3Com e-PC c10/s10, User Manual, Page: 15 / 122

C C h h a a p p t t e e r r 1 1 3 3
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To implement the Managed PC Boot Agent you need:
A NIC with preboot agent firmware (MBA). The agent, which acts as an additional layer
of BIOS, can also be installed on an existing NIC as a chip in the Boot ROM socket or
through a system BIOS flash upgrade.
A central boot configuration server
IGURE OW ORKS
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MBA includes the following features:
Supports local and network operating systems including DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows
9x, Windows NT, UNIX, Novell NetWare, and others
Fully configurable boot options to enable client PCs to use MBA in various
environments, with or without local hard drives
Available as a network interface card (NIC) ROM; also available as a BIOS update for
motherboards which contain network interface hardware. Can be in BIOS even if the
PC has a separate NIC
Supports flash ROM configuration and update changes locally or over the network,
depending on the NIC ROM or BIOS version
Supports multiple boot protocols and network environments such as traditional TCP/IP,
NetWare, and RPL; also includes support for all of today's most used protocols
including DHCP, BOOTP, NCP/IPX (802.2, 802.3, Ethernet II), and the Wired for
Management specification Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE)
For additional features specific to TCP/IP, PXE, NetWare (NCP/IPX), or RPL environments,
see the appropriate chapter in this guide. For new feature releases see the 3Com web site at
http://www.3com.com/managedpc .