77 lines
2.0 KiB
Markdown
77 lines
2.0 KiB
Markdown
# pxe-boot
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The `pxe-boot` host serves HTTP boot assets for iPXE clients.
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## Host Role
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- Hostname: `pxe-boot`
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- Web service: nginx on TCP port 80
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- PXE root: `/srv/pxe`
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- HTTP root for scripts and images: `/srv/pxe/http`
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- TFTP root for first-stage bootloaders: `/srv/pxe/tftp`
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- iPXE entry script: `/srv/pxe/http/boot.ipxe`
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- Generated iPXE menu: `/srv/pxe/http/menu.ipxe`
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- TFTP fallback script: `/srv/pxe/tftp/autoexec.ipxe`
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- Boot binaries copied from the Nix `ipxe` package:
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- `/srv/pxe/tftp/ipxe.efi`
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- `/srv/pxe/tftp/undionly.kpxe`
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## Directory Layout
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The host creates these directories with systemd tmpfiles:
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```text
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/srv/pxe
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/srv/pxe/http
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/srv/pxe/http/images
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/srv/pxe/http/nixos
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/srv/pxe/http/ubuntu
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/srv/pxe/http/rescue
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/srv/pxe/tftp
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```
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Mount shared image storage under `/srv/pxe/http`, preferably
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`/srv/pxe/http/images` unless a menu entry expects files in a specific
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directory such as `/srv/pxe/http/nixos`.
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The HTTP iPXE chain is:
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```text
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undionly.kpxe or ipxe.efi
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-> autoexec.ipxe from the TFTP root, when iPXE requests it
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-> http://192.168.2.247/boot.ipxe
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-> http://192.168.2.247/menu.ipxe
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```
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The generated menu currently exposes entries for:
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- NixOS installer
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- Rescue environment
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- iPXE shell
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- Reboot
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Kernel and initrd artifacts for installer or rescue entries must be placed under
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the matching `/srv/pxe/http/<entry>/` directories by an operator or a separate
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build process. This repository defines the service and menu, not the installer
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images.
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## Validation
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Safe evaluation check:
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```bash
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nix eval .#nixosConfigurations.pxe-boot.config.system.build.toplevel.drvPath --raw
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```
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After deployment by an operator, basic service checks are:
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```bash
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curl http://pxe-boot/boot.ipxe
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curl http://pxe-boot/menu.ipxe
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```
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During a successful BIOS chainload, TFTP should deliver `undionly.kpxe` once,
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then nginx should log requests for `/boot.ipxe` and `/menu.ipxe`. Repeated TFTP
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downloads of `undionly.kpxe` indicate the iPXE stage is still not reaching the
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HTTP chain.
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