Patent ID: 7313690

Claim:
A method of transferring via a network signed boot files from a server to a PXE client having a pre-OS environment including PXE code, comprising: installing a PXE client certificate of authenticity in the PXE client; requesting, by the PXE client using the PXE code via the network that the server, transfer the signed boot files for execution by the PXE client to at least one of create, recreate, modify, expand and enhance an operating system for the PXE client, said requesting occurring after the installation of the client certificate of authenticity in the PXE client; sending by the PXE client via the network the installed PXE client certificate of authenticity wherein, in response to the receipt of the PXE client certificate of authenticity, the server authenticates the received PXE client certificate of authenticity and wherein, in response to authenticating by the server of the PXE client, the server sends via the network a server certificate of authenticity to the PXE client; authenticating, by the PXE client, the server by the received server certificate of authenticity; requesting, by the authenticated PXE client using the PXE code via the network, the transfer the signed boot files from authenticated server to the authenticated PXE client wherein, in response to receiving the request by the authenticated PXE client, the authenticated server transfers the signed boot files to the authenticated PXE client, said signed boot files including a signature corresponding to the PXE client certificate of authenticity or the server certificate of authenticity; authenticating, by the authenticated PXE client, the transferred signed boot files by the signature of the transferred signed boot files; and executing by the authenticated PXE client of the authenticated signed boot files thereby creating, recreating, modifying, expanding or enhancing an operating system for the PXE client.