Re: Running a PXE server without full DHCP

On Thu, 2004-10-28 at 21:22, Donald Teed wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> It isn't impossible to add some configuration to the main DHCP
> server and have it point to my TFTP server, and we may have
> to go that way unless we adopt a commerical PXE server product.
First of all, what DHCP server are you using ?
MS-DHCP ? It is a PXE server too, there's nothing to adopt.
> 
> I'm just surprised to learn there is no open source equivalent
> of DHCP proxy server.
ISC DHCP comes with a DHCP relay.
> 
> We were seeking a fit that matches the current delegation of roles in our IT
> group.  The guy who maintains DHCP service (Unix sysadmin)
> is different than the guy who has maintained the current Windows
> based PXE Server (Windows and networking sysadmin).  The goal
> is to keep them untangled if possible.
> 
> It isn't really any stranger than running httpd on one machine and
> running ftpd on another.  A person could say one machine should
> handle both jobs, but there are good reasons to split it up.
> 
> In any case, thanks for the help.  And yes, I think people are
> about to learn how cool PXES is.  Except for the brief appearance
> of the penguin and "Welcome to PXES", there is little hint
> what is happening until they find a nice full screen 24 bit
> color Windows Server 2003 login screen.
> 
> Our interest in this is to investigate a possible way the students
> could connect to a standard Windows environment for writing
> online exams.  At a University where everyone has a laptop with
> build-in wireless and there are no computer labs, this is
> probably the best solution.
Don't hesitate to contact me if you need some help.
> 
> --Donald Teed
> 
> 
> On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 19:52:02 -0300, Diego Torres Milano
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> > On Thu, 2004-10-28 at 17:51, C. Falconer wrote:
> > > Seems weird - you want to have the equivelant of a second DHCP server
> > > sending out options but still using a central DHCP server for the real work?
> > >
> > > If you can possibly get the main DHCP server to have some extra options then
> > > you're set, AND it will be easier to maintain.
> > >
> > > If you can't do anything with the main DHCP server, then it might be easier
> > > to firewall your pxe clients and deal with the DHCP more locally, that way
> > > its under your control, not central management.
> > Perhaps you don't even need to firewall or block the DHCP request
> > because if the response doesn't have the required options to boot this
> > response is ignored by PXE clients.
> > On the other hand, if you only respond to a specific PXE MAC address you
> > will not interfere with the central DHCP.
> > >
> > > Those extra options like "next-server" and "option-135" are totally ignored
> > > by other dhcp clients, so it won't interfere with them in the slightest.
> > >
> > > In short - Keep It Simple.
> > >
> > > ..... Or demonstrate PXEs to the people who run the DHCP server, show them
> > > how cool it is :)))
> > 
> > 
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: [email protected]
> > > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Donald Teed
> > > Sent: Friday, 29 October 2004 1:46 a.m.
> > > To: [email protected]
> > > Subject: [pxes-devel] Running a PXE server without full DHCP
> > >
> > >
> > > It was suggested I follow up my question here rather than on the forums.
> > >
> > > I've since learned that the term for the thing I'd like to have is a "DHCP
> > > Proxy Server".  Novell Zenworks, Solaris and IBM's AIX offer it, as well as
> > > StorageSoft's PXE Server on Windows (no longer maintained and seems limited
> > > to floppy).
> > >
> > > A DHCP Proxy Server can respond to DHCP BOOTP requests without providing the
> > > IP address - it relies on the other main DHCP server to do that.
> > >
> > > In our case, at a University, we run a secure DHCP server which is fed a
> > > list of valid MACs that are allowed on our network.  Rather than duplicate
> > > the effort of that configuration on a PXE boot server, we'd rather have it
> > > function as a DHCP Proxy.  It would respond to BOOTP requests, send the
> > > "next-server" information to point to the TFTP server. The main DHCP server
> > > would remain responsible for controlling IP assignment (or whether to not
> > > assign an IP if it is not an authorized client machine).
> > >
> > > I'm also aware of Bootpd, but it doesn't offer support for allowing a named
> > > DHCP server to provide the IP.
> > >
> > > I have been searching for a way to make ISC DHCP offer the limited proxy
> > > function, or locate an open source DHCP Proxy server, but I don't see one
> > > available as yet.
> > >
> > >
> > > 
> > > -------------------------------------------------------
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> > 
> > 
> >
> 
> 
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