BOOTP (Bootstrap Protocol)

A Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) used by a diskless workstation or network computer to obtain its  and other network information such as server address and default .

Upon startup, the client station sends out a BOOTP request in a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet to the BOOTP server, which returns the required information. The BOOTP request and response use an IP broadcast function that can send messages before a specific IP address is known.