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bootpd(8)

NAME

     bootpd, bootpgw -- Internet Boot Protocol server/gateway

SYNOPSIS

     bootpd [-i | -s] [-c chdir-path] [-d level] [-h hostname] [-t timeout]
	    [bootptab [dumpfile]]
     bootpgw [-i | -s] [-d level] [-h hostname] [-t timeout] server

DESCRIPTION

     The bootpd utility implements an Internet Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP)
     server as defined in RFC951, RFC1532, and RFC1533.  The bootpgw utility
     implements a simple BOOTP gateway which can be used to forward requests
     and responses between clients on one subnet and a BOOTP server (i.e.
     bootpd) on another subnet.  While either bootpd or bootpgw will forward
     BOOTREPLY packets, only bootpgw will forward BOOTREQUEST packets.

     One host on each network segment is normally configured to run either
     bootpd or bootpgw from inetd(8) by including one of the following lines
     in the file /etc/inetd.conf:

	   bootps dgram udp wait root /usr/libexec/bootpd bootpd /etc/bootptab
	   bootps dgram udp wait root /usr/libexec/bootpgw bootpgw server

     This mode of operation is referred to as "inetd mode" and causes bootpd
     (or bootpgw) to be started only when a boot request arrives.  If it does
     not receive another packet within fifteen minutes of the last one it
     received, it will exit to conserve system resources.  The -t option con-
     trols this timeout (see OPTIONS).

     It is also possible to run bootpd (or bootpgw) in "standalone mode"
     (without inetd(8)) by simply invoking it from a shell like any other reg-
     ular command.  Standalone mode is particularly useful when bootpd is used
     with a large configuration database, where the start up delay might oth-
     erwise prevent timely response to client requests.  (Automatic start up
     in standalone mode can be done by invoking bootpd from within
     /etc/rc.local, for example.)  Standalone mode is less useful for bootpgw
     which has very little start up delay because it does not read a configu-
     ration file.

     Either program automatically detects whether it was invoked from inetd or
     from a shell and automatically selects the appropriate mode.  The -s or
     -i option may be used to force standalone or inetd mode respectively (see
     OPTIONS).

OPTIONS

     The following options are available:

     -t timeout
	     Specify the timeout value (in minutes) that a bootpd or bootpgw
	     process will wait for a BOOTP packet before exiting.  If no pack-
	     ets are received for timeout minutes, then the program will exit.
	     A timeout value of zero means "run forever".  In standalone mode,
	     this option is forced to zero.

     -d debug-level
	     Set the debug-level variable that controls the amount of debug-
	     ging messages generated.  For example, -d4 or -d 4 will set the
	     to use the same current directory as the TFTP server (typically
	     /tftpboot).  This option is not recognized by bootpgw.

     -h hostname
	     Specify the hostname corresponding to the IP address to listen
	     on.  By default, bootpd listens on the IP address corresponding
	     to the machine's hostname, as returned by gethostname(3).

     -i      Force inetd mode.	This option is obsolete, but remains for com-
	     patibility with older versions of bootpd.

     -s      Force standalone mode.  This option is obsolete, but remains for
	     compatibility with older versions of bootpd.

     bootptab
	     Specify the name of the configuration file from which bootpd
	     loads its database of known clients and client options (bootpd
	     only).

     dumpfile
	     Specify the name of the file that bootpd will dump its internal
	     database into when it receives a SIGUSR1 signal (bootpd only).
	     This option is only recognized if bootpd was compiled with the
	     -DDEBUG flag.

     server  Specify the name of a BOOTP server to which bootpgw will forward
	     all BOOTREQUEST packets it receives (bootpgw only).

OPERATION

     Both bootpd and bootpgw operate similarly in that both listen for any
     packets sent to the bootps port, and both simply forward any BOOTREPLY
     packets.  They differ in their handling of BOOTREQUEST packets.

     When bootpgw is started, it determines the address of a BOOTP server
     whose name is provided as a command line parameter.  When bootpgw
     receives a BOOTREQUEST packet, it sets the "gateway address" and "hop
     count" fields in the packet and forwards the packet to the BOOTP server
     at the address determined earlier.  Requests are forwarded only if they
     indicate that the client has been waiting for at least three seconds.

     When bootpd is started it reads a configuration file, (normally
     /etc/bootptab) that initializes the internal database of known clients
     and client options.  This internal database is reloaded from the configu-
     ration file when bootpd receives a hangup signal (SIGHUP) or when it dis-
     covers that the configuration file has changed.

     When bootpd receives a BOOTREQUEST packet, it looks for a database entry
     matching the client request.  If the client is known, bootpd composes a
     BOOTREPLY packet using the database entry found above, and sends the
     reply to the client (possibly using a gateway).  If the client is
     unknown, the request is discarded (with a notice if debug > 0).

     If bootpd is compiled with the -DDEBUG option, receipt of a SIGUSR1 sig-
     nal causes it to dump its internal database to the file /tmp/bootpd.dump
     or the dumpfile specified as a command line parameter.

     During initialization, both programs determine the UDP port numbers to be
     used by calling getservbyname(3) (which normally uses /etc/services).

FILES

     /etc/bootptab     Database file read by bootpd.
     /tmp/bootpd.dump  Debugging dump file created by bootpd.
     /etc/services     Internet service numbers.
     /tftpboot	       Current directory typically used by the TFTP server and
		       bootpd.

BUGS

     Individual host entries must not exceed 1024 characters.

CREDITS

     This distribution is currently maintained by Walter L. Wimer
     <walt+@cmu.edu>.

     The original BOOTP server was created by Bill Croft at Stanford Univer-
     sity in January 1986.

     The current version of bootpd is primarily the work of David Kovar, Drew
     D. Perkins, and Walter L. Wimer, at Carnegie Mellon University.

     Enhancements and bug-fixes have been contributed by:

     (in alphabetical order)

     Danny Backx <db@sunbim.be>
     John Brezak <brezak@ch.hp.com>
     Frank da Cruz <fdc@cc.columbia.edu>
     David R. Linn <drl@vuse.vanderbilt.edu>
     Jim McKim <mckim@lerc.nasa.gov>
     Gordon W. Ross <gwr@mc.com>
     Jason Zions <jazz@hal.com>.

SEE ALSO

     bootptab(5), inetd(8), tftpd(8)

     DARPA Internet Request For Comments:
     RFC951   Bootstrap Protocol
     RFC1532  Clarifications and Extensions for the Bootstrap Protocol
     RFC1533  DHCP Options and BOOTP Vendor Extensions

FreeBSD 5.4		       February 10, 2004		   FreeBSD 5.4

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