-i option in mknbi-linux

["S. Arun" <arun@ee.iitm.ernet.in>]

Hi all

mknbi-linux used to make the netbootable kernel image has the -i or
--ip-addrs option to set client, server and gateway ip addresses and
netmasks etc. for NFS mounting the remote filesystem. 

I would like to know under what circumstances this option would be useful.
As soon as the code in the bootrom is executed, it broadcasts a BOOTP
packet, and then gets to know its ip address etc and also the place from
which the kernel needs to be obtained by tftp. mknbi-linux with the -i
option sets ip addresses etc in this kernel, while all this data is
available before the kernel is obtained from the server.

I feel it would be great to have the ip address etc and other network
parameters programmed in the rom images (ne.lzrom etc.) so that as soon as
the boot code in the rom image gets executed, it just needs to tftp the
kernel from the server and go ahead and avoid BOOTP. Does a solution to
this problem exist?

Thanx in advance
S. Arun

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