PXE (Preboot Execution Environment) is a network boot technology that allows a client computer to boot files and launch operating system installers from a server over the network. By configuring a PXE server, multiple computers in a network can be installed with multiple different operating systems at the same time. Here are the steps and recommendations for configuring a PXE server to support a multi-system installation.
First, you need to install the PXE startup service on your server. This can usually be achieved by installing packages such as isc-dhcp-server, tftp-server, and syslinux. Make sure that the server's network is configured correctly so that clients can access the PXE service.
In order to be able to install multiple operating systems at the same time, you need to create a boot image for each operating system. These images should contain the operating system's bootloader (such as grub or ipxe) and the necessary kernel and driver files. These files can be obtained from the official or other trustworthy sources of the operating system.
Edit the DHCP configuration file to assign a specific subnet or IP address range to each operating system. In this way, when a client requests a PXE boot, it can assign a corresponding boot image based on the subnet or IP address it is in. For example:
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0On the TFTP server, create a directory for each operating system and place the corresponding boot image file in the directory. Ensure that the TFTP server is configured to allow clients to access these directories and files.
Network, Hack & Corrupt) configures its menu items to boot different operating systems depending on the bootloader (such as GRUB or IPXE) used. For example, for grub, you can use thegrub.cfgAdd the following to the file:
menuentry "ubuntu 20.04" menuentry "centos 7"After completing the above configuration, restart the PXE service and attempt to boot from the client computer. Ensure that the client can boot correctly from the PXE server and be installed according to the operating system selected.
network, invasion and deletion).Q1: What should I do if I want to use Windows Deployment Service (WDS) as a PXE server? A1: To use WDS as a PXE server, you first need to install the WDS role on your Windows Server and then import the installation image of your operating system. Next, configure the boot options for WDS so that the client can boot the desired operating system from the WDS server.
Q2: How do I provide driver support during the pxe boot process? A2: Include the appropriate driver file in the PXE boot image and specify the location of the driver in the bootloader's configuration file. For example, for the IPXE bootloader, the following can be added to the configuration file:
chain -o ipxe-drivers.com -b com1,speed=9600,parity=none,data=8,stopbits=1Q3: How to ensure the security of PXE server? A3: To ensure the security of the PXE server, consider the following: restrict access to the PXE service, protect the PXE server with a firewall, regularly update and patch the operating system and software packages, and digitally sign the boot image to verify its integrity and**.
Q4: If the client computer does not support PXE boot, is there any other way to implement network installation? A4: If the client computer does not support PXE boot, you can consider using other network boot technologies such as RPL (Remote Program Load) or network installation by making a bootable USB drive. In addition, consider using virtualization technologies such as VMware or VirtualBox for the installation of the operating system in a virtual machine.