NFS, FTP, HTTP, TFTP server, DHCP, PXE server

First configure DHCP server

> cat /etc/dhcpd.conf
option domain-name "my.lab";
option domain-name-servers 172.16.253.5;
option routers 192.168.124.1;
option ntp-servers 192.168.124.3;
option arch code 93 = unsigned integer 16; # RFC4578
default-lease-time 3600;
ddns-update-style none;
subnet 192.168.124.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.124.100 192.168.124.199;
next-server 192.168.124.3;
default-lease-time 3600;
max-lease-time 3600;
if option arch = 00:07 or option arch = 00:09 {
filename "/EFI/x86/bootx64.efi";
} else if option arch = 00:0b {
filename "/EFI/armv8/bootaa64.efi";
} else {
filename "/bios/x86/pxelinux.0";
}
}

host passacaglia {
  allow booting;
  allow bootp;
  next-server 192.168.1.205
  hardware ethernet 0:0:c0:5d:bd:95;
  filename "vmunix.passacaglia";
  server-name "toccata.fugue.com";
}

restart service dhcpd

/srv/install/x86/sles12/sp2/cd1

linux-7geb:~ # rpm -ql syslinux | grep pxelinux.0 /usr/share/syslinux/pxelinux.0

cp /usr/share/syslinux/pxelinux.0 /var/lib/tftpboot

mkdir /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg

configure tftp

linux-7geb:/mnt/suse/noarch # zypper install tftpboot-installation-SLES-12-SP3-x86_64

mkdir -p /srv/tftpboot/BIOS/x86 mkdir -p /srv/tftpboot/EFI/x86/boot mkdir -p /srv/tftpboot/EFI/aarch64/boot mkdir -p /srv/install/x86/OS_VERSION/SP_VERSION/cd1 mkdir -p /srv/install/aarch64/OS_VERSION/SP_VERSION/cd1

root # mount -o loop PATH_TO_ISO /srv/install/ARCH/OS_VERSION/SP_VERSION/cd1/

Copy the kernel, initrd and message files required for x86 BIOS and UEFI boot to the appropriate location.

root # cd /srv/install/x86/OS_version/SP_version/cd1/boot/x86_64/loader/

At this point, you need to copy the necessary boot files for the x86 BIOS environment to the appropriate boot location

# cd /srv/install/x86/sles12/sp2/cd1/boot/x86_64/loader/
# cp -a linux initrd message /srv/tftpboot/bios/x86/

While still in the loader directory, create the directory for the configuration file and copy it in:

# mkdir /srv/tftpboot/bios/x86/pxelinux.cfg
# cp -a isolinux.cfg /srv/tftpboot/bios/x86/pxelinux.cfg/default

Copy pxelinux.0 to the same structure:

# cp /usr/share/syslinux/pxelinux.0 /srv/tftpboot/bios/x86/

Now that the files are all in place, edit the configuration to ensure all the correct boot options are also in place. Start with editing /srv/tftpboot/bios/x86/pxelinux.cfg/default . See the example below:

> cat /srv/tftpboot/bios/x86/pxelinux.cfg/default
default harddisk
# hard disk
label harddisk
localboot -2
# install
label install
kernel linux
append initrd=initrd showopts install=nfs://192.168.124.3/srv/install/x86/sles12/sp2/cd1
display message
implicit 0
prompt 1
timeout 600

Now edit /srv/tftpboot/bios/x86/message to reflect the default file you edited before. See the example below:

# cat /srv/tftpboot/bios/x86/message
Welcome to the Installer Environment!

To start the installation enter 'install' and press <return>.
Available boot options:
harddisk
 - Boot from Hard Disk (this is default)
install
 - Installation

Copy all required grub2 files for UEFI booting.

# cd /srv/install/x86/sles12/sp2/cd1/EFI/BOOT
# cp -a bootx64.efi grub.efi MokManager.efi /srv/tftpboot/EFI/x86/

Copy the kernel and initrd files to the directory structure.

# cd /srv/install/x86/OS_version/SP_version/cd1/boot/x86_64/loader/
# cp -a linux initrd /srv/tftpboot/EFI/x86/boot

Create the file /srv/tftpboot/EFI/x86/grub.cfg with at least the following content:

# cat /srv/tftpboot/EFI/x86/grub.cfg
set timeout=5
menuentry 'Install SLES12 SP2 for x86_64' {
linuxefi /EFI/x86/boot/linux install=nfs://192.168.124.3/srv/install/x86/sles12/sp2/cd1
initrdefi /EFI/x86/boot/initrd
}