Configuring the PXE and TFTP servers

You can configure or reconfigure the PXE and TFTP servers using the PXE/TFTP Server Configuration tool. This topic includes the following sections:

• About the PXE/TFTP Server Configuration tool
• Before you begin
• To configure the PXE and TFTP servers
• Completing the setup

About the PXE/TFTP Server Configuration tool

With the PXE/TFTP Server Configuration tool, you can:

• Set or change database connection parameters for the PXE/TFTP server.
• Configure the PXE server.
• Configure the TFTP server.
• Configure the PXE server for a multiple database provisioning environment.
• Run diagnostic tests that check the PXE/TFTP server configurations.

Before you begin

• The PXE server and TFTP server must be installed. See the following tasks:

• The DHCP server must be installed and configured. See Configuring-the-DHCP-server.
• The TFTP server must be configured. See Setting up the TFTP server.

To configure the PXE and TFTP servers

1. Start the PXE/TFTP Server Configuration tool by performing one of the following actions:
   • (Microsoft Windows) At the end of the PXE installation, on the PXE Server Setup panel, check Configure the PXE server.
   • From the Windows Start menu, select Programs > BMC Software > BladeLogic Server Automation Suite > PXE Configuration tool.

   • Start the tool manually. From the directory where the PXE server is installed, run the blpxeconfscript:

2. On the Database panel, review the database connection parameters set during PXE server installation and edit them if necessary.

   Note

   Ensure that the database specified on this panel is the database you specified during Application Server configuration. (The database that the PXE server uses must have information about the file server. The Application Server configuration identifies the file server and the directory where data is stored.)

   To specify database connection parameters, perform one of the following actions:

   • If you are not providing a custom connection string, provide information for all fields except Advanced.

   • To provide parameters in a custom connection string, provide information for: User ID, Password, and Advanced. See PXE database configuration information for multiple databases.

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     The following figure shows a sample Oracle RAC connection string:

     Example

     jdbc:oracle:thin:@(DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP) (HOST = oraracdb1-vip.ora1.bmc.com)(PORT = 1521)) (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP) (HOST = oraracdb2-vip.ora1.bmc.com) (PORT = 1521)) (LOAD_BALANCE = yes) (CONNECT_DATA = (SERVER = DEDICATED) (SERVICE_NAME = oraracsrv)(FAILOVER_MODE = (TYPE = SELECT) (METHOD = BASIC)(RETRIES = 180) (DELAY = 1000))))

3. For PXE Options, provide the information listed in the following table:

   PXE Options

4. For TFTP Options, provide the information listed in the following table:

   TFTP Options
5. ( optional ) Configure the PXE server for a multiple-database provisioning environment. Use both the PXE MAS Options and the PXE MAS Data Source tabs. (For information, see Setting-up-a-multiple-database-provisioning-environment.)
6. ( optional ) On the Diagnostics tab, click Runto check configuration parameters on the PXE and TFTP servers. The tests check:
   • Database connectivity.
   • PXE parameters, such as interface to bind, listening port, and TFTP server address.
   • TFTP parameters, such as tftp root. In addition, the TFTP test checks if the TFTP server can bind to its port.
   • Whether the DHCP server is already running. (A running DHCP server can be a problem because it keeps the PXE server from binding to bootp.)
   • PXE Multiple Application Server (MAS) configuration — The test checks to see if DHCP scope options are present.
      The Diagnostics Log displays test results and status messages. Test results show the status of the servers, as well as configuration problems and suggested solutions.
      The diagnostics tests also generate a log file: <installDirectory>/PXE/br/PxeDiag.log

Completing the setup

1. Set up the TFTP server. See Setting up the TFTP server.
2. Set up data stores. See Setting-up-a-data-store.
3. Stock the data store.
    The data store holds all operating system installation files for provisioning, as well as Windows plug-and-play drivers and BMC Server Automation RSCD agents. For more information, see Stocking-the-data-store.
4. Set up all necessary agent installations and add them to the data store.
    The BMC Server Automation provisioning process installs an agent on all servers so that they can be managed with BMC Server Automation. For more information, see Preparing-agents-for-provisioning.
5. Create boot image files.
   BMC Server Automation uses Windows PE and Gentoo Linux as boot environments for bare metal provisioning. If you are provisioning:
   • Windows computers, use WinPE.
   • Linux computers, use Gentoo Linux.
      Regardless of your target environment, you must create appropriate bootable image files. For information, see Provisioning-servers.
6. (optional) Set up a multidatabase provisioning environment.
    In a large, distributed provisioning environment, you might find it more efficient to use multiple Application Servers accessing multiple databases. For information, see Setting-up-a-multiple-database-provisioning-environment.