Method to enable infiniband network bootstrap

An InfiniBand (IB) host device configured to retrieve a boot image, comprising:

• means for coupling to a host channel adapter (HCA) of an IB network;
• means for receiving a set of boot arguments including a command keyword;
• means for determining whether the command keyword is a first keyword, wherein the first keyword triggers utilization of a first support package that enables communication with a first boot server via an Internet Protocol (IP) over IB (IPoIB) boot method to connect to the first boot server;
• when the command keyword is the first keyword, means for automatically forwarding first-type boot arguments to the first support package, which is configured to respond to receipt of the first-type boot arguments by dynamically initiating access to the first boot server to retrieve the boot image;
• means for determining whether the command keyword is a second keyword, wherein the second keyword triggers utilization of a second support package that enables communication with a second boot server via an IB network boot method;
• and
• when the command keyword is the second keyword, means for automatically forwarding second-type boot arguments to the second support package, which is configured to respond to receipt of the second-type boot arguments by dynamically initiating access to the second boot server to retrieve the boot image.

A computer program product for retrieving a boot image for an IB host device comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium;
• and
• program code on the computer readable storage medium that when executed provides the functions of:
• receiving a set of boot arguments including a command keyword;
• determining whether the command keyword is a first keyword, wherein the first keyword triggers utilization of a corresponding first support package that enables communication with a first boot server via an Internet Protocol (IP) over IB (IPoIB) boot method;
• when the command keyword is the first keyword, automatically forwarding first-type boot arguments to the first support package, which is configured to respond to receipt of the first-type boot arguments by dynamically initiating access to the first boot server to retrieve the boot image;
• determining whether the command keyword is a second keyword, wherein the second keyword triggers utilization of a corresponding second support package that enables communication with a second boot server via an IB network boot method;
• and
• when the command keyword is the second keyword, automatically forwarding second-type boot arguments to the second support package, which is configured to respond to receipt of the second-type boot arguments by dynamically initiating access to the second boot server to retrieve the boot image.