Chapter 2. Different kinds of PXE

Chapter 2. Different kinds of PXE
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Table of Contents

2.1. Hard Pxe

2.1.1. Real PXE
2.1.2. TCP/IP PXE

2.2. Soft Pxe

2.2.1. Etherboot

2.1. Hard Pxe

Hard Pxe is a PXE stored in the ROM of a network card.

2.1.1. Real PXE

Real PXE is implemented by 3COM for their network cards. The following figure shows how it works. It requires a DHCP server, a PXE server and a TFTP server.

This figure shows a Real Boot PXE sequence using PxeLinux.

See Chapter 6, Available PXE Bootstraps for more details.

Figure 2.1. How does Real PXE works ?

2.1.2. TCP/IP PXE

TCP/IP PXE is implemented by intel for their network cards. The following figure shows how it works. It requires a DHCP server and a TFTP server.

This figure shows a Real Boot PXE sequence using PxeLinux.

See Chapter 6, Available PXE Bootstraps for more details.

Figure 2.2. How does TCP/IP PXE works ?

2.2. Soft Pxe

Soft Pxe is a PXE stored in a software ROM and loaded by a program emulating a hard PXE ROM.

2.2.1. Etherboot

Etherboot ^[4] is a project allowing you to build a floppy that loads a virtual PXE ROM over a network card. This example illustrates the use of nbGrub as a bootstrap.

See Chapter 6, Available PXE Bootstraps for more details.

Figure 2.3. How does Etherboot works ?

^[4] http://etherboot.sourceforge.net

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