How to configure preferred servers as a PXE representative and host a web share for Vboot files

This article applies to LANDESK Management Suite 9.6 SP1 and later

Information

LANDESK Management Suite 9.6 SP1 includes support for OS Provisioning clients to download vBoot related files from a PXE Server.

Now the Boot.wim file that contains the Windows PE image does not have to come directly from the Core.  A peer or preferred server can now be utilized.

The boot images are over 200 megabytes so it can be important to store the boot images on the local subnet or in a more optimal location for the client than the Core may provide.

New "Attempt Peer, "Attempt Preferred Server", and "Allow Source" radio buttons have been added to the "Boot to Managed WinPE (Virtual Boot)" selection for the "Reboot/Shutdown" Provisioning Action.  Note: Downloading of the boot.wim from Preferred Server or Peer at this time only applies to Vboot (Virtual Boot).  It does not apply to PXE boot.

This eliminates the need for the clients to go back to the core to download the 200+ megabytes of support files in order to virtual boot.

In order for the vboot files to be accessible to the clients, the proper web share must be configured on the Preferred Server.

Resolution

Attached to this article is a .ZIP file Containing the following:

• Deploy PXE Rep and Configure IIS.ldms  (Package Bundle)
• ps-pxe-setup.bat

Steps to import and configure package bundle.

1. Download the attached PreferredServerWithPxeHostVboot.zip file
2. Unzip the downloaded .zip file to a desired location on the core server.
3. Open the Distribution Packages tool in the LANDESK Management Suite console.
4. Right click "My Packages" and select "Import"
5. Browse to the location where the .ZIP file was uncompressed to.
6. Double click the Deploy PXE Rep and Configure IIS.ldms file.
7. This will import a package bundle into the LANDESK Management Suite console under "My Packages"
   Click here for more information about Package Bundles.
8. Within this bundle you will find a package called Configure Preferred Server to host vboot files.
9. In addition this bundle contains the default PXE Representative Deployment package.
10. Copy the ps-pxe-setup.bat file to your regular software distribution share.
11. Modify the properties of the Configure Preferred Server to host vboot files package for your environment

          a. Modify the server name under the Package Information section to reflect the proper server name for your package share

          b. Under the Additional Files section browse to the location where you have copied the ps-pxe-setup.bat file and add it as an additional file
              (By default in the imported package this defaults to http://coreservername/ldlogon.

Scenarios for distributing package bundle or only the distribution package:

Scenario 1:

• PXE Representative is already installed on the Preferred Server

    In this instance, you can simply select the package Configure Preferred Server to host vboot files, right-click and select "Create scheduled task".

Scenario 2:

• PXE Representative is not installed on the Preferred Server and you want to configure IIS to host the vboot files

          In this instance, right-click the package bundle called "Deploy PXE Rep and Configure IIS" and select "Create Scheduled Task".

     This will first configure install the PXE Representative and then configure the Preferred Package Server to host the vboot files in a Web Application called "landesk" and a virtual directory below that called "vboot"
     This virtual directory points to the following physical path:

"%programfiles(x86)%"\landesk\pxe\system\image\boot"