NetBoot server
NetBoot using PXE and TFTP.
This will boot using an official installation image.
Reminder:
- NetBoot requires a DHCP server
- TFTP is NOT secure at all. You should only use it into your internal network !!
=> Don't forget to adjust your firewall rules
Contents
Installation
Trivial FTP (TFTP) client
apt-get install tftp-hpa
Trivial FTP (TFTP) server
apt-get install tftpd-hpa
SysLinux [netboot utilities]
apt-get install syslinux mtools initramfs-tools
Syslinux contains some starter files you can use for your netboot clients.
Configuration
TFTP configuration
vim /etc/default/tftpd-hpa
The TFTP server files, = the files that will be used by the TFTP clients, are in the "TFTP_DIRECTORY" instruction.
By default tftpd-hpa uses /var/lib/tftpboot
!! You should not change the default user or port number if you plan to use NetBoot !!
service tftpd-hpa restart
Firewall configuration
Adjust your firewall script and add the following rules:
IPTABLES=`which iptables`
LAN_ADDRESS="172.16.50.0/24"
$IPTABLES -A INPUT -p udp -s $LAN_ADDRESS --dport 69 -j ACCEPT
Test the server
1. Create a file on the server
vim /var/lib/tftpboot/hello.txt
2. Connect to the server
Install TFTP client:
apt-get install tftp-hpa
Connect to the server and get file:
tftp 192.168.1.156
get hello.txt
quit
Check the received file:
cat hello.txt
Setup NetBoot files
Use an Ubuntu ISO image as NetBoot
Download the latest Ubuntu netboot image for the target architecture(s) from: http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/netboot/
You have to take the netboot.tar.gz archive.
cd /var/lib/tftpboot/
mkdir amd64
cd amd64
wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/trusty/main/installer-amd64/current/images/netboot/netboot.tar.gz
tar -xzvf netboot.tar.gz
rm netboot.tar.gz
Register files in DHCP server
Edit your DHCP server configuration:
vim /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf
Adjust it like that:
#### NETBOOT settings
# PXE file to serve.
# >> elilo.efi => for ia64 clients;
# >> pxelinux.0 => for x86
# These files should be at the root of your TFTP server
# Note: The file name can be add in the "host" section too. Then, the "host" will override the current setting
filename "amd64/pxelinux.0";
# set the server that serve this NETBOOT file
next-server 172.16.50.2;
# Ensure that the new client (the one booting) is not stealing someone else IP @
ping-check = 1;
Mind the "amd64/" in the filename section.
You can always override that setting later on for each host.
Restart the DHCP server
service isc-dhcp-server restart
TFTP management
Just use the "service" command:
service tftpd-hpa {status|restart|start|stop}
Next step: Diskless server / workstation