Preboot Execution Environment

1) The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), which allows the client to receive an IP address to gain access to the network servers.

2) A set of application program interfaces (API) that are used by the client's Basic Input/Output Operating System (BIOS) or a downloaded Network Bootstrap Program (NBP) that automates the booting of the operating system and other configuration steps.

3) A standard method of initializing the PXE code in the PXE ROM chip or boot disk.

The PXE process consists of the client notifying the server that it uses PXE. If the server uses PXE, it sends the client a list of boot servers that contain the operating systems available. The client finds the boot server it needs and receives the name of the file to download. The client then downloads the file using Trivial File Transfer Protocol (Trivia File Transfer Protocol) and executes it, which loads the operating system. If a client is equipped with PXE and the server is not, the server ignores the PXE code preventing disruption in the DHCP and Bootstrap Protocol (BP) operations.

The advantages of using PXE include:

• The client machine does not necessarily need an operating system or even a hard disk.
• The client machine can be rebooted in the event of hardware or software failure. This allows the administrator to diagnose and perhaps fix the problem.
• Since PXE is vendor-independent, new types of computers can easily be added to the network.

Read more about Preboot Execution Environment: - More information about PXE can be found at searchNetworking.com. - Insyde offers the Mobile PXE Integration Kit and a brief description of PXE. - AMD's Preboot Execution Boot ROM Code product brief describes PXE.

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know. Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

RELATED CONTENT College IT department transforms itself with network management tools The IT organization at Diné College used to be just a bunch of "geeks in the basement." Accessing printers on a LAN while connected to a WLAN. Learn how to connect printers on a LAN to users on a WLAN and IP address assignment problems between networks from wireless expert Lisa Phifer. What makes a WAN different from a LAN and MAN? Learn the basics of networking in this expert explanation of the differences between WANs, LANs and MANs -- how they connect and which protocols they...

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary 32-bit IP addressing  (SearchNetworking.com) 32-bit IP addressing is the IP address scheme used in Internet Protocol 4 (IPv6 uses a 128-bit system)... (Continued) ARCNET  (SearchNetworking.com) ARCNET is a widely-installed local area network (LAN) technology that uses a token-bus scheme for managing line sharing among the workstations and...