Mechanism for booting a computer through a network
US6601166B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 29, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4416
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A mechanism is provided for booting a computer system that is capable of implementing different instruction set architectures, through a network. An embodiment of the invention includes a network controller implemented for a first ISA and a processor capable of implementing programs written in a second ISA as well as programs written in the first ISA. Following preliminary boot operations provided through non-volatile system memory, a network boot program provided by the network controller is implemented. The boot program requests the non-volatile system memory for an indication of the operating system to be loaded and generates a boot request for the indicated operating system. When the indicated operating system is written in the second ISA, the boot program loads the OS to a specified location in system memory and sends the processor into a mode suitable for executing the second ISA.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.