When the system executes the boot.tim file, the bootstrap image searches for and processes the BOF. The user has the option to modify the BOF manually and save it (see Manual mode for more information), or to retrieve the BOF from the network (see Auto-init mode for more information).
Depending on whether the node is factory-shipped with the BOF, the user can obtain and use the BOF as follows. See Table: Contents shipped with the system on 7210 SAS for information about which platforms are factory-shipped with the BOF:
On 7210 SAS nodes that are factory-shipped with the BOF, use one of the following manual mode options:
boot the system in manual mode by using the starter BOF; the system uses the default both.tim, as configured in the default BOF
boot the system by interrupting the default boot process and manually edit the contents of the BOF to create a new BOF
See the appropriate 7210 SAS chassis installation guide for more information about editing and creating a new BOF for the specific 7210 SAS platform.
On 7210 SAS nodes that are factory-shipped without a BOF, the file is not present when the system is powered on for the first time. Use one of the following options to obtain a BOF for the system:
boot the system by manually creating a BOF (manual mode)
boot the system by retrieving the BOF from the network, using DHCP to retrieve the network location of the BOF (auto-init mode); auto-init mode is the default boot procedure if there is no manual intervention during the first boot of the node
See the appropriate chassis installation guide for more information about using the available system boot options for the specific 7210 SAS platform.
If the operator executes the reset command in the boot loader prompt or the admin>reboot auto-init command in the TiMOS CLI, 7210 SAS resets the current BOF, reboots, and initiates auto-init mode after the reboot.
The operator can manage a 7210 SAS node through an external physical network. Managing a node through an external physical network secures the management network by restricting access to service customers and service data.