IP address assignment at boot time - for PCs

[Mark Wright]

We have a network of diskless PCs that boot from a server running novell. On
the same ethernet we have a tcp-ip network of unix workstations.

I am currently in the process of installing NCSA telnet over the Clarkson
packet drivers on these PCs.

I want the PCs to get their IP address from a server when they boot. I would
like the addresses to be assigned by the server as they are needed - e.g. a PC
may not always get the same IP address, rather it is allocated from a "pool"
of addresses upon request.

I seem to recall reading of software to do this - can anyone point me in the
right direction?

What are the drawbacks of this approach? We have more PCs then I would like to
configure RARP to handle, so I think it IS preferable. 

If I have to use RARP, can ultrix 3.1 ARP handle RARP requests - I can't find
any reference to it in TFM.

All pointers gratefully received.


-- 

 Mark Wright.                    Dept. of Survey and Land Information,NZ.
 email: mark at dosli.govt.nz       phone: 64 4 710-380 ext 8688