ee@atbull.UUCP (Erwin Eder ) (05/31/89)
Original Subject: Booting diskless PC/AT-workstations from UN|X via ethernet This is a complete list of all answers : +++++++++++++++++++++ My request was: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + > + >Can anybody out there help me with the following questions : + > + > Configuration : + > o) UNIX mini with SYS-V,TCP-IP, NFS + > o) Diskless PC/AT-style workstations + > + > Questions : + > 1) Is it possible to boot MS-DOS on the PC's + > from the UNIX mini via ethernet? + > 2) What is the hardware/software needed + > a) on the UNIX mini ? + > a) on the pc workstation ? + > + >Please e-mail me your comments. + > + > Many thanx in advance + > Erwin Eder + > + > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ------------------------------------------------------------ Here is a complete list of answers to my request: ------------------------------------------------------------ RE:> From: Brad Clements <tuvie!omnigate.clarkson.edu!bkc> RE:> RE:> You can obtain a BootP server via anonymous ftp from RE:> lancaster.andrew.cmu.edu from pub/bootp.2.0.tar RE:> RE:> RE:> Here at Clarkson, we have developed an EPROM for Micom Interlan NI5210's RE:> that allow them to boot from any unix system running BootP and tftp. RE:> This software could easily support other types of ethernet cards, its RE:> quite modular. On the 5210 version, it also checks the ethernet card RE:> and reports on shorts or opens in the ethernet line and how far away RE:> they are. RE:> RE:> Unfortuneately the client software is not freely distributable. Clarkson RE:> intends to sell Eproms, or license the software for a small fee. RE:> RE:> We based the client code on stanford's client bootp for sun machines, RE:> which you can get from safe.stanford.edu in the file pub/bootp.client.shar RE:> RE:> Hope this helps. RE:> RE:> RE:> | Brad Clements bkc@omnigate.clarkson.edu bkc@clgw.bitnet RE:> | Network Engineer Clarkson University (315)268-2292 ------------------------------------------------------------ RE:> From: <tuvie!cs.williams.edu!rbw> RE:> RE:> The card has to take over the boot sequence, interposing itself twixt RE:> the floppy check and the hard disk boot. IBM did this with the PCNetwork RE:> cards, and the TRN II cards, but I haven't heard of anyone doing it for RE:> ethernet. RE:> RE:> -Rich ------------------------------------------------------------ RE:> From: <tuvie!belltec!lance> RE:> RE:> Hello! RE:> RE:> A Seagate 20MB hard disk lists for around $200 US. Every PC/AT comes with a RE:> hard disk controller. Ethernet/NFS does not have the guaranteed, consistent RE:> performance of even a slow disk like the Seagate. RE:> RE:> Conclusion: Diskless workstations are obsolete, except for secure environments. RE:> RE:> Diskless workstations were a great idea 5 years ago, and if you're paying RE:> list prices for SUN Micro hardware, they're still cost-effective. But, RE:> the big SUN users are now shopping for cheap third-party SCSI hard disks RE:> for their large diskless workstation clusters, to free up the Ethernet for RE:> real work. RE:> RE:> There is a distribution of the BOOTP protocol. This has a UNIX server program RE:> for downloading images, and several clients in C for VMEbus cards. It should RE:> be a simple programming exersize to port this into a PC-AT Ethernet card RE:> boot ROM. RE:> RE:> Streamlined Networks is a UNIX Network software developer. We have TCP/IP RE:> and NFS products for UNIX and XENIX on 386 machines. If you would like to RE:> discuss this further, please send me mail or fax. RE:> RE:> Thank You, RE:> RE:> Lance Norskog RE:> VP Engineering RE:> Streamlined Networks RE:> P.O. Box 14763 RE:> Fremont, CA 94539 RE:> RE:> uunet!belltec!lance RE:> phone: USA 415-659-1450 RE:> fax: USA 415-659-9765 ------------------------------------------------------------ RE:> From: <tuvie!ihlpf!trdill> RE:> RE:> I think you should be able to do this. My experience has been RE:> with Cimlinc Unix workstations and more recently Sun RE:> workstations, but I think the general principles should work RE:> for your situation. RE:> RE:> All the steps require that you have one of the systems up and RE:> running and that you can connect to it via the network. RE:> RE:> 1. Get the Internet number from the source (working system). RE:> Unix command netname,hostid, whatever based on Unix RE:> version idiosyncracy. RE:> 2. At some point (called prom monitor on the systems I RE:> serviced) you should be able to modify the boot source RE:> address. This is some register that holds the source address RE:> for the boot device (floppy,hard disk,magtape,network). You RE:> will need to know what to change this to so that the source is RE:> the network. RE:> RE:> 3. The systems I serviced then prompted for the RE:> Internet/ethernet number of the source machine. with this RE:> entered the down machine pulled boot off the source machine. RE:> If you wanted to go from there you could boot in any number of RE:> diagnostics or disk maintenance type things. This was RE:> accomplished by entering the internet/ethernet number followed RE:> by a colon and the path to the fiel that you needed. RE:> RE:> RE:> Again my experience has been primarily with Cimlinc and Sun RE:> workstations but I see no reason why something like this could RE:> not be done with your PC's. ------------------------------------------------------------ ############################################################ Comments : o) I have no access to anonymous FTP from here (sigh) o) Harddisks may be cheap, but in an industrial environment they would not survive for a long time. o) Many thanx to everyone who sent me his ideas/solutions Please send me more e-mail concerning this topic. -- +---/~~~~\---------------+--------------------------------------------+ | / \ <-- this is | and this uunet!mcvax!tuvie!atbull!ee | | \____/ a tree. | is me --> In-Real-Life Erwin Eder | +-----||-----------------+--------------------------------------------+