How do you boot your diskless PCs?
Thomas Faehnle
I'd like to replace a Netware server serving a bunch of DOS/Windows PCs
by a UNIX box running samba for file serving. But I don't know how to
boot the diskless machines over the network.
Could you please tell me how YOU solved that problem?
Thank you in advance.
Bye, Thomas
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#==========================================================================#
# Thomas Faehnle * Student of electric engineering * Univ. of Ulm, Germany #
# email: s_fa...@rzmain.rz.uni-ulm.de Thomas....@student.uni-ulm.de #
#==========================================================================#
Russell Nelson
I'd like to replace a Netware server serving a bunch of DOS/Windows PCs
by a UNIX box running samba for file serving. But I don't know how to
boot the diskless machines over the network.
Could you please tell me how YOU solved that problem?
I've had the following mail squirreled away for a while:
From: di...@lisa.incom.de (Dirk Koeppen)
To: "Russell Nelson" <nel...@crynwr.com>
Subject: Informations on the TCP/IP BOOT-PROM
TCP/IP BOOT-PROM for diskless Personal Computers
------------------------------------------------
o Offers diskless bootstrap of PC's
o Diskless boots from a TCP/IP based server
o Diskless boots from a Novell Netware based server
o Supports MS-DOS based PC with standard network software
o Optionally support for diskless UNIX systems available
The TCP/IP BOOT-PROM is a ROM based device which allows to boot MS-DOS,
standard TCP/IP based network software, Novell Netware or Microsoft
LanManager/X from a network server. The ROM plugs into the socket of
the network controller and eliminates the need for a diskette- or
fixed-disk-drive to start up the operating system and network software.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Common network software for MS-DOS based systems need a storage device
in the Personal Computer to start the operating system and network
software. After the installation of the network software the remote
filesystem of a file server is accessable to the user.
The BOOT-PROM elimates the need for a diskette- or fixed-disk-drive in
the PC. It replaces the storage devices and enables you to build a very
economic system which are easy to administrate.
Bootstrap information, operating system and network software are held on
the network server. Every attached PC has its own entry in the
configuration table on the file server. This way it is easy to keep
track of different PC-configurations and serilized network software to
avoid conflicts.
The server based software uses standard TFTP and BOOTP protocols
available on common TCP/IP implementations. No specialized software is
needed on a network server based on UNIX or any other operating system.
The PROM comes with a NLM that implements the TFTP and BOOTP protocols
to Novell Netware 3.11 based servers.
The BOOT-PROM is compatible with standard network software and network
controllers.
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Security
o no storage media is required in the PC
o network software controlled file access to the remote filesystem
Maintenance
o no local fixed-disks to administrate
o every PC has its own entry in the configuration table
o avoids network software serial number conflicts
Compatibility
o works with already installed network software
o only TFTP and BOOTP protocols are required on the host side
Installation
o no hardware modifications necessary, simply plugs into
socket on network controller
o no configuration needed due to automatic network controller
detection
Advantages
o noiseless, diskless operation possible
o allows low cost hardware configurations
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Supported Hardware
o IBM PC and 100% compatibles with 640K bytes RAM, optional
Extended Memory can be used
o optionally installed diskette- or fixed-disk-drives are still
supported
Supported Ethernet controllers
o 3Com: 3C503, 3C505, 3C507, 3C509, 3C523, 3C579
o Digital Equipment: EtherWorks LC, Turbo, III
o Eden: ED586/8
o EXOS: EXOS 105, EXOS 205
o BICC/3Com: ISOLAN 4102 fiber optic
o Novell: NE1000, NE2000, NE2000 Plus, NE2100
o ICL: EtherTeam 16i, TP, C4 onboard
o Intel: EtherExpress 16, 16 FLASH
o Interlan: NI5210, NI6510, NI9210
o Pure Data: PD-8023
o Schneider & Koch: SK-NET junior, G8, G16, MC2, SK-Y-NET
o SMC: All Ethernet EtherCards Elite and Ultra
o Western Digital: All Ethernet EtherCards Elite
Supported Token Ring controllers
o SMC: TokenCard Elite (SMC8115T)
Supported Client Software
o MS-DOS or PC-DOS, 5.0 or higher
o Digital Equipment PathWorks
o Beame and Whiteside NFS
o FTP Software PC/TCP and InterDrive
o Locus Computing PC-Interface
o Microsoft LanManager, LanManager/X
o Network Research FUSION
o Novell Netware 3.1x, 4.0x
o Novell Netware/IP
o Novell LAN Workplace, NFS client for LAN WorkPlace
o Sun Microsystems PC-NFS
Supported Server Software
o Any UNIX based system with BOOTP and TFTP
o Microsoft MS-Windows NT
o IBM OS/2
o Novell NetWare 3.1x, 4.0x and NetWare/IP
Add-on Packages
o Diskless UnixWare client
o Diskless SCO-UNIX client
o Diskless SINIX, SORIX
--
-russ <nel...@crynwr.com> http://www.crynwr.com/crynwr/nelson.html
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