Re: Linux thin client connecting to Windows 2003 terminal server

From: Juhan Leemet (juhan_at_logicognosis.com)
Date: 07/22/04 

Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 22:27:48 -0200

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 20:54:24 +0000, Rod Smith wrote:
> In article <12eb01d5.0407200112.180266cb@posting.google.com>,
> t.roedig@student.unimaas.nl (Tobias) writes:
> [re: PXES]
>> Thanks, I will try that today. The website looks very promising. You
>> talked about booting from the network as an option. Will I not require
>> a Linux server for that?
>
> To boot from the network, you'll need a DHCP server, a TFTP server, and
> appropriate support on the thin client (typically network boot support in
> the BIOS, a NIC with an appropriate ROM, or at least a boot floppy that
> kickstarts the network boot process). The DHCP and TFTP servers can be
> Linux systems, but they don't need to be. I don't know offhand what's
> available in the way of DHCP and TFTP servers for Windows, but I'd be
> surprised if you couldn't find something suitable. For the DHCP server,
> it must be able to support some special network boot options, which
> basically deliver information to clients on where to find files. Some
> low-end DHCP servers (like those that come with some broadband routers)
> don't have any way to provide this information; you'll need something
> with at least moderate feature levels to do the trick.

There are alternate ways of getting the load information. Sun Solaris
systems use bootparamd for their network boot services. My SuSE 8.2 Linux
has that also, as well as bootp (another common boot server). As usual,
with *nix, there are many ways to skin a cat (and that can be confusing!).
I think all of the mechanisms actually use tftp (trivial ftp) to deliver
the boot kernel (and maybe a root filing system?).

I would say that if you have an "enhanced DHCP" that can do everything you
might as well use it (for everything). Otherwise, investigate the boot*
packages (or google for them). I have seen some web sites that talk about
diskless workstations (and kiosk setups?), which use network booting.

p.s. The Sun Solaris people complain about Linux NFS and/or tftp
delivering boot packets in reverse order. I have no experience with that,
since I do my jumpstart installs from Sun Solaris servers. Just beware.

p.p.s. Some of those small Linux distributions can boot directly off
CD-ROM. I don't know if you can then somehow splice in config changes?
Maybe just find a Linux distro with X windows and rdesktop, boot it from
CD and get an IP address from your router or Windows, and away you go? CD
drives are cheap, esp. older/slower ones. You don't need to boot often? 

-- 
Juhan Leemet
Logicognosis, Inc.

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