Generic remote boot for networked workstations by creating local bootable code image

A method for booting a local data processing system from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising the steps of:

• initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system in response to powering up the local data processing system;
• establishing a network communications link between the local and remote systems;
• issuing a request from the local to the remote data processing system over the network communications link for a task image code module for providing a network interface between the local data processing system and the remote disk on the remote data processing system;
• downloading the task image code module from the remote to the local data processing system in response to the request for the task image code module;
• invoking the task image code module by the local data processing system to establish a network interface between the local data processing system and the remote disks;
• copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system by copying an image of the remote disk over the network to the local data processing system to create a local disk image stored in the local data processing system;
• and
• booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system by booting the local data processing system from the local disk image.

A method for booting a local data processing system from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising the steps of:

• initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system in response to powering up the local data processing system by executing an initialization module stored in ROM to initialize the network communication between the local and the remote data processing systems;
• copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• and
• booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system.

A method for booting a a Personal Computer having a directly addressed conventional memory and an indirectly addressed extended memory from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising the steps of:

• initializing the computer sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system in response to powering up the computer;
• copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the extended memory of the computer;
• and
• booting the computer from the local bootable code image stored in the extended memory.

A method for booting a local data processing system from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising the steps of:

• initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system in response to powering up the local data processing system;
• copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• disconnecting the local data processing system from the network after the step of copying the image of the bootable code from the remote disk to the local data processing system;
• booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• loading an operating system module from the bootable code image into the local data processing system;
• invoking the operating system module to control the local data processing system;
• loading network environment modules from the bootable code image into the local data processing system under control of the operating system module;
• and
• invoking a last-loaded one of the network environment modules to reestablish a network environment for the local data processing system.

A method for booting a local data processing system from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising the steps of:

• initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk on the remote data processing system;
• copying an image of the remote disk over the network to the local data processing system to create a local disk image stored in the local data processing system;
• disconnecting the local data processing system from the network;
• booting the local data processing system from the local disk image stored in the local data processing system including the steps of
• loading an operating system module from the disk image into the local data processing system;
• invoking the operating system module to control the local data processing system;
• loading network environment modules from the disk image into the local data processing system under control of the operating system module;
• and
• invoking a last-loaded one of the network environment modules to reestablish a client PC network environment.

A method for booting a client workstation from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising the steps of:

• initializing the client workstation sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk on the remote data processing system;
• establishing a network communications link between the client workstation and remote system;
• issuing a request from the client workstation to the remote data processing system over the network communications link for a task image code module for providing a network interface between the client workstation and the remote disk on the remote data processing system;
• downloading the task image code module from the remote system to the client workstation in response to the request for the task image code module;
• invoking the task image code module by the client workstation to establish a network interface between the client workstation and the remote disk;
• copying an image of the remote disk over the network to the client workstation to create a local disk image stored in the client workstation;
• disconnecting the client workstation from the network;
• booting the client workstation from the disk image stored in the client workstation, including
• loading an operating system module from the disk image into the client workstation;
• invoking the operating system module to control the client workstation;
• loading network environment modules from the disk image into the client workstation under control of the operating system module;
• and
• invoking a last-loaded one of the network environment modules to reestablish a client workstation network environment.

A data processing system having a local data processing system booted from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising

• initializing means for initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system;
• copying means for copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• and
• booting means for booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system.

A data processing system having a local data processing system booted from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising

• initializing means for initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system. the initializing means comprising:
• networking means for establishing a network communications link between the local and remote systems;
• request means for issuing a request from the local to the remote data processing system over the network communications link for a task image code module for providing a network interface between the local data processing system and the remote disk on the remote data processing system;
• downloading means for downloading the task image code module from the remote to the local data processing system in response to the request for the task image code module;
• invoking means for invoking the task image code module by the local data processing system to establish a network interface between the local data processing system and the remote disk;
• disk copying means for copying an image of the remote disk over the network to the local data processing system to create a local disk image stored in the local data processing system;
• and
• booting means for booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image from the local disk image.

A data processing system having a local data processing system booted from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising

• initializing means for initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system using local boot means for booting the local data processing system from a local disk to load initialization modules into the local data processing system for establishing the network communications link between the local and the remote data processing systems;
• copying means for copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• and
• booting means for booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system.

A data processing system having a local data processing system booted from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising

• initializing means for initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system using an initialization module stored in ROM to initialize the network communication between the local and the remote data processing systems;
• copying means for copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• and
• booting means for booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system.

A data processing system having a Personal Computer with a directly addressed conventional memory and an indirectly addressed extended memory that is booted from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising

• initializing means for initializing the computer sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system;
• copying means for copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the computer to create a local bootable code image stored in the extended memory of the computer;
• and
• booting means for booting the computer from the local bootable code image stored in the computer.

A data processing system having a local data processing system booted from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising

• initializing means for initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system;
• copying means for copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• and
• booting means for booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• disconnect means for disconnecting the local data processing system from the network after the image of the bootable code is copied from the remote storage system to the local data processing system;
• and the booting means comprises
• operating system loading means for loading an operating system module from the bootable code image into the local data processing system;
• operating system invoking means for invoking the operating system module to control the local data processing system;
• network loading means for loading network environment modules from the bootable code image into the local data processing system under control of the operating system module;
• and
• environment invoking means for invoking a last-loaded one of the network environment modules to reestablish a network environment for the local data processing system.

A workstation for connection to a network comprising

• initializing means for initializing the workstation sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on a remote data processing system;
• copying means for copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the workstation to create a local bootable code image stored in the workstation;
• and
• booting means for booting the workstation from the local bootable code image stored in the workstation.

A method for booting a local data processing system from a remote data processing system over a network, comprising the steps of:

• initializing the local data processing system sufficiently to establish network communications with a remote disk storing bootable code on the remote data processing system in response to powering up the local data processing system;
• copying an image of the bootable code over the network to the local data processing system to create a local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system;
• inactivating the network communications after the step of copying the image of the bootable code;
• and
• booting the local data processing system from the local bootable code image stored in the local data processing system while the network communications are inactive.