Product specifications

Efficient Networks
®
Router family
Technical Reference Guide
Chapter 4: System Management
Efficient Networks
®
Page 4-35
It does the following major tasks:
• Reads flash memory and does a CRC check and magic number before
proceeding
• Performs a power on self test (POST)
• Initializes interface controllers, RAM, and LEDs
• Detects interface types (WAN, console, Ethernet)
• Detects optional VPN hardware (Rapid Secure DES)
• Reports to the console: CRC check, flash memory and RAM sizes, DSL
type, and POST results
• Checks whether the reset switch is depressed and skips ASIC load if
requested
• Loads the file ASIC.AIC if present
• Reports to the console: the MAC address, WAN modem ID, date/time and
the reason for the reboot
• Initializes all RAM to a known content (all zeroes).
• Loads the file KERNEL.F2K from flash memory
– If the load succeeds, transfers control to the OS (kernel)
– If load fails, issues a Bootp request
- If no response, displays the boot menu (see “Manual Boot Mode” on
page 4-36).
The boot code communicates to the application it launches (usually, the kernel)
information about the hardware capabilities of the router model, including the amount
of RAM, the flash memory available for the file system, ports (Ethernet, xDSL, etc.),
the CPU type, and clock speed. It continues to provide basic I/O services to the
launched application, including the erasure and programming of flash memory.