PXE noob with some questions.

[Syndicated_Death]

Getting right to the point...

I would like some info in regards to setting up a PXE for diagnostics of thousands of computers.

what I'm looking for would be something along the lines of a pxe initial boot that has a list of boot OSes as it were. For example a ubuntu boot for my laptops, dban/wipedrive for my servers and desktops and maybe a few extra alternates.

Is this possible? If so how much work will it require?

 

[XOR != OR]

Something related to this; what I've always wanted to do is to setup a PXE boot environment that loaded DBAN in autonuke mode but with a blank screen.

That way, someone brings something on to the network that I don't expect, they get something they don't expect.

( Yes, I know this isn't political and is, in fact, a horrible idea, but I want to do it. Just once )

 

[archivalbackup]

I would suggest you start at rtfm-ed.co.uk ... do a search for their UDA or ultimate deployment appliance which is geared towards VMware and installing virtual machines, but should get you 98% of where you want to end up.

edit: link : http://www.rtfm-ed.co.uk/?page_id=366

 

[Quikstrumental]

Something related to this; what I've always wanted to do is to setup a PXE boot environment that loaded DBAN in autonuke mode but with a blank screen.

That way, someone brings something on to the network that I don't expect, they get something they don't expect.

( Yes, I know this isn't political and is, in fact, a horrible idea, but I want to do it. Just once )

LOL! That is hilarious. Serves them right!