Distributed preboot execution environment (PXE) server booting
View Patent ↗A method, computer program product, and system are disclosed for distributed Preboot execution Environment (PXE) server booting. The method may include receiving a PXE boot image request from a plurality of target machines and sending one or more target machines a temporary PXE server RAM image and a subset of target machines. The temporary PXE server RAM image assigns a recipient target machine as a temporary PXE server and each temporary PXE server is delegated the subset of target machines to PXE boot. The method may also include receiving a subset boot confirmation from each temporary PXE server that indicates that the subset of target machines delegated to each temporary PXE server booted successfully. Finally, the method may include sending the one or more temporary PXE servers an agent boot image in response to the subset boot confirmation from each temporary PXE server.
1. A method for distributed Preboot execution environment (PXE) server booting, the method comprising:
receiving a PXE boot image request from a plurality of target machines;
sending one or more target machines a temporary PXE server RAM image and a subset of target machines, the temporary PXE server RAM image configured to assign a recipient target machine as a temporary PXE server, each temporary PXE server delegated the subset of target machines to agent boot;
receiving a subset boot confirmation from each temporary PXE server, the subset boot confirmation configured to indicate that the subset of target machines delegated to each temporary PXE server booted successfully; and
sending the one or more temporary PXE servers an agent boot image in response to the subset boot confirmation from each temporary PXE server.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an temporary PXE server requirement, the temporary PXE server requirement comprising an optimal number of target machines to assign as temporary PXE servers, the temporary PXE server requirement based on a predetermined number of target machines which require booting.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the temporary PXE server requirement further comprises generating the temporary PXE server requirement dynamically at boot-time.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the temporary PXE server requirement is user-configurable.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each temporary PXE server is configured to assign one or more additional temporary PXE servers.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each temporary PXE server is further configured to receive a subset boot confirmation from each additional temporary PXE server and send each additional temporary PXE server an agent boot image in response to the subset boot confirmation from each additional temporary PXE server.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a booting tree, the booting tree configured to indicate target machines for temporary PXE server assignment by the master server and configured to indicate the subsets of target machines delegated to each temporary PXE server.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each target machine assigned as a temporary PXE server is configured to operate Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) in response to receiving the temporary PXE server RAM image.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each target machine assigned as a temporary PXE server is configured to operate TFTP and proxy Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) in response to receiving the temporary PXE server RAM image.