Autoinstallation provides automatic configuration for a new Services Router that you connect to the network and turn on, or for a Services Router configured for autoinstallation. The autoinstallation process begins anytime a Services Router is powered on and cannot locate a valid configuration file in the compact flash. Typically, a configuration file is unavailable when a Services Router is powered on for the first time, or if the configuration file is deleted from the compact flash. The autoinstallation feature enables you to deploy multiple Services Routers from a central location in the network.
For the autoinstallation process to work, you must store one or more host-specific or default configuration files on a configuration server in the network and have a service available—typically Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)—to assign an IP address to the Services Router.
Autoinstallation takes place automatically when you connect an Ethernet or serial port on a new router to the network and power on the router. To simplify the process, you can explicitly enable autoinstallation on a router and specify a configuration server, an autoinstallation interface, and a protocol for IP address acquisition.
This overview contains the following topics: