PXE only Config [OT]

[Daniel Wells]

I noticed I failed to respond to one piece of you email, "I did not realize that the client asked for PXE information seperately."

The PXE client does not make a separate requests to the PXE servers.  It makes one request (a DCHP Discover), which can be received by multiple servers.  It basically then listens for any responses.  It will continue to accept responses from multiple servers until it receives responses to all of it requests (options). So if your DHCP servers are configure to responds to only the IP lease requests, the PXE client will continue to wait to see if anyone else will send it its boot file information.  If it never receives its boot file info, then it times out and fails.  If another server responds within a timely fashion with the remainder of the options that it has requested, then it consumes those options and the boot continues successfully.

Does this answer your question?

    - Daniel W.



-----Original Message-----
From: dhcp-users-bounce at isc.org [mailto:dhcp-users-bounce at isc.org] On Behalf Of Dan Farrell
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 2:01 PM
To: dhcp-users at isc.org
Subject: Re: PXE only Config [OT]

On Sat, 1 Dec 2007 12:47:04 +0100
"Leonhard Kurz" <LeoKurz at gmx.de> wrote:

> Hi Daniel,
>
> I'm looking exactly for the same functionality, but for another
> reason. I posted a request some time ago but didn't receive any
> answer so far. I know most of the DTM tool can do this and
> technically it shouldn't be a problem for the dhcp server. Perhaps a
> "PXE proxy" functionality can be implemented in the next release.
> Would be great for all this "add-on" deployment applications based on
> PXElinux, tftp etc. to do scripted kickstart, autoyast, unattended
> installations.
>
> Cheers
> __Leo

I don't have a lot of experience in bureaucratic big shops, so it's
been difficult to concieve of a situation where DHCP needed to be
deployed seperately from PXE and what that would look like.

It was my understanding that the dhcp client would request a lease,
then the address and all other pertinent information would be sent to
the client.  I did not realize that the client asked for PXE
information seperately.

If somebody spent a few scarce seconds setting me straight, I would
certainly appreciate it.