Nortel Networks TP-1610 SIP When to Use the BootP/TFTP, An Overview of BootP, Key Features

Mediant 2000 SIP User’s Manual B. The BootP/TFTP Configuration Utility

Appendix B The BootP/TFTP Configuration Utility

The BootP/TFTP utility enables you to easily configure and provision our boards and media gateways. Similar to third-party BootP/TFTP utilities (which are also supported) but with added functionality; our BootP/TFTP utility can be installed on Windows™ 98 or Windows™ NT/2000/XP. The BootP/TFTP utility enables remote reset of the device to trigger the initialization procedure (BootP and TFTP). It contains BootP and TFTP utilities with specific adaptations to our requirements.

B.1 When to Use the BootP/TFTP

The BootP/TFTP utility can be used with the device as an alternative means of initializing the gateways. Initialization provides a gateway with an IP address, subnet mask, and the default gateway IP address. The tool also loads default software, ini and other configuration files. BootP Tool can also be used to restore a gateway to its initial configuration, such as in the following instances:

•The IP address of the gateway is not known.

•The Web browser has been inadvertently turned off.

•The Web browser password has been forgotten.

•The gateway has encountered a fault that cannot be recovered using the Web browser.

Tip: The BootP is normally used to configure the device’s initial parameters. Once this information has been provided, the BootP is no longer needed. All parameters are stored in non-volatile memory and used when the BootP is not accessible.

B.2 An Overview of BootP

BootP is a protocol defined in RFC 951 and RFC 1542 that enables an internet device to discover its own IP address and the IP address of a BootP on the network, and to obtain the files from that utility that need to be loaded into the device to function.

A device that uses BootP when it powers up broadcasts a BootRequest message on the network. A BootP on the network receives this message and generates a BootReply. The BootReply indicates the IP address that should be used by the device and specifies an IP address from which the unit may load configuration files using Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) described in RFC 906 and RFC 1350.

B.3 Key Features

•Internal BootP supporting hundreds of entities.

•Internal TFTP.

•Contains all required data for our products in predefined format.

•Provides a TFTP address, enabling network separation of TFTP and BootP utilities.

•Tools to backup and restore the local database.

•Templates.

•User-defined names for each entity.

•Option for changing MAC address.

Version 4.4 189 July 2005