Also, VM bridging is not conducive to gPXE and besides WHY? We are using older equipment and we want all the Alan Cox'ian TCP/IP UDP sweetness that IS gPXE:
*gPXE* (formerly *Etherboot*) is an open-source<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source> Preboot Execution Environment<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot_Execution_Environment>(PXE) implementation and bootloader. It can be used to enable computers without built-in PXE support to boot from the network, or to extend an existing PXE implementation with support for additional protocols. While traditional PXE clients use TFTP<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivial_File_Transfer_Protocol>to transfer data, gPXE adds the ability to retrieve data through other protocols like HTTP<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertext_Transfer_Protocol>, iSCSI <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISCSI> and ATA over Ethernet<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATA_over_Ethernet>(AoE), and can work with Wi-Fi <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi> rather than requiring a wired connection. Contents - 1 PXE implementation<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#PXE_implementation> - 2 Bootloader <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#Bootloader> - 3 Vitality <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#Vitality> - 4 See also <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#See_also> - 5 External links <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#External_links> - 6 References <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#References> PXE implementation gPXE can be loaded by a computer in several ways: - from media like floppy disk <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floppy_disk>, USB flash drive <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive>, or hard disk <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive> - as a pseudo Linux kernel <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel> - as an ELF image<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_and_Linkable_Format> - from an option ROM <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Option_ROM> on a network card or embedded in a system BIOS<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIOS> - over a network <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet> as a PXE boot image gPXE implements its own PXE stack, using a driver corresponding to the network card, or a UNDI<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Network_Device_Interface>driver if it was loaded by PXE itself. This allows to use a PXE stack even if the network card has no boot ROM<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Read-only_memory>, by loading gPXE from a fixed medium. Bootloader Although its basic role was to implement a PXE stack, gPXE can be used as a full-featured network bootloader. It can fetch files from multiple network protocols [1]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_note-Google_TechTalk_-_gPXE-0>, such as TFTP, NFS<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_File_System_%28protocol%29>, HTTP[2]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_note-Booting_your_machine_over_HTTP-1>or FTP <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_Transfer_Protocol>, and can boot PXE, ELF, Linux, FreeBSD <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD>, multiboot<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiboot_Specification>, EFI <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_Firmware_Interface> and Windows CE <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_CE> images. In addition, it is scriptable and can load COMBOOT and COM32 SYSLINUX<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SYSLINUX>extensions. This allows for instance to build a graphical menu for network boot. Vitality gPXE development has stalled recently[3]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_note-Ohloh_report_on_gPXE-2>, and several projects are migrating[4]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_note-Xen_changelog_-_iPXE-3>or considering migrating [5] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_note-KVM_call_minutes_-_iPXE-4>to iPXE <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPXE> as a result. See also [image: Portal-puzzle.svg]<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Portal-puzzle.svg> *Free software portal <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Free_software>* - PXELINUX <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SYSLINUX#PXELINUX> - Coreboot <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coreboot> - iPXE <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPXE> External links - etherboot.org - The Etherboot/gPXE Wiki<http://etherboot.org/wiki/index.php> - ROM-o-matic.net dynamically generates gPXE and Etherboot network booting image <http://rom-o-matic.net/> - Introduction to Network Booting and Etherboot<http://www.linuxdocs.org/HOWTOs/Diskless-HOWTO-8.html> - PXE dust: scalable day-to-day diskless booting<http://blog.ksplice.com/2010/05/scalable-day-to-day-diskless-booting/> References 1. *^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_ref-Google_TechTalk_-_gPXE_0-0> * Google TechTalk demonstrates how to load operating systems from remote servers using gPXE <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GofOqhO6VVM> 2. *^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_ref-Booting_your_machine_over_HTTP_1-0> * Booting your machine over HTTP <http://boot.kernel.org/> 3. *^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_ref-Ohloh_report_on_gPXE_2-0> * Ohloh reports decreasing development activity for gPXE<https://www.ohloh.net/p/gpxe/factoids/3686149> 4. *^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_ref-Xen_changelog_-_iPXE_3-0> * Xen ChangeLog showing migration to iPXE because "it is actively maintained"<http://lists.xensource.com/archives/html/xen-changelog/2010-11/msg00055.html> 5. *^<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPXE#cite_ref-KVM_call_minutes_-_iPXE_4-0> * KVM call minutes showing consideration of migration to iPXE<http://www.spinics.net/lists/kvm/msg45496.html> and: http://etherboot.org/wiki/start On Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 11:09 PM, Technomage Hawke < [email protected]> wrote: > heh, > ok. I use VM's here a lot because I don't have a large number of machines > to use anymore. I haven't tried creating a PXE server though. that would be > something new. and yeah, I suspect that booting PXE over the internet would > not be doable except on a very secure, very fat pipe. :) > > anyway, it would be something new for me to learn. > > -Eric > > On Dec 29, 2010, at 11:01 PM, Lisa Kachold wrote: > > > Thanks Technomage, > > > > That's not exactly what we require. A VM of what? Laugh! > > > > I can build a VM also, but why would I, when I can just build the system > and configure the gPXE quicker? > > > > On Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 10:33 PM, Technomage Hawke < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Lisa, > > I could build a vm for that if you want. I could even give ssh access to > it on a non-standard port if needed. I already have a vm of ubuntu already > installed here. otherwise, I can save it off as an image and we can dd it to > a new drive from a dvd. > > > > let me know. > > > > -Eric > > > > On Dec 29, 2010, at 9:35 PM, Lisa Kachold wrote: > > > > > I promised to assist by building a gPXE build server for the > Installfest. > > > > > > So, we want to coordinate efforts and request suggestions. > > > (Thanks so much Joseph Sinclair for your good advice). > > > > > > When do we want to build her? > > > What is the target hardware? > > > > > > Other information we might need? > > > > > > Wifi card? Any donations over and above what's available? > > > > > > Let's start making the list and make this nice? > > > > > > Drive Space? > > > TB at least? > > > > > > > > > -- > > > (503) 754-4452 > > > (623) 688-3392 > > > > > > http://www.obnosis.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > > > PLUG-discuss mailing list - [email protected] > > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > > > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > > PLUG-discuss mailing list - [email protected] > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > > > > > > > -- > > > > (503) 754-4452 > > (623) 688-3392 > > > > http://www.obnosis.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------- > > PLUG-discuss mailing list - [email protected] > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - [email protected] > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > -- (503) 754-4452 (623) 688-3392 http://www.obnosis.com
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