In computing, BOOTP, short for Bootstrap Protocol, is a UDP network protocol used by a network client to obtain its IP address automatically. It is usually done in booting process of computers or operating systems running on them. The BOOTP servers assign the IP-address from a pool of addresses to each client. It was originally defined in RFC 951. Originally, the word computing was synonymous with counting and calculating, and a science that deals with the original sense of computing mathematical calculations. ... The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is one of the core protocols of the Internet protocol suite. ... An IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a unique number that devices use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard. ...

This protocol enables 'diskless workstation' computers to obtain an IP address prior to loading any advanced operating system. Historically, it has been used for UNIX-like diskless workstations (which also obtained the location of their boot image using this protocol) and also by Corporations to 'roll out' a pre-configured Windows installation to newly purchased PCs (typically in a Windows NT network environment). A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification. ... A boot image is the sequence of bits on the boot device that interface with computer hardware - usually includes operating system, utilities and diagnostics, boot and data recovery information. ...

Originally requiring the use of a boot floppy disk to establish the initial network connection, the protocol became embedded in the BIOS of some Network cards themselves (such as 3c905c) and in many modern Motherboards thus allowing direct Network Booting. A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a ring of thin, flexible (i. ...

Recently those with an interest in diskless stand-alone media center PCs have shown new interest in this method of booting a Windows Operating System (see eg. Personal Computer World, Feb 2005, pg 156 'Putting the Boot in').

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a more advanced protocol based on BOOTP, but is far more complex to implement. Most DHCP servers also offer BOOTP support. The introduction of duration based leases is the fundamental addition found in DHCP, hence the use of Dynamic in the name of the protocol. In the context of computer networking, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a client-server networking protocol. ...

External links

• BOOTP Sequence Diagram