VMware ESX 4.0 - INSTALLATION GUIDE UPDATE 1 Installation Manual page 32

ESX and vCenter Server Installation Guide
Conceptual Overview for PXE Booting the ESX Installer
This topic provides an overview of how all the pieces fit together when you PXE boot the ESX installer.
The network infrastructure for PXE booting the installer includes the following services.
DHCP server
n
TFTP server
n
PXELINUX/gPXE (SYSLINUX)
n
Network Server (NFS, HTTP or FTP)
n
Figure 5-1 shows the flow of the interaction between the components if you are using PXELINUX with gPXE.
The scripts depot and the media depot are optional. You do not need them if you are performing an interactive
installation with installation media that is stored locally on a DVD or USB.
Figure 5-1. Overview for PXE Booting the ESX Installer Using PXELINUX with gPXE
DHCP server
TFTP server
Web server
scripts depot
media depot
32
Give me an IP
UDP
IP & TFTP
Give me the
network boot loader
UDP
gpxelinux.0
Give me kernel
and ramdisk
TCP
kernel and ramdisk
Give me a script
TCP
ks.cfg
Give me media
TCP
RPMs
ESX target host
Installer
starts
ESX host
VMware, Inc.