[comp.sys.hp] Can other systems boot off HP-UX?

usenet@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU (Usenet programs owner) (09/20/90)

From: mcgredo@prism.cs.orst.edu (Don Mcgregor)
Path: prism!mcgredo

  We're considering trying to get a couple NeXTs to boot off of HP-UX over
  ethernet.  I don't know much about the boot process for HP-UX, but I
  understand it is done with a "bootp" server.  I hear that this is 
  proprietary to HP and not designed to support other vendors.

  My question:  Is it worthwhile to investigate the feasability of this,
  or is the process so far down in the bits and bytes and ROM and whatnot
  that we should just punt now?  If someone has done this, what was involved
  and where can we locate a good source for information on the process?

  Post, or email if this question is asked a lot.

Thanks,

  Don McGregor
  mcgredo@prism.cs.orst.edu

graham@hparc0.HP.COM (Graham Eddy) (09/27/90)

"bootp" and "tftp" and the like are well understood.  i'm not sure if
using the term `standard' is a little too strong, but these protocols
are used for getting going X/terminals, cisco boxes, etc, including on
HP boxes.  however, i would suggest that if you intend to implement
bootp yourself, that this be a a case where the difference between
technical and commercial feasibility be examined closely..

-graham "representing noone's opinions but his own"

stevens@hpcc01.HP.COM (Stuart Stevens) (10/06/90)

>>   We're considering trying to get a couple NeXTs to boot off of HP-UX over
>>   ethernet.  I don't know much about the boot process for HP-UX, but I
>>   understand it is done with a "bootp" server.  I hear that this is 
>>   proprietary to HP and not designed to support other vendors.
>> 
>>   My question:  Is it worthwhile to investigate the feasability of this,
>>   or is the process so far down in the bits and bytes and ROM and whatnot
>>   that we should just punt now?  If someone has done this, what was involved
>>   and where can we locate a good source for information on the process?

	The NCSA telnet package which runs on MS-DOS machines
	supports bootp and works with HP-UX.  I know the source	
	is available, but I don't know how to get it.  FTP Inc's
	PC/TCP supports bootp.  In the implementations I have seen
	bootp is used to discover the networking information(IP,
	name, subnet mask, gateway...) and tftp is used to 
	download files for configuration or operation.