VMware ESX 4.0 - INSTALLATION GUIDE UPDATE 1 Installation Manual page 36

ESX and vCenter Server Installation Guide
match if substring(option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "PXEClient";
next-server <TFTP server address>;
if not exists gpxe.bus-id {
filename "/gpxelinux.0";
}
}
subnet <Network address> netmask <Subnet Mask> {
range <Starting IP Address> <Ending IP Address>;
}
When a machine attempts to PXE boot, the DHCP server provides an IP address and the location of the
binary on the TFTP server. The IP address assigned will be in the range defined in the subnet
gpxelinux.0
section of the configuration file.
PXELINUX (Without gPXE) Example
This sample shows how to configure the ISC DHCP server to enable PXELINUX.
#
# DHCP Server Configuration file.
# see /usr/share/doc/dhcp*/dhcpd.conf.sample
#
ddns-update-style ad-hoc;
allow booting;
allow bootp;
class "pxeclients" {
match if substring(option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 9) = "PXEClient";
next-server 192.168.48.10;
filename = "pxelinux.0";
}
subnet 192.168.48.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.48.100 192.168.48.250;
}
When a machine attempts to PXE boot, the DHCP server provides an IP address and the location of the
binary on the TFTP server. The IP address assigned will be in the range defined in the subnet section
pxelinux.0
of the configuration file.
Creating a PXE Configuration File
The PXE configuration file defines the menu displayed to the target ESX host as it boots up and contacts the
TFTP server.
The TFTP server is always listening for PXE clients on the network. When it detects that a PXE client is asking
for PXE services, it sends the client a network package that contains this boot menu.
Each PXE boot menu selection points to the location of the kernel and ramdisk files for ESX. You can create
one PXE configuration file for each target ESX host, or create one PXE configuration file and name it
Example: PXELINUX with gPXE
Following is an example of a PXE configuration file that you might use for PXELINUX with gPXE. The
important difference between this example and a PXE configuration file without gPXE is the HTTP path to the
required files. See also the
default menu.c32
menu title ESX Boot Menu
timeout 30
36
file on the ESX installation DVD.
/isolinux/isolinux.cfg
.
default
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