Method and system for iSCSI boot in which an iSCSI client loads boot code from a host bus adapter and/or network interface card
View Patent ↗Certain aspects of a method for iSCSI boot may include loading boot BIOS code from a host bus adapter or a network interface controller (NIC) by an iSCSI client device. A connection may be established to an iSCSI target by the iSCSI client device after loading the boot BIOS code. The boot BIOS code may be chained to at least one interrupt handler over iSCSI protocol. An operating system may be remotely booted from the iSCSI target by the iSCSI client device based on chaining the interrupt handler. An Internet protocol (IP) address and/or location of the iSCSI target may be received. At least one iSCSI connection may be initiated to the iSCSI target based on chaining at least one interrupt handler. The iSCSI target may be booted in real mode if at least one master boot record is located in the memory.
1. A method for performing an iSCSI boot operation, the method comprising:
loading by an iSCSI client device, boot BIOS code from one or both of: a host bus adapter and/or a network interface controller (NIC);
establishing a connection to an iSCSI target by said iSCSI client device after said loading of said boot BIOS code;
chaining said boot BIOS code to at least one interrupt handler over iSCSI protocol; and
remotely booting an operating system from said iSCSI target by said iSCSI client device based on said chaining.
2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising receiving one or both of: an IP address of said iSCSI target and/or a location of said iSCSI target by one or both of: a static configuration of said iSCSI target and/or a dynamic determination of said iSCSI target.
3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising dynamically determining said iSCSI target from at least one dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server.
4. The method according to claim 1 , comprising redirecting disk access requests during a real mode to at least one remote disk over said iSCSI protocol via said chaining.
5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising
determining if at least one master boot record is located in a hard disk drive; and
booting in real mode from said iSCSI target after loading said master boot record into memory.
6. The method according to claim 5 , comprising locating at least one volume boot record for an active bootable partition, if said at least one master boot record is located.
7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
loading at least one file to collect one or both of: hardware information and/or registry information; and
switching at least one processor to boot in a protected mode after said at least one file is loaded.
8. The method according to claim 1 , comprising dynamically determining said iSCSI target from a secondary dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server.
9. The method according to claim 1 , comprising receiving one or both of: an Internet protocol (IP) address of said iSCSI target and/or a location of said iSCSI target.
10. The method according to claim 1 , comprising initiating at least one iSCSI connection to said iSCSI target based on said chaining.
11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for performing an iSCSI boot operation, the at least one code section being executable by a computer for causing the computer to perform steps comprising:
loading by an iSCSI client device, boot BIOS code from one or both of: a host bus adapter and/or a network interface controller (NIC);
establishing a connection to an iSCSI target by said iSCSI client device after said loading of said boot BIOS code;
chaining said boot BIOS code to at least one interrupt handler over iSCSI protocol; and
remotely booting an operating system from said iSCSI target by said iSCSI client device based on said chaining.
12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for receiving one or both of: an IP address of said iSCSI target and/or a location of said iSCSI target by one or both of: a static configuration of said iSCSI target and/or a dynamic determination of said iSCSI target.
13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for dynamically determining said iSCSI target from at least one dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server.
14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for redirecting disk access requests during a real mode to at least one remote disk over said iSCSI protocol via said chaining.
15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for:
determining if at least one master boot record is located in a hard disk drive; and
booting in real mode from said iSCSI target after loading said master boot record into memory.
16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for locating at least one volume boot record for an active bootable partition, if said at least one master boot record is located.
17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for:
loading at least one file to collect one or both of: hardware information and/or registry information; and
switching at least one processor to boot in a protected mode after said at least one file is loaded.
18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for dynamically determining said iSCSI target from a secondary dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server.
19. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for receiving one or both of: an Internet protocol (IP) address of said iSCSI target and/or a location of said iSCSI target.
20. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein said at least one code section comprises code for initiating one iSCSI connection to said iSCSI target based on said chaining.
21. A system for performing an iSCSI boot operation, the system comprising:
one or more processors in an iSCSI client device that are operable to loads boot BIOS code from one or both of: a host bus adapter and/or a network interface controller (NIC);
said one or more processors are operable to establishes a connection to an iSCSI target after said loading of said boot BIOS code;
said one or more processors are operable to chains said boot BIOS code to at least one interrupt handler over iSCSI protocol; and
said one or more processors are operable to remotely boots an operating system from said iSCSI target based on said chaining.
22. The system according to claim 21 , wherein said one or more processors are operable to receives one or both of: an IP address of said iSCSI target and/or a location of said iSCSI target by one or both of: static configuration of said iSCSI target and/or dynamic determination of said iSCSI target.
23. The system according to claim 21 , wherein said one or more processors are operable to dynamically determines said iSCSI target from at least one dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server.
24. The system according to claim 21 , wherein said one or more processors are operable to redirect disk access requests during a real mode to at least one remote disk over said iSCSI protocol via said chaining.
25. The system according to claim 21 , wherein:
said one or more processors are operable to determine if at least one master boot record is located in a hard disk drive; and
said one or more processors are operable to boot in real mode from said iSCSI target after loading said master boot record into memory.
26. The system according to claim 21 , wherein said one or more processors are operable to locates at least one volume boot record for an active bootable partition if said at least one master boot record is located.
27. The system according to claim 21 , wherein:
said one or more processors are operable to load at least one file to collect one or both of: hardware information and/or registry information; and
said one or more processors are operable to switch to boot in a protected mode after said at least one file is loaded.
28. The system according to claim 21 , wherein said one or more processors are operable to dynamically determine said iSCSI target from a secondary dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server.
29. The system according to claim 21 , wherein said one or more processors are operable to receives one or both of: an Internet protocol (IP) address of said iSCSI target and/or a location of said iSCSI target.
30. The system according to claim 21 , wherein said one or more processors are operable to initiates at least one iSCSI connection to said iSCSI target based on said chaining.