Internet small computer systems interface (iSCSI) software target boot and dump routing driver

摘要

A method, a system and a computer program product for mapping a client's request to perform boot and/or dump operations to a set of backing files which enable boot and dump operations in a data processing system. A Target Routing Driver (TRD) utility creates multiple Network Installation Management (NIM) objects and/or Network Dump Management (NDM) objects including (1) an Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) boot station and (2) an iSCSI dump collection point. The boot station exports a single iSCSI software (S/W) target from which a set of Diskless Servers obtain a boot image which enables a boot operation. The dump collection point exports a single iSCSI S/W target which is used by Diskless Servers as a dump location. The TRD utility uses the single target (exported from a particular NDM object type) to utilize the minimal resource allocation which allows listening on a single connection. The TRD utility enables block range mapping of the request to the backing files on a remote/separate storage device for the associated Diskless Server.