booting up/installing linux...

[Ed Wilts, RHCE]

On 11/15/2004 06:10 PM, Steve Phillips wrote:
> On Mon, 15 Nov 2004, bruce wrote:

>> my issue is that what i envision will not have a dhcp server on the same
>> 'network' segment as the client motherboard...
>>
>> as an example, imagine that you have a client computer 'A' connected 
>> to the internet via cable modem at IP address A1. 

This is tough unless you've got a cooperative internet provider.

> it appears that what you need is a DHCP relay, but even then you may end 
> up with issues as it appears that you are using a public internet 
> providor instead of a closed network and I assume, are using their DHCP 
> server to issue your A1 client address.
> 
> In this case it falls under what ed said "you need to own the DHCP 
> server" and its game over.

The DHCP protocol does have a next-server command that will do what you 
want.  For an example, see 
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/RHEL-3-Manual/sysadmin-guide/s1-diskless-dhcp.html

The catch, however, is that your ISP needs to update their DHCP server 
to add this.  If you're working with a small local ISP, you may have 
some luck.  With a larger cable provider like Comcast, you're probably 
not going to be able to do this.

You could get creative of course - you could have a DHCP server at the 
target host's location and have it serve out the IP address and go to 
the "next-server" for the rest of the info.  The DHCP server doesn't 
have to be linux - it can be anything with a modern dhcp implementation.

The bottom line is what do you really want to do - if you want an 
arbitrary host at a remote site with no keyboard, floppy or cdrom and 
have it automatically install Linux from a server at your corporate 
site, and you do not have any control over the ISP's dhcp server, then 
you're likely out of luck.

If, however, you have some control over the target server - i.e. you can 
give them a floppy or CD and can tell them what to type, then that 
target can get an installation from your corporate server.  You don't 
need PXE for that - just a normal kickstart installation will work.

-- 
Ed Wilts, RHCE
Mounds View, MN, USA
mailto:ewilts at ewilts.org
Member #1, Red Hat Community Ambassador Program