Archive for February, 2011

Serving Diskless Netboot for your Macs without OS X Server
 
With the official death of the Xserve, some of you may be looking at your future plans for services you currently provide. If you plan to migrate away from OS X server for some functions, NetBoot can be one of them.  Read on to find out how…

Ed. Note: This walks you through how to set up a NetBoot image without needing a local drive mounted on the client system. There is a distinction between this and what the Apple materials refer to as diskless NetBoot which is when you would use an AFP share to hold all of the read/write bits you need. Mac OS X Server can do both this method of using the RAM disk, typically used for NetInstall setups, and the later where you would use for an actual "live" system such as for a lab of machines actually in use by users instead of just for imaging purposes. For most admins just wishing to do deployments, using a RAM disk is all you'll most likely need.