# NetBoot

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/NetBoot
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/NetBoot.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBoot
> Source revision: 1295438238
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Network-based OS loading method for Apple computers}}
{{confused|Netboot}}
{{Infobox software
|name = NetBoot
|logo = 64px|NetBoot Icon
|screenshot =
|caption =
|developer = [Apple](/source/Apple_Inc.)
|operating_system = [macOS](/source/macOS)<br />[Mac OS 9](/source/Mac_OS_9)<br />[Mac OS 8](/source/Mac_OS_8)
|latest release version =
|latest release date =
|released = {{start date|1999|01|05}}
|genre =
|license = [proprietary](/source/Proprietary_software)
|website = [http://apple.com/ apple.com]
}}
'''NetBoot''' was a technology from [Apple](/source/Apple_Inc.) which enabled [Macs](/source/Macintosh) with capable [firmware](/source/firmware) (i.e. [New World ROM](/source/New_World_ROM)) to [boot](/source/Booting) from a network, rather than a local [hard disk](/source/Hard_disk_drive) or [optical disc drive](/source/optical_disc_drive). NetBoot is a derived work from the [Bootstrap Protocol](/source/Bootstrap_Protocol) (BOOTP), and is similar in concept to the [Preboot Execution Environment](/source/Preboot_Execution_Environment). The technology was announced as a part of the [original version](/source/Mac_OS_X_Server_1.0) of [Mac OS X Server](/source/macOS_Server) at [Macworld Expo](/source/Macworld_Conference_%26_Expo) on 5 January 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.apple.com/ca/press/1999/01/MacOS_X_Server.html |title=Apple Announces Mac OS X Server |accessdate=2010-08-12 |date=1999-01-05 |publisher=Apple, Inc |quote=NetBoot, a new feature which allows a network of Macs to be booted and configured from a single server |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20041025032309/http://www.apple.com/ca/press/1999/01/MacOS_X_Server.html |archive-date=25 October 2004 }}</ref> NetBoot has continued to be a core [systems management](/source/systems_management) technology for Apple,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/2540855/network-software/hands-on--configuring-apple-s-netboot-service--part-1.html |title=Hands on: Configuring Apple's NetBoot service |accessdate=2010-08-12 |author=Ryan Faas |date=2007-09-11 |publisher=Computerworld |quote=Apple's NetBoot technology has been a staple part of Mac OS X Server since the latter's original release.}}</ref> and has been adapted to support modern [Mac Intel](/source/Mac_transition_to_Intel_processors) machines. NetBoot, USB, and FireWire are some of the external volume options for operating system re-install. NetBoot is not supported on newer Macs with the [T2 security chip](/source/Apple_T2)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Boot modes overview of Mac computers|url=https://support.apple.com/en-nz/guide/security/sec7703b1423/1/web/1|access-date=2020-12-29|website=Apple Support|language=en}}</ref> or [Apple silicon](/source/Apple_silicon).

== Process ==
A [disk image](/source/disk_image) with a copy of [macOS](/source/macOS), [macOS Server](/source/macOS_Server), [Mac OS 9](/source/Mac_OS_9), or [Mac OS 8](/source/Mac_OS_8) is created using [System Image Utility](/source/System_Image_Utility) and is stored on a server, typically macOS Server. Clients receive this image across a network using many popular protocols including: [HTTPS](/source/HTTP_Secure), [AFP](/source/Apple_Filing_Protocol), [TFTP](/source/Trivial_File_Transfer_Protocol), [NFS](/source/Network_File_System_(protocol)), and [multicast](/source/multicast) [Apple Software Restore](/source/Apple_Software_Restore) (ASR). Server-side NetBoot image can boot entire machines, although NetBoot is more commonly used for operating system and [software deployment](/source/software_deployment), somewhat similar to [Norton Ghost](/source/Ghost_(disk_utility)).

Client machines first request network configuration information through [DHCP](/source/Dynamic_Host_Configuration_Protocol), then a list of boot images and servers with [BSDP](/source/Boot_Service_Discovery_Protocol) and then proceed to download images with protocols mentioned above.

Both Intel and [PowerPC](/source/Power_Macintosh)-based servers can serve images for Intel and PowerPC-based clients.

== NetInstall ==
NetInstall is a similar feature of macOS Server which utilizes NetBoot and ASR to deliver installation images to network clients (typically on first boot). Like NetBoot, NetInstall images can be created using the [System Image Utility](/source/System_Image_Utility). NetInstall performs a function for macOS similar to [Windows Deployment Services](/source/Windows_Deployment_Services) for [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft) clients, which depend on the Preboot Execution Environment.

== Legacy ==
Mac OS 8.5 and Mac OS 9 use only BOOTP/DHCP to get IP information, followed by a TFTP transfer of the [Mac OS ROM](/source/New_World_ROM) [file](/source/ROM_Image). Next, two volumes are mounted via [AppleTalk](/source/AppleTalk) over [TCP](/source/Internet_Protocol_Suite) on which the client disk images reside. All in all, the Classic Mac OS uses three images; a System image which contains the operating system and may contain applications. Next a private image (or scratch disk) is mounted in an overlay over the read-only System image. Finally, an applications image is mounted. This image, however, may be empty.

== See also ==
* [Remote Install Mac OS X](/source/Remote_Install_Mac_OS_X)

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* [https://static.afp548.com/mactips/bootpd.html Analysis of the Use of the Boot Server Discovery Protocol in NetBoot]
* [https://opensource.apple.com/source/bootp/bootp-170/Documentation/BSDP.doc Apple detailed Boot Server Discovery Protocol Documentation]
* {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081230113317if_/http://images.apple.com/server/macosx/docs/L355778B_NetBoot_TB.pdf |title=NetBoot technical brief|date=2008-12-30}}
* {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091208184829/http://rogue.sdsu.edu/netboot/ |title=NetBoot Network Deployment Guide| date=2009-12-08}} 

{{Firmware and booting}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Netboot}}
Category:Network booting
Category:MacOS

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [NetBoot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBoot) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetBoot?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.