Specifications

How to Use
the BOOTP Service
NOTE: The instructions contained in this Help Topic are for Windows users only. Solaris users
should see their operating system documentation for instructions on using BOOTP and
creating a bootptab file.
The NetSight BOOTP service (available for Windows only) enables the Inventory Manager workstation to
also be a BOOTP server. This allows the workstation to supply devices with firmware images (or other basic
identity information) in the event the device's current firmware image becomes corrupt. You may also choose
to force a device into a BOOTP state in order to have a new firmware image downloaded from the network.
In order for BOOTP to work, you must have a BOOTP and TFTP service set up on the network, and you need
a bootptab file, which provides the basic device information (device name, IP address, and appropriate
firmware image) to the BOOTP service when required.
BOOTP requests are broadcast messages. Routers must be configured to forward BOOTP requests to the
BOOTP service, a process sometimes called IP Helper Addressing. Refer to your X−Pedition Router's User
Reference Manual for information on configuring IP Helper.
TIP: The BOOTP service monitors BOOTP requests on the network. NetSight Console can be configured
to display those requests, which will aid in recovering devices in a BOOTP state.
Creating a Bootptab File
A bootptab file is a simple ASCII text file that contains basic device information (device name, IP address,
and appropriate firmware image) for each device on the network that will use the BOOTP service. You can
use Inventory Manager to create a bootptab file automatically, or create it yourself manually.
Creating a bootptab file automatically
In the menu bar, select Tools > Create BOOTP Tab.1.
The Save BOOTP Tab window opens allowing you to save the file in the desired directory.
NOTE: If you are using the NetSight BOOTP service, you must save the bootptab file to the
\NetSight Atlas Shared\bin directory.
2.
The bootptab file is automatically created in the selected directory. The file has an entry for every
device (organized by subnet), using the following format:
device1:ht=1:ha=00001da0b0c0:ip=192.168.1.2:bf=image1.hex
device2:ht=1:ha=00001da1b1c1:ip=192.168.1.3:hd=image/path:bf=image2.fls
Description of bootptab file parameters:
Device host name −− If desired, you can replace the devicex parameter with a unique host
name or, if your devices are registered in a DNS, with the registered host name from the DNS
map.
•
ht= −− Specifies the host network type. The value is an unsigned decimal, octal, or•
3.
How to Use the BOOTP Service 137