Juniper Networks J-Series manual Autoinstallation Overview, Host-specific configuration

J-series™ Services Router Administration Guide

Table 40: Autoinstallation Terms (continued)

Term	Definition
host-specific configuration	Configuration that takes place on a Services Router for which you have created a
	host-specific configuration file for autoinstallation called hostname.conf. The
	hostname.conf file contains all the information necessary to configure the router. For
	the router to use hostname.conf, it must be able to determine its own hostname from
	the network.
network.conf	Default configuration file for autoinstallation, in which you specify IP addresses and
	associated hostnames for Services Routers on the network.
router.conf	Default configuration file for autoinstallation with a minimum configuration sufficient
	for you to telnet to the Services Router and configure it manually.

Autoinstallation Overview

Autoinstallation provides automatic configuration for a new Services Router that you connect to the network and turn on, or for a Services Router configured for autoinstallation. The autoinstallation process begins anytime a Services Router is powered on and cannot locate a valid configuration file in the compact flash. Typically, a configuration file is unavailable when a Services Router is powered on for the first time, or if the configuration file is deleted from the compact flash. The autoinstallation feature enables you to deploy multiple Services Routers from a central location in the network.

For the autoinstallation process to work, you must store one or more host-specific or default configuration files on a configuration server in the network and have a service available—typically Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)—to assign an IP address to the Services Router.

Autoinstallation takes place automatically when you connect an Ethernet or serial port on a new router to the network and power on the router. To simplify the process, you can explicitly enable autoinstallation on a router and specify a configuration server, an autoinstallation interface, and a protocol for IP address acquisition.

This overview contains the following topics:

■Supported Autoinstallation Interfaces and Protocols on page 82

■Typical Autoinstallation Process on a New Services Router on page 83

Supported Autoinstallation Interfaces and Protocols

Before autoinstallation on a Services Router can take place, the router must acquire an IP address. The protocol or protocols you choose for IP address acquisition determine the router interface to connect to the network for autoinstallation. The router detects the connected interface and requests an IP address with a protocol appropriate for the interface. Autoinstallation is supported over an Ethernet LAN interface or a serial LAN or WAN interface. Table 41 on page 83 lists the protocols that the router can use on these interfaces for IP address acquisition.

82■ Autoinstallation Overview