Patent ID: 7376823
Filing Date: 2008-05-20
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method in a central boot server for automatic detection and inventory of a network boot capable computer and for automatic deployment of an appropriate operating system to the network boot capable computer, the method comprising: receiving an initial broadcast packet from the network boot capable computer, wherein the initial broadcast packet includes basic system hardware information regarding the network boot capable computer; sending an appropriate discovery kernel to the network boot capable computer based on the basic system hardware information included in the initial broadcast packet, wherein the appropriate discovery kernel is specific to system hardware for the boot capable computer; receiving a hardware details file generated by the discovery kernel from the network boot capable computer; analyzing the hardware details file; and upon receiving the initial broadcast packet again after analyzing the hardware details file, deploying an appropriate operating system from a plurality of operating systems available from the central boot server to the network boot capable computer, wherein the appropriate operating system is customized specifically for the network boot capable computer by the central boot server.