A method of performing automatic Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) firmware download, includes: obtaining, by either a network-connected device (i.e., DHCP) or user (i.e., command file), a configuration file, where the configuration file includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a target device and a file name of a target file in the target device; retrieving a software image from the target file; determining if there is a match between the software image from the target file and another software image currently running on the device; and downloading to the network-connected device the software image from the target file if the software image is compatible and different from the software image currently in the device. An apparatus for performing automatic Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) firmware download, includes: a device including a TFTP module; and a target device coupled to the device via a network, the target device including a TFTP module to permit an automatic TFTP protocol to download a configuration from the target device to the device, where the device obtains a configuration file with an automatic TFTP statement indicating the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the target device and a file name of a target file with the configuration.