Remote Initial Program Load (RIPL or RPL) is a protocol for starting a computer and loading its operating system from server via a network. Such a server runs a network operating system such as LAN Manager, LAN Server, Windows NT Server, Novell NetWare, Solaris or Linux[1].
IBM LAN Server enables clients (RIPL-Requesters) to load the operating systems DOS or OS/2 via the 802.2/DLC - protocol from the LAN.
RIPL is almost the same as Preboot Execution Environment (PXE), but it uses the Novell Netware based boot method. It was originally developed by IBM.