How to Set up a PXE Server
A PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment) server is a helpful tool for network administrators who need to deploy operating systems to multiple computers over a local area network. By setting up a PXE server, you can streamline the process of installing new operating systems, updating existing ones, and performing other network-related tasks.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of setting up a PXE server step by step.
Step 1: Install Required Software
The first step in setting up a PXE server is to install the necessary software on your server. You will need to install a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server, a TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) server, and a web server.
For the DHCP server, you can use software such as dnsmasq or isc-dhcp-server. For the TFTP server, tftpd-hpa is a popular choice. Finally, for the web server, you can choose between Apache, Nginx, or another web server of your choice.
Step 2: Configure DHCP Server
Next, you will need to configure the DHCP server to assign IP addresses to client computers and provide them with the location of the PXE server.
Open the configuration file of your DHCP server and add the following lines:
next-server pxe-server-ip-address;
filename "pxelinux.0";
Step 3: Set up TFTP Server
After configuring the DHCP server, you need to set up the TFTP server to serve the necessary files to client computers during the PXE boot process.
Place the bootloader file (such as pxelinux.0) in the TFTP server’s root directory and ensure that the permissions are set correctly.
Step 4: Configure PXE Bootloader
Finally, you will need to configure the PXE bootloader to point to the location of the operating system image you want to deploy. Edit the configuration file of the bootloader (pxelinux.cfg/default) and add the following lines:
default linux
prompt 1
timeout 50
label linux
kernel /path/to/vmlinuz
append initrd=/path/to/initrd.img
Step 5: Test PXE Boot
Once everything is set up, you can test the PXE boot process by rebooting a client computer and selecting the network boot option. If everything is configured correctly, the client computer should boot into the operating system deployment process.
Congratulations! You have successfully set up a PXE server.
Remember to update the configuration files and add new operating system images as needed.
Thanks for reading!