Network booting
Encyclopedia
Network booting is the process of booting
a computer
from a network
rather than a local drive. This method of booting can be used by routers, diskless workstation
s and centrally managed computers (thin client
s) such as public computers at libraries
and schools. Network booting can be used to centralise management of disk storage, which supporters claim can result in reduced capital and maintenance costs. It can also be used in cluster computing, in which node
s may not have local disks.
Contemporary desktop
personal computers
provide an option to boot from the network in their firmware
, frequently via the Preboot Execution Environment
. All modern Mac
systems can also boot from their firmware
to a network disk via NetBoot
. Older personal computers can utilize a floppy disk
or flash drive
containing software to boot from the network instead, using technology such as iPXE
.
on the network; for TCP/IP
networks this is usually done using the Trivial File Transfer Protocol
. The server from which to load the initial software is usually found by broadcasting or multicasting a Bootstrap Protocol or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
request. Typically, this initial software is not a full image of the operating system to be loaded, but just part of it - enough for the operating system to start and then take control of the booting process, and continue booting over the network.
became the only Layer 3
protocol, NetWare Core Protocol
and IBM RIPL
was widely used for network booting. Their client
implementations also fit into smaller ROM
than PXE. Technically network booting can be implemented over any of file transfer
or resource sharing
protocols, for example, NFS is preferred by BSD
variants.
and Windows
exist as NetInstall and Windows Deployment Services
, respectively.
Booting
In computing, booting is a process that begins when a user turns on a computer system and prepares the computer to perform its normal operations. On modern computers, this typically involves loading and starting an operating system. The boot sequence is the initial set of operations that the...
a computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
from a network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
rather than a local drive. This method of booting can be used by routers, diskless workstation
Diskless workstation
A diskless node is a workstation or personal computer without disk drives, which employs network booting to load its operating system from a server...
s and centrally managed computers (thin client
Thin client
A thin client is a computer or a computer program which depends heavily on some other computer to fulfill its traditional computational roles. This stands in contrast to the traditional fat client, a computer designed to take on these roles by itself...
s) such as public computers at libraries
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and schools. Network booting can be used to centralise management of disk storage, which supporters claim can result in reduced capital and maintenance costs. It can also be used in cluster computing, in which node
Node (networking)
In communication networks, a node is a connection point, either a redistribution point or a communication endpoint . The definition of a node depends on the network and protocol layer referred to...
s may not have local disks.
Contemporary desktop
Desktop computer
A desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location, as opposed to a mobile laptop or portable computer. Early desktop computers are designed to lay flat on the desk, while modern towers stand upright...
personal computers
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
provide an option to boot from the network in their firmware
BIOS
In IBM PC compatible computers, the basic input/output system , also known as the System BIOS or ROM BIOS , is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface....
, frequently via the Preboot Execution Environment
Preboot Execution Environment
The Preboot eXecution Environment is an environment to boot computers using a network interface independently of data storage devices or installed operating systems.PXE was introduced as part of the Wired for Management framework by Intel and is described in the specification The Preboot...
. All modern Mac
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
systems can also boot from their firmware
New World ROM
New World ROM computers are Macintosh models that do not use a Macintosh Toolbox ROM on the logic board. Due to Mac OS X not requiring the availability of the Toolbox, this allowed ROM sizes to shrink dramatically , and facilitated the use of Flash memory for system firmware instead of the now more...
to a network disk via NetBoot
NetBoot
NetBoot is a technology from Apple which enables Macs with capable firmware to boot from a network, rather than a local hard disk or optical disc drive. NetBoot is a derived work from the Bootstrap Protocol , and is similar in concept to the Preboot Execution Environment...
. Older personal computers can utilize a floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
or flash drive
USB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
containing software to boot from the network instead, using technology such as iPXE
IPXE
iPXE is an open-source Preboot Execution Environment implementation and bootloader. It can be used to enable computers without built-in PXE support to boot from the network, or to extend an existing PXE implementation with support for additional protocols...
.
Process
The initial software to be loaded is loaded from a serverServer (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
on the network; for TCP/IP
Internet protocol suite
The Internet protocol suite is the set of communications protocols used for the Internet and other similar networks. It is commonly known as TCP/IP from its most important protocols: Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol , which were the first networking protocols defined in this...
networks this is usually done using the Trivial File Transfer Protocol
Trivial File Transfer Protocol
Trivial File Transfer Protocol is a file transfer protocol known for its simplicity. It is generally used forautomated transfer of configuration or boot files between machines in a local environment....
. The server from which to load the initial software is usually found by broadcasting or multicasting a Bootstrap Protocol or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol is a network configuration protocol for hosts on Internet Protocol networks. Computers that are connected to IP networks must be configured before they can communicate with other hosts. The most essential information needed is an IP address, and a default...
request. Typically, this initial software is not a full image of the operating system to be loaded, but just part of it - enough for the operating system to start and then take control of the booting process, and continue booting over the network.
Legacy
Before IPInternet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
became the only Layer 3
Network Layer
The network layer is layer 3 of the seven-layer OSI model of computer networking.The network layer is responsible for packet forwarding including routing through intermediate routers, whereas the data link layer is responsible for media access control, flow control and error checking.The network...
protocol, NetWare Core Protocol
NetWare Core Protocol
The NetWare Core Protocol is a network protocol used in some products from Novell, Inc. It is usually associated with the NetWare operating system, but parts of it have been implemented on other platforms such as Linux, Windows NT and various flavors of Unix.It is used to access file, print,...
and IBM RIPL
Remote Initial Program Load
Remote Initial Program Load is a protocol for starting a computer and loading its operating system from server via a network...
was widely used for network booting. Their client
Client (computing)
A client is an application or system that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network....
implementations also fit into smaller ROM
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
than PXE. Technically network booting can be implemented over any of file transfer
File transfer
File transfer is a generic term for the act of transmitting files over a computer network or the Internet. There are numerous ways and protocols to transfer files over a network. Computers which provide a file transfer service are often called file servers. Depending on the client's perspective the...
or resource sharing
Shared resource
In computing, a shared resource or network share is a device or piece of information on a computer that can be remotely accessed from another computer, typically via a local area network or an enterprise Intranet, transparently as if it were a resource in the local machine.Examples are shared file...
protocols, for example, NFS is preferred by BSD
Berkeley Software Distribution
Berkeley Software Distribution is a Unix operating system derivative developed and distributed by the Computer Systems Research Group of the University of California, Berkeley, from 1977 to 1995...
variants.
Installations
Network booting is also used for unattended operating system installations. In this case, a network-booted helper operating system is used as a platform to execute the script-driven, unattended installation of the intended operating system on the target machine. Implementations of this for Mac OS XMac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
exist as NetInstall and Windows Deployment Services
Windows Deployment Services
Windows Deployment Services is a technology from Microsoft for network-based installation of Windows operating systems. It is the successor to Remote Installation Services...
, respectively.
See also
- BootingBootingIn computing, booting is a process that begins when a user turns on a computer system and prepares the computer to perform its normal operations. On modern computers, this typically involves loading and starting an operating system. The boot sequence is the initial set of operations that the...
- Wake-on-LANWake-on-LANWake-on-LAN is an Ethernet computer networking standard that allows a computer to be turned on or woken up by a network message....
- PXEPreboot Execution EnvironmentThe Preboot eXecution Environment is an environment to boot computers using a network interface independently of data storage devices or installed operating systems.PXE was introduced as part of the Wired for Management framework by Intel and is described in the specification The Preboot...
- RIPLRemote Initial Program LoadRemote Initial Program Load is a protocol for starting a computer and loading its operating system from server via a network...
- Diskless node
- iPXEIPXEiPXE is an open-source Preboot Execution Environment implementation and bootloader. It can be used to enable computers without built-in PXE support to boot from the network, or to extend an existing PXE implementation with support for additional protocols...