Glossary

This Glossary defines terms, abbreviations, and acronyms that apply directly to the Boot Agent.

TERMS         DEFINITIONS

ACPI

Advanced Configuration and Power Interface

BBS BIOS Boot Specification
BC BaseCode. The PXE BaseCode, included as a core protocol in EFI, is comprised of a simple network stack (UDP/IP) and a few common network protocols (DHCP, Bootserver Discovery, TFTP) that are useful for remote booting machines.
BINL Binary Image Negotiation Layer
BIOS Basic Input/Output System. The program a personal computer's microprocessor uses to get the computer system started after you turn it on. It also manages data flow between the computer's OS and attached devices.
BOOTP Bootstrap Protocol. A legacy remote booting protocol developed originally for use with UNIX. Used as Linux*'s server side PXE host software. Runs a Daemon once installed.
DDIM Device Driver Initialization Model

DHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. An industry standard Internet protocol defined by the IETF. DHCP was defined to dynamically provide communications-related configuration values such as network addresses to network client computers at boot time. DHCP is specified by IETF RFCs 1534, 2131, and 2132.
EEPROM Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
Flash A high-density, truly non-volatile, high-performance, read-write memory solution, also characterized by low power consumption, extreme ruggedness, and high reliability.
IA32 Shorthand for computer platforms based on 32-bit architecture CPUs.
IA64 Shorthand for computer platforms based on 64-bit architecture CPUs.

IAL

Architecture Lab

IBA Boot Agent
LCM LANDesk Configuration Manager

LOM

LAN On Motherboard. This is a network device that is built onto the motherboard (or baseboard) of the machine.

NIC Network Interface Card. Also referred to as adapter. Technically, this is a network device that is inserted into a bus on the motherboard or into an expansion board. For the purposes of this document, the term NIC will be used in a generic sense, meaning any device that enables a network connection (including LOMs and network devices on external busses, such as USB 1394, etc).

OS

Operating System

PMM POST Memory Manager. A mechanism used by option ROMs to allocate RAM memory for use during system startup.

PnP

Plug and Play

POST

Power On Self-Test

proxyDHCP Used to ease the transition of PXE clients and servers into an existing network infrastructure. proxyDHCP provides additional DHCP information that is needed by PXE clients and boot servers without making changes to existing DHCP servers.
PXE

Preboot Execution Environment. PXE provides a way for a system to initiate a network connection to various servers prior to loading an OS. This network connection supports a number of standard IP protocols such as DHCP and TFTP, and can be used for purposes such as software installation and system inventory maintenance.

RIS Remote Installation Services. A Microsoft* service that uses PXE to deliver the Network Bootstrap Program to start the boot process. Ships with Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

ROM

Read-Only Memory. When used in this guide, ROM refers to a non-volatile memory storage device on a NIC.

RPL 

Remote Program Load. Another bootable network device protocol, developed and used mostly by IBM.

TCO Total Cost of Ownership. Studies indicate that the most expensive part of a PC for businesses is not the cost of the PC itself, but its on-going maintenance and management. This after-purchase cost is tracked as Total Cost of Ownership. Remote management tools like PXE help lower the overall cost of the ownership.
TFTP Trivial File Transfer Protocol. An industry standard Internet protocol defined by the IETF to enable the transmission of files across the Internet. Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP, Revision 2) to support NBP download is specified by IETF RFC 1350.
UNDI Universal Network Driver Interface. UNDI is an architectural interface to NICs. Traditionally NICs have had custom interfaces and custom drivers (each NIC had a driver for each OS on each platform architecture). UNDI provides a hardware-dependent mechanism for the PXE base code to use a NIC for network access without controlling the NIC hardware directly. H/W UNDI is an architectural hardware interface to a NIC; S/W UNDI is a software implementation of the H/W UNDI.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a file (resource) accessible on the Internet.
USB Universal Serial Bus. A Plug and Play (PnP) interface between a computer and add-on devices.
WfM  Wired for Management

WOL

Wake on LAN*



Last modified on 10/31/05 4:39p Revision 5