Appendix B: Setting up an in-house repository to support network updates

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Introduction

HP notebooks, desktops, or workstations can receive BIOS updates over the network from a repository on a pre-defined HP HTTP /FTP site. Alternatively, the BIOS Update from a Network option also supports updates from an in-house server.

This appendix describes how to configure a repository on an in-house HTTP/ FTP server12 in order to store approved BIOS files for HP platforms.

Terminology

HTTP server – Uses HTTP protocol to interact with clients such as web browsers; common implementations include Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) and Apache

FTP Server – Uses FTP protocol to interact with FTP client such as web browsers, as well as applications such as WS-FTP and FileZilla; common implementations include Microsoft IIS and Apache

Sysid – System ID, four hexadecimal characters that uniquely identify a particular HP platform; reported through the

SMBIOS.

BIOS Update from a Network – HP feature designed to provide BIOS updates over the network

12Setting up the server is beyond the scope of this appendix

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