Setting Up Prerequisite Network Infrastructure

To enable PXE boot, you must have the following network components set up in your infrastructure:

• TFTP server.
• HTTP or NFS server.
• DHCP server.

Enabling PXE Network Boot on TFTP Server

Enabling PXE boot that uses SYSLINUX components

If you want to use SYSLINUX components for PXE boot, you must install SYSLINUX on the TFTP server. To install SYSLINUX, use the instructions specific to the operating system of the TFTP server.

1. Install SYSLINUX using the instructions specific to the operating system of the TFTP server.
2. Copy the SYSLINUX files necessary for PXE boot from their default directory to a location under the TFTP root directory:
   
   For PXE boot for legacy BIOS
   • pxelinux.0
   • ldlinux.c32, libcom32.c32, libutil.c32, vesamenu.c32, chain.c32, mboot.c32, menu.c32
   For PXE boot using syslinux components for UEFI/EFI
   • ldlinux.e64, libutil.c32, libcom32.c32, vesamenu.c32, menu.c32
   • syslinux.efi
   • grubx64.efi,bootx64.efi
      

Enabling PXE boot that uses GRUB components

If you want to use GRUB components for PXE boot, you must make the GRUB boot loader available for boot from the TFTP server over the network.

1. Generate the boot directory with the necessary GRUB files.
   
   The command for generating the network boot directory may vary depending on the Linux distribution.
   For example, in Debian 12, you must use the following command:

   grub-mknetdir --net-directory=/<TFTP root directory>
   

2. If you want to configure PXE boot for client computers with UEFI architecture and Secure Boot enabled, copy the shimx64.efi file as shim.efi to the TFTP directory.
   

Creating PXE Configuration File

Depending on the client computer architecture, create a configuration file for the boot loader.

Configuring PXE Boot for BIOS-Based Client Computers

To create a configuration file for the PXELINUX boot loader, do the following:

1. In the TFTP root directory, create the pxelinux.cfg directory.
2. In the pxelinux.cfg directory, create a file and name it default.
3. In the default configuration file, specify the following settings for the PXE boot:
   • LABEL — specify an internal name for a boot setup.
   • MENU LABEL — specify a name for the boot setup that will be displayed in the boot menu on the client computer.
   • KERNEL — specify the path to the vmlinuz file.
     
     Note: If you want to use a custom Veeam Recovery Media for bare metal recovery, you must specify the path to the vmlinuz file for the kernel of the operating system installed on the protected computer.
   • APPEND — specify additional settings depending on the protocol you will use to export files for PXE boot:
     • initrd — specify the path to the initrd file.
     • boot — specify the following value: veeam-live
     For NFS export
     • netboot — specify the following value: nfs
     • root — specify the following value: /dev/nfs
     • nfsroot — specify the path to the folder with the ISO files in the following format: TFTP SERVER IP:/PATH TO FOLDER
     For HTTP link to ISO
     • httpfs — specify the HTTP link to the Veeam Recovery Media ISO file on the TFTP server.
     For HTTP link to squashfs
     • httpfs — specify the HTTP link to the .squashfs file from the Veeam Recovery Media ISO files on the TFTP server.
       

Consider the following example of a configuration file:

Configuring PXE Boot for EFI-Based Client Computers

To create a configuration file for the GRUB boot loader, do the following:

1. In the TFTP root directory, create a configuration file named grub.cfg
   
2. In the configuration file, add the menuentry setting with the boot setup name that will be displayed in the boot menu on the client computer.
3. Specify the following parameters for the menuentry setting:
   • linuxefi with the following options specified depending on the protocol you will use to export ISO files to the client computer.
     • path to the vmlinuz file on the TFTP server.
       
       Note: If you want to use a custom Veeam Recovery Media for bare metal recovery, you must specify the path to the vmlinuz file for the kernel of the operating system installed on the protected computer.
     • ip — specify the following value: dhcp
     • boot — specify the following value: veeam-live
     For NFS export
     • netboot — specify the following value: nfs
     • root — specify the following value: /dev/nfs
     • nfsroot — specify the path to the folder with the ISO files in the following format: TFTP SERVER IP:/PATH TO FOLDER
     For HTTP link to ISO
     • httpfs — specify the HTTP link to the Veeam Recovery Media ISO file on the TFTP server.
     For HTTP link to squashfs
     • httpfs — specify the HTTP link to the .squashfs file from the Veeam Recovery Media ISO files on the TFTP server.
   • initrdefi — specify the path to the initrd file.

Consider the following example of a configuration file: