System and method for operating a client network computer in a disconnected mode by establishing a connection to a fallover server implemented on the client network computer

A network computer system, comprising:

• a remote network server unit configured to maintain a file on a remote storage device and to provide said file for initializing and configuring a network environment on a client computer system when said client computer system boot up;
• said client computer system coupled to said remote network server unit including:
• a client storage device;
• a processor coupled to said client storage device, wherein said processor is configured to execute software instructions stored in said client storage device;
• a network interface configured for connecting said computer system to a remote network server unit;
• a fail-over server implemented on said client computer system, wherein said failover server is configured to provide for configuring said network environment on said client computer system when said client computer system boots up if said remote network server unit is not available;
• and
• a software manager stored in said client storage device, wherein said software manager is configured to establish a connection to said remote network server unit if said remote network server unit is available to configure said network environment on said client computer system upon boot up or to establish a connection to said fail-over server if said remote network server unit is not available and to configure said network environment upon boot up to appear to a user as though said client computer system is connected to said remote network server unit when said client computer system is connected to said fail-over server, wherein the connection to said failover server functions like the connection to said remote network server unit for configuring the client computer system upon boot up.

A method for operating a network computer system including a remote network server unit and a client computer system, said method comprising:

• during boot up of said client computer system, determining whether said remote network server unit is connected to said client computer system;
• if said remote network server unit is hot connected to said client computer system, then said client computer system establishing a connection to a fail-over server implemented on said client computer system and using a file stored on a client storage device to initialize and to configure a network environment during boot up for said client computer system;
• if said remote network server unit is connected to said client computer system, then using a copy of an operating system from said file stored on said client storage device to initialize said client computer system and using a network database file located on said remote network server unit to configure said network environment during boot up for said client computer system;
• wherein the connection to the failover server functions like a connection to the remote network server for configuring the client computer system during boot up.