Bootstrap Protocol

 

Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) provides a dynamic method for associating workstations with servers. It also provides a dynamic method for assigning workstation Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and initial program load (IPL) sources.

BOOTP is a TCP/IP protocol. It allows a client to find its IP address and the name of a load file from a server on the network. A client uses BOOTP to find this information without intervention from the user of the client.

The BOOTP server listens on the well-known BOOTP server port 67, which Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) also uses. Because of this, BOOTP and DHCP cannot operate at the same time on the same system. (DHCP is the preferred method for supporting BOOTP clients.) When the server receives a client request, it looks up the IP address for the client and returns a reply to that client. This reply contains both the IP address of the client and the name of the load file. The client then initiates a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) request to the server for the load file.

You can work with BOOTP server properties through iSeries™ Navigator.

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• Configuring the BOOTP server
  To configure the BOOTP server, you can use the Configure TCP/IP BOOTP (CFGTCPBP) command or the Configure TCP/IP Applications (CFGTCPAPP) command.

• Changing BOOTP attributes
  From the Change BOOTP Attributes (CHGBPA) display, you can specify the AUTOSTART attribute. This attribute determines whether the BOOTP server starts automatically when TCP/IP is started using the STRTCP command, or when the STRTCPSVR SERVER(*AUTOSTART) command is issued.

• Working with the BOOTP table
  From the Work with BOOTP Table display, you can add, change, remove, or display an entry in the BOOTP table.