About the OpenVMS InfoServer Utility

InfoServer network booting is supported for OpenVMS installations and upgrades on any OpenVMS Alpha system and on any Integrity servers that support OpenVMS. For OpenVMS I64 systems, InfoServer network booting is supported on all LAN cards (also referred to as LAN devices or adapters) that are supported by EFI.

For both OpenVMS Alpha and I64 Version 8.3 installations and upgrades, you can boot from a virtual DVD/CD drive on the LAN using the OpenVMS InfoServer utility. You can use the OpenVMS InfoServer software application on all Version 8.2-1 or higher OpenVMS I64 systems as well as on any OpenVMS Alpha Version 8.3 systems that support a DVD drive. This support provides the additional advantage of allowing a network administrator to boot multiple OpenVMS systems on the network from a single copy of the OpenVMS distribution CD or DVD.

Using the InfoServer utility on Integrity servers for network booting requires several one-time-only configuration steps unique to OpenVMS I64. Likewise, using the InfoServer utility on OpenVMS Alpha servers requires an additional, one-time-only software configuration step. Any configuration procedures that might have been performed for network booting using an InfoServer hardware system (traditionally used by Alpha systems) are not valid for the OpenVMS I64 or OpenVMS Alpha InfoServer application.

Booting from the InfoServer utility for OpenVMS I64 on Integrity servers differs significantly from booting from the InfoServer hardware system traditionally used by OpenVMS Alpha systems or from the InfoServer utility on OpenVMS Alpha systems. For example, while Alpha systems use the Maintenance Operations Protocol (MOP) to request the primary bootstrap file (APB.EXE) to start the boot, the Integrity server console uses the Intel® Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) bootstrap protocol in conjunction with the TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS BOOTP server and TFTP. The Integrity server EFI console first loads the primary bootstrap file VMS_LOADER.EFI, which is formatted for EFI compatibility. VMS_LOADER.EFI then uses TFTP to request the primary bootstrap IPB.EXE from the boot server. IPB.EXE is formatted in OpenVMS ODS file structure and is needed for booting the OpenVMS I64 operating system.

To install or upgrade the operating system over the network, OpenVMS I64 systems must use the InfoServer utility that is integrated with the OpenVMS operating system. The InfoServer hardware traditionally used by OpenVMS Alpha systems is not equipped to handle DVD drives required for the OpenVMS I64 distribution media. OpenVMS Alpha systems can use the OpenVMS InfoServer utility or the traditional InfoServer hardware system that is independent of OpenVMS. OpenVMS Alpha systems can boot from the distribution CD on DVD drives (DVD drives support both DVDs and CDs). Table C-1 “InfoServer Booting: Differences Between Alpha and I64 Systems” summarizes the major differences between Alpha and I64 InfoServer booting.

Because of these differences, any procedures used for Alpha systems to set up booting from the InfoServer hardware are not valid for setting up booting from the OpenVMS InfoServer utility. In addition, actions for setting up booting from the OpenVMS I64 InfoServer utility differ from those required for setting up booting from an OpenVMS Alpha InfoServer utility. Table C-2 “Procedure for Enabling InfoServer Network Booting” lists the various actions that need to be performed to enable network booting using the OpenVMS InfoServer utility on OpenVMS I64 or OpenVMS Alpha systems. These actions need be performed only once except where noted.

	NOTE: The discussion of InfoServer booting in this manual pertains to environments where the boot clients and servers are located in the same LAN. For more complex circumstances, consult HP Customer Support.