I'm currently using PXE to deploy three different versions of Windows (23H2, 24, and 25) via SCCM and WDS, but now I want to include our primary Linux distribution as well as Blancco. From what I've found, it seems like doing this might require a complete overhaul of our PXE setup. I'm looking for advice on how to integrate Linux into our existing environment without having to rebuild everything from scratch.
3 Answers
You could also consider setting up different DHCP options for different VLANs if your network configuration supports it. This way, you can tailor the PXE boot options based on the network segment the device is connecting from.
We use iPXE as our TFTP boot image, and it's super flexible for setting up menus to boot different systems. For example, I have menu entries that let me boot Windows through SCCM or even load Linux. You can configure your DHCP server to point to the iPXE script, which simplifies the whole process. If you want to go direct to WIM files, using something like `wimboot` can boost loading speeds significantly!
Totally agree with you about iPXE! I usually have an IPXE file in `C:RemoteInstallBootx64ipxe.efi`. Switching to this from the default Windows boot file really helps with adding other options.
I've had great success using Clonezilla for Linux deployment, especially for server setups. It makes capturing and restoring pre-configured environments a breeze!
It really comes down to how you want to structure your PXE environment. You can chain different PXE setups together quite easily. For instance, I used to use PXELINUX, which could boot into WDS or even chain to other Linux options. Nowadays, I prefer using netboot.xyz to give myself a variety of installation options, including a straightforward way to use Windows PE for installs. The key lies in mastering the PXE boot process and knowing how to configure the TFTP boot filename in DHCP to direct the server to the right boot environment.
Yeah, getting familiar with the complete PXE boot process is essential. Once you know how to manipulate the boot files and chain options, it opens up a lot of flexibility!
Ah, if only getting network team changes approved was easier! I'm contemplating using Tiny PXE on a dedicated machine to avoid the mess on the main network.