Method, apparatus, and program for server based network computer load balancing across multiple boot servers
First Claim
1. A method for retrieving client boot information in a network environment with multiple boot servers, comprising:
- initiating at a client an initial request for client configuration information;
sending from the client the initial request for client configuration information to a first boot server;
receiving at the client a boot server list if the client configuration information is not found on the first boot server; and
sending from the client a configuration information request for the client configuration information to each server in the boot server list until the client configuration information is found or a request has been sent to every server in the boot server list.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and program is provided to redirect a client computer to an appropriate boot server after it has been directed to any initial boot server by preboot execution environment (PXE) or similar services. An apparatus includes a data file containing a set of addresses of managed boot servers in any syntax and a program file containing a network bootstrap program (NBP) that interprets the syntax of the data file. These files are placed on every initial boot server. The NBP requests a file from the initial boot server whose name is identified with the client computer. The initial boot server will not return that file if it is not an appropriate server for booting the client. In that case, the NBP requests the data file containing the boot server addresses. The NBP then polls each of those boot servers by requesting the client'"'"'s unique file. A boot server that returns the file is an appropriate boot server for the client computer. The data file containing boot server addresses is changed to reflect current boot server load balancing requirements without involving the configuration or affecting the availability of PXE or similar services.
44 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for retrieving client boot information in a network environment with multiple boot servers, comprising:
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initiating at a client an initial request for client configuration information; sending from the client the initial request for client configuration information to a first boot server; receiving at the client a boot server list if the client configuration information is not found on the first boot server; and sending from the client a configuration information request for the client configuration information to each server in the boot server list until the client configuration information is found or a request has been sent to every server in the boot server list. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing client boot information in a network environment with multiple boot servers, comprising:
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receiving at a boot server an initial request for client configuration information from a client, wherein the initial request is initiated at the client; sending from the boot server a boot server list to the client if the client configuration information is not found; and adding an indication to the boot server list to inform the client that the list is being provided in optimal order to support load balancing among boot servers. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An apparatus for retrieving client boot information in a network environment with multiple boot servers, comprising:
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initiating means for initiating at a client an initial request for client configuration information; first sending means for sending from a client an initial request for client configuration information to a first boot server; receipt means for receiving at the client a boot server list if the client configuration information is not found on the first boot server; and second sending means for sending from the client a configuration information request for the client configuration information to each server in the boot server list until the client configuration information is found or a request has been sent to every server in the boot server list. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for providing client boot information in a network environment with multiple boot servers, comprising:
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receipt means for receiving at a boot server an initial request for client configuration information from a client, wherein the initial request is initiated at the client; sending means for sending from the boot server a boot server list to the client if the client configuration information is not found; and adding means for adding an indication to the boot server list to inform the client that the list is given in optimal order to support load balancing among boot servers. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A computer program product, in a computer readable storage medium, for retrieving client boot information in a network environment with multiple boot servers, comprising:
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instructions for initiating at a client an initial request for client configuration information; instructions for sending from the client an initial request for client configuration information to a first boot server; instructions for receiving at the client a boot server list if the client configuration information is not found on the first boot server; and instructions for sending from the client a configuration information request for the client configuration information to each server in the boot server list until the client configuration information is found or a request has been sent to every server in the boot server list.
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22. A computer program product, in a computer readable storage medium, for providing client boot information in a network environment with multiple boot servers, comprising:
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instructions for receiving at a boot server an initial request for client configuration information from a client, wherein the initial request is initiated at the client; instructions for sending from the boot server a boot server list to the client if the client configuration information is not found; and instructions for adding an indication to the boot server list to inform the client that the list is being provided in optimal order to support load balancing among boot servers.
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Specification