Method and system for automatically configuring the boot process of a computer having multiple bootstrap programs within a network computer system

摘要

A method and system for automatically configuring a boot process of a network computer initially connected within a network comprising at least one server. A request is broadcast from a network computer to a network for an available server, upon a first initiation of the network computer within the network. Responses from the broadcast are gathered which indicate whether a server is available. A selected boot program is then executed from among multiple boot programs available in the network computer. The selected boot program and the identity of an available server are stored as boot process configuration settings in a nonvolatile storage of the network computer, in response to successful execution of the boot program, such that a subsequent boot process of a network computer is automatically configured.