OS image to boot the supplicant system is accessible through the network port, the authentication firmware instructions to include booting the OS in the supplicant system using the OS image accessible over the network in response to the network boot request; executing an OS operation requesting port authentication for the network port; and executing the port authentication firmware instructions in response to the OS operation request.