ubuntu-netboot-tftp

Automating server installation by using PXE boot and the Ubuntu 14.04 LTS netboot image over TFTP.

Requirements

• a PXE-capable BIOS and NIC
• DHCP server serving 172.16.0.0/24 ip's
• TFTP server (see below) at 172.16.0.1

Usage

• customize hostnames (mac address to hostname mappings)
• customize preseed.cfg with your values

Why 172.16.x.x?

It doesn't get in the way of my home networking! You're welcome to change this in postpreseed.sh.

PXE

The PXE boot automates server installation. We use a preseed config delivered over TFTP. See ubuntu-installer/amd64/boot-screens/txt.cfg (line 6).

Setup with pfSense (tested on versions 2.0.3 and 2.1)

• Install the TFTP package (System > Packages)
• Under System > Advanced > Firewall / NAT deselect any interface for TFTP Proxy and save
• Under Services > TFTP select the LAN interface for TFTP Daemon Interfaces and save
• SSH into your pfSense appliance (enable SSH access and add a rule to allow port 22)
• Install curl: pkg_add -r curl and rehash: rehash
• curl -sL https://github.com/analytically/ubuntu-netboot-tftp/tarball/master | tar -xf -
• cd analytically-ubuntu-netboot-tftp-4753507ab5c9bca0599c85f0401108c1059da0c9/ (the directory has another hash)
• mv analytically-ubuntu-netboot-tftp-4753507ab5c9bca0599c85f0401108c1059da0c9/* /tftpboot
• rm -R analytically-ubuntu-netboot-tftp-4753507ab5c9bca0599c85f0401108c1059da0c9
• Configure Enable network booting under the LAN DHCP server config under Services > DHCP Server, see below:

• click Save, and Apply changes, this will restart the DHCP service on your pfSense. You can now use PXE/Network boot.

After installation

• user: ansibler, password: PQmb6JxU
• continue with my Hadoop Ansible Playbook

Warning

The ubuntu-installer/amd64/initrd.gz archive contains a workaround to get TFTP and preseed.cfg working together (see /usr/lib/fetch-url/tftp) with pfSense. The bug in debian-installer-utils is reported here.

License

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.

Copyright 2013-2014 Mathias Bogaert.