Previous Topic

Next Topic

Option ROM settings

The following table shows the configuration options available from the General Parameters screen.

Variable name

Description

TCP/IP parameters via DHCP

Determines if the iSCSI boot host software acquires the IP address information using DHCP (Enabled) or use a static IP configuration (Disabled).

iSCSI parameters via DHCP

Determines if the iSCSI boot host software acquires its iSCSI target parameters using DHCP (Enabled) or through a static configuration (Disabled). The static information is entered through the iSCSI Initiator Parameters Configuration screen.

CHAP Authentication

Determines if the iSCSI boot host software uses CHAP authentication when connecting to the iSCSI target. If CHAP Authentication is enabled, the CHAP ID and CHAP Secret are entered through the iSCSI Initiator Parameters Configuration screen.

Boot to iSCSI target

Determines if the iSCSI boot host software attempts to boot from the iSCSI target after successfully connecting to it. When the option is enabled, the iSCSI boot host software immediately attempts to boot from the iSCSI target. Otherwise, if it is disabled, the iSCSI boot host software does not attempt to boot from the iSCSI target and control returns to the system BIOS so that the next boot device may be used. This option is generally set to disabled when booting from a CD to install the iSCSI target and then later set to enabled after the installation is completed.

DHCP Vendor ID

Determines if the iSCSI boot host software interprets the Vendor Class ID field used during DHCP. If the Vendor Class ID field in the DHCP Offer packet matches the value in the field, the iSCSI boot host software looks into the DHCP Option 43 fields for the required iSCSI boot extensions. If DHCP is disabled, this value does not need to be set.

Link Up Delay Time

Determines how long the iSCSI boot host software waits, in seconds, after an Ethernet link is established before sending any data over the network. The valid values are 0 to 255.

Use TCP Timestamp

Determines if the TCP Timestamp option is enabled or disabled.

LUN Busy Retry Count

Determines if the number of connection retries the iSCSI Boot initiator attempts when the iSCSI target LUN is busy.

Windows HBA Boot Mode

Set to disable when the host OS is configured for software initiator mode and to enable for HBA mode.

About configuring the DHCP settings

If you configure the DHCP server for iSCSI network boot (see KB928496 to do this), then set the "iSCSI parameters via DHCP" parameter to Enabled and the "TCP/IP parameters via DHCP" parameter to Enabled.

If you do NOT configure the DHCP server iSCSI network boot, then set the "iSCSI parameters via DHCP" parameter to Disabled and the "TCP/IP parameters via DHCP" parameter to Enabled.

If you are not using the DHCPat all, then you must set both parameters to Disabled and manually enter all configurations as needed.