Patent ID: 7467295

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a command at a boot server from a client, wherein the command requests a name of a boot image and a network address of the boot server that contains the boot image; in response to the receiving the command at the boot server from the client, invoking a plug-in at the boot server, wherein the plug-in determines the name of the boot image and the network address of the boot server that contains the boot image based on an address of the client that sent the command, wherein the boot image associated with the address of the client changes over time, wherein after the plug-in at the boot server determines the name of the boot image associated with the address of the client, the plug-in at the boot server changes the name of the boot image associated with the address of the client to a second name of a second boot image in a sequence, and wherein the plug-in at the boot server changes the network address of the boot server to a second network address of a second boot server; sending the name of the boot image and the network address of the boot server that contains the boot image from the boot server to client that sent the command, wherein the client retrieves the boot image via the name of the boot image and the network address of the boot server that contains the boot image, and wherein the boot image initializes the client when executed at the client; receiving a second command at the boot server from the client; in response to the receiving the second command at the boot server from the client, invoking the plug-in at the boot server, wherein the plug-in determines the second name of the second boot image and the second network address of the second boot server associated with the address of the client; and sending the second name of the second boot image and the second network address of the second boot server from the boot server to the client in response to the second command from the client, wherein the client retrieves the second boot image via the second name of the second boot image and the second network address of the second boot server, wherein the second boot image initializes the client when executed at the client.