[syslinux] Multiple PXE server Issue

[Jeffrey Hutzelman]

--On Tuesday, February 17, 2009 05:06:42 PM +0000 John Rouillard 
<rouilj at renesys.com> wrote:

> On Fri, Feb 13, 2009 at 12:19:32PM -0700, FoM - Technology Services wrote:
>> And here's the problem.... Ghost is using a PXE server so that the
>> computers can be booted off the network and easily re-imaged. Citrix
>> provisioning server requires the use of a PXE server so that the
>> thick\thin clients can boot off the network directly to the server. But
>> it's standard that the first PXE server to answer is what the computer
>> gets.
>>
>> How can we make (2) PXE servers work in the same network?
>>
>> I understand that you could separate out the subnets, so that (1) PXE
>> server only answers in that sub-net. But that's only a temporary fix.
>> Once we have Citrix working, then other labs within the schools network
>> may slowly switch over to Citrix as well. And both Ghost and Citrix PXE
>> servers will need to co-habitat.
>>
>> Is there a way that I could set up an PXELinux box so that it's
>> essentially a "PXE Re-Director".  For example a user boots up their PC
>> via Network.  It will then go to the PXELinux server (as pre-setup via
>> the network somehow) and the user is given an option; (a) Citrix or (b)
>> Ghost.  By choosing one of these items you will then be taken to that
>> particular PXE server of your choice and continue on from there.
>
> IIRC in dhcp you can specify the next boot node. But this requires
> recording the ethernet address of any hosts you want to boot.

You could also give all hosts PXELINUX and a menu that lets the user select 
between ghost, citrix, and whatever else, using pxechain.cbt to chain to 
the next boot server.  See previous discussion on this mailing list and 
PXECHAIN.ASM in recent Syslinux distributions.

-- Jeff