RFC 2090 (rfc2090) - Page 1 of 6

TFTP Multicast Option

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Network Working Group                                       A. Emberson
Request for Comments: 2090                   Lanworks Technologies Inc.
Category: Experimental                                    February 1997


                         TFTP Multicast Option

Status of this Memo

   This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
   community.  This memo does not specify an Internet standard of any
   kind.  Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested.
   Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Abstract

   The Trivial File Transfer Protocol [1] is a simple, lock-step, file
   transfer protocol which allows a client to get or put a file onto a
   remote host.

   This document describes a new TFTP option. This new option will allow
   the multiple clients to receive the same file concurrently through
   the use of Multicast packets. The TFTP Option Extension mechanism is
   described in [2].

   Often when similar computers are booting remotely they will each
   download the same image file. By adding multicast into the TFTP
   option  set,  two  or  more  computers  can  download  a  file
   concurrently, thus increasing network efficiency.

   This document assumes that the reader is familiar with the
   terminology and notation of both [1] and [2].

Multicast Option Specification

   The TFTP Read Request packet is modified to include the multicast
   option as follows:

      +--------+----~~----+---+--~~--+---+-----------+---+---+
      |  opc=1 | filename | 0 | mode | 0 | multicast | 0 | 0 |
      +--------+----~~----+---+--~~--+---+-----------+---+---+

   opc
      The opcode field contains a 1, for Read Requests, as defined
      in [1].






Emberson                      Experimental
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