Working with NetBoot Service

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and System Images

In this chapter you will find commands you can use to configure and manage the NetBoot Service and system images.

NetBoot is used to host a standard operating system and application configuration on all of the clients in a network from the server.This chapter describes the commands used to configure and manage the NetBoot service.

Understanding the NetBoot Service

The NetBoot service in Mac OS X Server enables multiple Mac computers to boot from a single server-based disk image, instead of from their internal hard drive. This allows you to create a standard configuration and use it on all of the desktop computers on a network—or host multiple images customized for different workgroups.

You can also create server configurations and run all of your servers from one image. Updating the disk image on the NetBoot server updates all of these computers automatically the next time they restart. In addition, you can copy a directory server configuration to all clients using the same system image.

Starting and Stopping NetBoot Service

To start NetBoot service:

$ sudo serveradmin start netboot

If you get the following response:

$ netboot:state = "STOPPED"

$ netboot:status = 5000

you have not yet enabled NetBoot on any network port.

To stop NetBoot service:

$ sudo serveradmin stop netboot

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Apple Mac OS X Server Understanding the NetBoot Service, Starting and Stopping NetBoot Service, To start NetBoot service