RFC 1048 (rfc1048) - Page 1 of 7
BOOTP vendor information extensions
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group P. Prindeville
Request for Comments: 1048 McGill University
February 1988
BOOTP Vendor Information Extensions
Status of this Memo
This memo proposes an addition to the Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP).
Comments and suggestions for improvements are sought. Distribution
of this memo is unlimited.
Introduction
As workstations and personal computers proliferate on the Internet,
the administrative complexity of maintaining a network is increased
by an order of magnitude. The assignment of local network resources
to each client represents one such difficulty. In most environments,
delegating such responsibility to the user is not plausible and,
indeed, the solution is to define the resources in uniform terms, and
to automate their assignment.
The basic Bootstrap Protocol [RFC-951] dealt with the issue of
assigning an internet address to a client, as well as a few other
resources. The protocol included provisions for vendor-defined
resource information.
This memo defines a (potentially) vendor-independent interpretation
of this resource information.
Overview of BOOTP
While the Reverse Address Resolution (RARP) Protocol [RFC-903] may be
used to assign an IP address to a local network hardware address, it
provides only part of the functionality needed. Though this protocol
can be used in conjunction with other supplemental protocols (the
Resource Location Protocol [RFC-887], the Domain Name System [RFC-
883]), a more integrated solution may be desirable.
Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) is a UDP/IP-based protocol that allows a
booting host to configure itself dynamically, and more significantly,
without user supervision. It provides a means to assign a host its
IP address, a file from which to download a boot program from some
server, that server's address, and (if present) the address of an
Internet gateway.
Prindeville
