Patent ID: 7930377

Claim:
A method for re-booting a server operationally coupled to a network via an adapter, comprising: (a) accessing a boot server blade that is remote to the server, wherein the boot server blade is a switch that stores a boot server for re-booting the server and is coupled to the adapter, wherein the boot server includes: a list of worldwide port numbers that can be assigned to the adapter, and an active profile of the server, wherein the active profile allows for booting the server to a certain system profile, (b) registering a default world wide port number (“WWPN”) with the boot server stored at the switch wherein the adapter registers with the boot server and provides the active profile; (c) determining that the adapter is already configured for re-booting; (d) sending a new WWPN to the adapter configured for re-booting the server; wherein the switch sends the new WWPN for re-booting the server based on the determination that the adapter is already configured for re-booting; (e) registering the new WWPN with a name server maintained by the switch; (f) querying the boot server for a list that includes a plurality of boot devices; wherein the adapter queries the switch for said list; (g) returning a list of boot devices to the adapter that the adapter is configured to use for re-booting the server, wherein the switch returns the list of boot devices in response to the query in step (f); and (h) using a boot device from the list of boot devices to perform a re-boot operation, wherein the boot device includes a logical storage structure for storing boot instructions that are used for re-booting the server.