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Introduction
6
Integrated Boot ROM with Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA)
The Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA) software adds management capabilities to the NIC
by enabling the computer to boot from a network server, rather than from the computer’s
local drive. MBA is compliant with the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) specification.
This preboot support allows you to use management applications to perform various tasks
remotely. For example, you can:
■
Install and configure a new computer that has never been connected to the network.
■
Upgrade software.
■
Configure or reconfigure multiple systems simultaneously.
■
Scan for viruses.
■
Back up hard drives and perform disaster recovery tasks.
For information on configuring the MBA to boot from the network, see “Configuring the
Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA)” on page 51.
For detailed information on the MBA, refer to the
3Com Managed PC Boot Agent User
Guide
, located with the MBA software on the 3Com
EtherCD
.
Desktop Management Interface (DMI) 2.0
Desktop Management Interface (DMI) is a network-management standard that is widely
accepted for managing Intel-based computers.
DMI 2.0 enables managed computers and net computers to report details about
themselves and their peripheral devices across the network to a DMI 2.0-compliant
management application.
The 3Com DMI Agent allows any DMI management application to access information
such as:
■
NIC driver location, version, and size
■
Packets-sent statistics
■
Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) receive errors
A network administrator can then use this type of information to remotely configure and
manage a client or server computer.
The 3Com DMI Agent consists of a DMI browser with the following components:
■ DMI service layer
■ DMI agent
■ GUI installer
■ NDIS drivers
For detailed information about the 3Com DMI Agent, refer to the 3Com DMI Agent User
Guide included with the DMI software on the EtherCD. For information about installing
the 3Com DMI Agent and downloading the 3Com DMI Agent User Guide, see
Appendix B, "Installing the 3Com DMI Agent."