BSDP & Routers – What to “ask” the network guys for.. ?

I have a server that runs OS X 10.4.8 Server just fine. It’s kind of a swiss army knife server in that it’s used for AFP, SMB, NFS, Print, NetBoot, and is also an OD Master. I have, since 2003, been able to utilize NetBoot across subnets, just not diskless netbooting. It hasn’t been a need until now.

Now, the department I work for in my university would like a process of how to handle Macs that come in for repair. I’d like to as well, usually I’m the only one to fix them!

I have come up with a great solution that uses diskless NetBoot as part of the puzzle. But the catch is the server, of course, is on a different subnet. So diskless NetBoot isnt going to work right off the bat.

So I emailed our Network Ops. Center requesting an IP Helper address be added and was promptly told that they would not add another DHCP service nor would they add an IP helper because of the fear of another DHCP service…. which isn’t what I requested in the first place. So I wrote back a wall of text explaining what NetBoot is, etc., etc. Our DHCP admins, who had been CC’d on the conversation, actually replied back and suggested we try the information contained in this article:

https://www.afp548.com/article.php?story=20061220102102611

and configure it on the end of the university DHCP server (my server doesn’t provide DHCP whatsoever). What I’m afraid of is even with the appropriate variables in the upper section of that config example, it won’t work. I think what I really, honestly need is for our network guys to configure an IP Helper for my server. So far they have been less than helpful and I can tell that they’d like this issue closed sooner than later rather than actually help.

So, if I in fact need an IP Helper for the subnet where I have clients, is there a specific port, service or something else I should be asking them for? Do I need to ask that they simply “Add an IP Helper address for server xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx into the yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy subnet” ? I know the problem is that the BSDP traffic is not reaching our subnet from the server room and from what I have read, configuring an IP Helper is the way to go, I just haven’t found any concrete steps or answers. From what I’ve read, it requires that helper be added into the router responsible for the subnet where I need it to work.. 😯

I’m just trying to get as much information together and organized before I really approach them with the idea that this is simply what’s needed to make diskless netbooting work. We really don’t have the money in our budget to take up a service contract with Apple unfortunately.

Any and all help is greatly, greatly appreciated.