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https://github.com/ferrarimarco/docker-pxe

A virtualized implementation of PXE supported by DNSMasq
https://github.com/ferrarimarco/docker-pxe

boot dnsmasq docker-image pxe

Last synced: 20 days ago
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A virtualized implementation of PXE supported by DNSMasq

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README 

        
# Dockerized PXE



A Docker image serving as a standalone [PXE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot_Execution_Environment) (running dnsmasq). This server can be placed in an existing network infrastructure with an already configured DHCP server or in a network without any DHCP server.



This PXE currently serves:



- [MemTest86+](http://www.memtest86.com/)



## Dependencies



These are the dependencies required to build and run the container image:



- Docker 1.12+



## How to run



The `ENTRYPOINT` of this image is set to run `dnsmasq` in `no-daemon` mode.



You can add one or more desired `dhcp-range`s as command-line options. For more

information about dnsmasq command-line options, refer to [dnsmasq documentation](http://www.thekelleys.org.uk/dnsmasq/docs/dnsmasq-man.html).



The easiest way to run containers based off this container image without configuring DHCP relays in your network,

is to run a such containers using the network of the host running them. If you're

using Docker, you can add the `--net=host` option when running the container:



```shell

docker run -it --rm --net=host ferrarimarco/pxe

```



The container image is also available on GitHub container registry: [`ghcr.io/ferrarimarco/pxe`](https://github.com/ferrarimarco/docker-pxe/pkgs/container/pxe).



This container image is multi-platform, and supports the following platforms:



- `linux/amd64`

- `linux/arm64`



### Integrated DHCP server



If you want to enable the integrated DHCP server for a given IP address range add a `dhcp-range` option: `dhcp-range=x.x.x.x,y.y.y.y,z.z.z.z` where `x.x.x.x` is the start of the range, `y.y.y.y` is the end and `z.z.z.z` is the subnet mask.



### Standalone DHCP server



If you want to use an existing DHCP server and let `dnsmasq` handle only the PXE, add a `dhcp-range` option: `dhcp-range=x.x.x.x,proxy` where `x.x.x.x` is the IP address of the server running dnsmasq.



## How to modify the configuration



All the configuration files can be modified at will. Look at the Dockerfile to see where they are (mainly in `/etc` and `/var/lib/tftpboot`) and overwrite them with your own (mounting volumes from the Docker host or rebuilding the image).



### Additional PXE Boot Menu Entries



If you just want to add additional menu entries to the boot menu, overwrite the contents of `/var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/additional_menu_entries` file.

The syntax for this file is described in the [syslinux documentation](http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Config).



#### Example: 2nd Memtest86+ plus Ubuntu 16.04 Boot Options



Here is an `additional_menu_entries` file to include (along with the default Memtest86+) two additional boot options: a customized Memtest86+ and Ubuntu 16.04.



```text

LABEL memtest86-2

  MENU LABEL Memtest86+ 2nd entry

  KERNEL /memtest/memtest86+

LABEL ubuntu-16-04-amd64

  MENU LABEL Ubuntu 16.04 amd64

  KERNEL /ubuntu/16.04/16.04.2-server-amd64/install/netboot/ubuntu-installer/amd64/linux

  APPEND /install/vmlinuz auto=true interface=eth0 hostname=cluster domain=home url=tftp:///preseed/16.04/preseed.cfg initrd=ubuntu/16.04/16.04.2-server-amd64/install/netboot/ubuntu-installer/amd64/initrd.gz debian-installer=en_US locale=en_US kbd-chooser/method=us keyboard-configuration/modelcode=SKIP keyboard-configuration/layout=USA keyboard-configuration/variant=USA console-setup/ask_detect=false --

```



## Testing and validating the setup



### Test dependencies



1. Virtualbox 5.1.16+

1. Vagrant 1.9.3+



### How to run the test environment



1. Check the IP address ranged configured by the Virtualbox DHCP server and

    configure your `dhcp-range` and `/var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default` accordingly.

1. Run the container with a suitable DHCP configuration and the `--net=host` option.

1. Run `vagrant up` from the root of the directory where you cloned this

    repository. A Virtualbox VM (with a NATed network adapter) will boot from

    the given PXE.



#### Example



Virtualbox runs a DHCP server by default in each virtual network. If you want to

test the PXE feature you have to run a container based on this image with

dnsmasq as a DHCP proxy (see [Standalone Mode](#standalone-dhcp-server)) and

with the host network stack (see the `--net=host` option) so you know in advance

the IP address of the container running dnsmasq: it's the same as the Docker host!



For example, if Virtualbox DHCP server assigns addresses in the

`192.168.56.0/24` subnet (check the virtual network configuration of the

host-only network assigned to a VM to gather this information), then the

`dhcp-range` option to enable a DHCP proxy could be: `dhcp-range=192.168.56.2,proxy`,

where `192.168.56.2` is the address assigned to the Docker host running the

container based on this image in "host network" mode.



Remember to also update any IP address in `/var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default`

you may have configured, if you serve any content from the TFTP server (like a

`preseed.cfg` for example) to point to the IP address of the container running

this PXE. For this reason, it could be useful to manually assign (or reserve)

IP addresses (or better, hostnames!) for containers running this PXE.