Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!CISCO.COM!satz
From: satz@CISCO.COM (Greg Satz)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: BOOTP through gateways
Message-ID: <8908050418.AA01299@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 4 Aug 89 16:44:31 GMT
References: <966@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
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Vance,

You must be working with old information about our products. While we do
not implement BOOTP exactly as you would have liked, we do provide some
extra features which you do not describe and apparently are not aware.

As you have clearly pointed out, BOOTP clients can utilize the information
in the server field of the returned BOOTP REPLY. The implicit assumption in
your description is that the BOOTP client can only TFTP from the server
that answered the BOOTP. Both Croft's original version (which is three
years old now) and CMU's, which is a derivation, return the BOOTP server's
address in the server address field.  While this does work it isn't the
only option left to a client.


We consciously chose to decouple our TFTP process from the BOOTP process.
This gave us the ability to obtain TFTP information from other then the
supplier of BOOTP information. You reported that we can only TFTP from a
server on the directly connected network unless there is a cisco router
also on the connected network. This is true if you do not have non-volatile
memory.  If you do have non-volatile memory you have more flexibility and
control.  We have a boot system command which permits you to load
information via TFTP and specify the filename and host address. You can
form a list of boot system commands in case the first host (or directed
broadcast) fails. We have been successfully performing network boots using
this scheme for over three years.

Your complaint isn't with our implementation of BOOTP but rather our use of
the returned information. We do implement BOOTP proxy forwarding correctly
as you point out later in your message.

You are correct that adding an option to our TFTP configuration code to
permit the usage of the BOOTP server would be a useful feature. Thanks for
pointing that out.

Greg Satz
cisco

PS. Comments, questions and complaints about cisco products can be sent to
customer-service@cisco.com and are very welcome.