Patent ID: 8407458

Claim:
An embedded device for booting a host, the host having a first microprocessor, a first storage medium and a communication bus, the embedded device comprising: a second microprocessor on the embedded device distinct from the first microprocessor, the second microprocessor having access to one or more servers on the embedded device, each of the one or more servers supporting at least one protocol related to a PXE boot; a second storage medium on the embedded device, storing one or more boot options, each of the one or more boot options being related to an Operating System (OS); and an interface physically coupled to the communication bus on the host, wherein the embedded device is operable to PXE boot the host without utilizing the first storage medium of the host by communicating with the host through the interface, including, during the PXE boot, receiving one or more requests from the host through the interface and responding to the one or more requests through the interface using the one or more servers on the embedded device and one or more boot options on the second storage medium on the embedded device.