Distributed PXE Server Booting via Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing PXE booting systems become over-utilized when multiple computer clients attempt to boot simultaneously, leading to performance issues and packet loss due to high demand, as the central PXE server struggles to handle numerous requests.
Innovation Solution
A distributed PXE server booting system is implemented, where target machines are temporarily assigned as PXE servers, distributing the boot image requests and responses across multiple temporary PXE servers, reducing the load on the master boot server and improving network efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a central PXE server is used to boot multiple clients simultaneously, then the system can provide centralized boot management, but the server becomes over-utilized and cannot keep up with numerous client requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the client population into multiple subsets, each assigned to a different PXE server. The master PXE server segments the boot requests and distributes them to temporary PXE servers, preventing any single server from being overwhelmed by all client requests simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The master PXE server acts as an intermediary that receives boot requests from clients and distributes them to appropriate temporary PXE servers. This mediator coordinates the boot process, assigning subsets of clients to different servers and managing the overall boot orchestration to prevent server overload.
2Productivity
If many clients PXE boot simultaneously, then unattended operating system installs can be performed on multiple machines at once, but response packets get lost due to high demand on the PXE server
Solution Approach 1:
Network traffic is segmented by assigning different client subsets to different PXE servers. This distribution reduces the concentration of packets on any single server, lowering network congestion and packet loss while maintaining the ability to boot many machines simultaneously.
3Ease of operation
If a proxy DHCP server is used to handle PXE boot requests, then centralized boot management is achieved, but the server becomes a bottleneck and cannot handle high demand
Solution Approach 1:
The DHCP boot request handling is segmented across multiple PXE servers. The master server divides the client base into subsets and assigns each subset to a different temporary PXE server, distributing the DHCP request handling load and preventing any single server from becoming a bottleneck.
Solution Approach 2:
Temporary PXE servers autonomously handle DHCP requests for their assigned client subsets without requiring all requests to pass through the master server. This self-service capability distributes the processing load and eliminates the single-point bottleneck while maintaining centralized coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer program product and system are disclosed for distributed Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) server booting. The computer program product may include an image request module configured to send a PXE boot image request to a master boot server; an assignment receiving module configured to receive a temporary PXE server RAM image and a subset of target machines from the master boot server, the temporary PXE server RAM image configured to assign a recipient target machine as a temporary PXE server, the temporary PXE server configured to agent boot the subset of target machines; a subset boot module configured to send each target machine in the subset of target machines an agent boot image; a subset confirmation module configured to receive a boot confirmation from each target machine, the boot confirmation configured to indicate that the target machine booted successfully; a master confirmation module configured to send a subset boot confirmation to the master boot server, the subset boot confirmation configured to indicate that the subset of target machines booted successfully; and an image receiving module configured to receive an agent boot image.