Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for re-assigning network addresses to a plurality of network servers by re-configuring a client host coupled to the network servers. According to the invention, when there are changes to network connections, the IP addresses (i.e., network addresses) of the individual network servers can be re-assigned automatically at the client host without powering off the network servers. According to the invention, in re-assigning a new network address to a port of the network server, a bootstrap protocol (BOOTP) request is first issued by the client host to the network server. The BOOTP request is received by the network server which then sends a BOOTP response to the client host to request a new network address. After the client host receives the BOOTP response, it sends a BOOTP reply to the network server. The BOOTP reply includes a new network address for the port of the network server. The above procedure is repeated for each port of the network server.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a fault tolerant access between network clients and a network server. Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first primary input/output process (IOP) and a second backup IOP are provided in a first network client. A first backup IOP and a second primary IOP are provided in a second network client. The first backup IOP is a backup of the first primary IOP and the second backup IOP is a backup of the second primary IOP. A first preferred access path between the first primary IOP and the network server as well as a first alternate access path between the first backup IOP and the network server are defined. Similarly, a second preferred access path between the second primary IOP and the network server as well as a second alternate access path between the second backup IOP and the network server are defined. A first network connection between the first primary IOP and the network server is established via the first preferred access path.