Method and apparatus to enhance platform boot efficiency
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- storing a plurality of boot images on a boot server;
receiving a first boot image download request from a client at the boot server;
downloading the boot image from the boot server to the client; and
caching the boot image at a network device along a communication path linking the client to the boot server.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for improving network boot efficiency are disclosed. Under embodiments of the method, boot images that are initially sent from a boot server to various clients are cached at network devices along communication paths between the boot server and the clients. In response to subsequent boot image requests from the clients, boot images cached at the network devices are downloaded directly from the network devices rather than from the boot server, reducing network traffic to and from the boot server and domains in between. In addition, boot program bootstrap files may also be cached and downloaded in a similar manner. Techniques are also disclosed for intercepting boot image download and network bootstrap program requests at the network devices, and for maintaining valid boot image cache configurations across the network. The network devices generally include switches, routers, bridges, and gateway servers.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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storing a plurality of boot images on a boot server;
receiving a first boot image download request from a client at the boot server;
downloading the boot image from the boot server to the client; and
caching the boot image at a network device along a communication path linking the client to the boot server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A machine-readable medium, to store instructions that if executed on a network device perform operations comprising:
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processing packets corresponding to a network boot image that are sent from a boot server to be forwarded to a client via the network device;
caching the packets;
reassembling the packets that are copied to form a boot image file;
caching the boot image by storing the boot image file on a local file store; and
forwarding the packets to the client. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A network device, comprising:
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a media interface, including at least one input/output port via which packets are received and transmitted;
at least one memory store;
at least one processor, communicatively-coupled to said at least one memory store and the media interface; and
a storage device on which instructions are stored, which if executed by said at least one processor perform operations comprising;
performing initial packet processing operations on packets received at the media interface, the initial packet processing operations including extracting packet header data;
filtering the packet header data to identify filtered packets containing indicia indicating further processing is to be performed on the packets, examining at least one of the packet header data or packet payload data for the filtered packets to determine if the packet corresponds to a boot image file sent from a boot server to be forwarded to a client via the network device;
reassembling the filtered packets to form a boot image file;
caching the boot image by storing the boot image file on a local file store; and
forwarding the filtered packets to the client. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification