[Fog] Without any DHCP

[siuko]

Just started looking at FOG this morning and I am wondering...

We dont use DHCP at all here (for various reasons) - will FOG work without requiring a DHCP server?

Is there any way for us to choose IP addresses for clients when we reimage them?

[sparkeh]

I believe the answer is no. The NIC needs an IP for PXE boot which comes from DHCP and I don't think you can manually give it one.

FOG comes with its own DHCP, I know you said that you didn't want DHCP running at all but perhaps you could fire up FOG for installations and turn it off when you are done?

[siuko]

perhaps you could fire up FOG for installations and turn it off when you are done?

Yeah thats definitely a possibility - thanks

[mpe]

Just started looking at FOG this morning and I am wondering...

We dont use DHCP at all here (for various reasons) - will FOG work without requiring a DHCP server?

Is there any way for us to choose IP addresses for clients when we reimage them?

In theory you could, but it would be quite a bit of work. You'd need some way of storing the IP details in either the machines NVRAM or HDD. Then a way to get that information where you needed it. Which is going to be especially difficult with Windows.

What are your "various reasons" for not using DHCP?

[TechSupp]

On the issue of DHCP and FOG, is there a quick and easy way to change where fog looks for a DHCP server if it does not use its own (withoput re installing it) and how would you turn FOG's DHCP server if you had already installed it?

[Michael]

Why would you not want a DHCP Server for general day to day network use?

[TechSupp]

Maybe I need to expalin, I work in 4 schools, each with their own DHCP servers, I have a single PC setup as a FOG server (with its own DHCP for PXE etc) and I would like to use the FOG server in each school as its not worth setting one up in each and I don't want to have two DHCP servers on the network at any one time. Hence the reason I want to know if its easy to change the location FOG looks for a DHCP server and how to turn of FOGs DHCP (I know I would have to configure the schools servers to dish out IP's when PXE is required) but at least I could take the FOG server to each school. If its going to be too messy I just carry on as I am and do any imaging on an independant little network just set up for that each time.

[Michael]

I'm still trying to get my head around this. Even if you have a FOG server with DHCP, once a workstation has been imaged what happens afterwards when you remove the FOG server? Do you go round each PC and set a manual configuration?

Any site I visit I use the existing Windows DHCP server for the imaging process and once imaging is complete, the machine reboots, joins the domain then that's it. I think it would be a bit mad not to have a DHCP Server for general day to day use.

[sparkeh]

@Techsupp
I am not sure that you are looking at this the correct way. FOG itself isn't looking for a DHCP server, what you need to think about is the DHCP server directing PXE booting computers to the FOG server.

I would probably do something like this: Turn off DHCP server on FOG, at each school make a DHCP reservation for the FOG machine so each time you start FOG at a particular school it picks up the same IP address, configure each schools DHCP PXE options to point to the FOG machine. This way all you need to do when you go into a school is plug in the FOG machine and turn it on.

[TechSupp]

Now that sounds what I'm after. Thanks, sorry if my explanation was a little confussing but you seem to have hit the nail on the head with your answer, Thanks.

[TechSupp]

@Techsupp
configure each schools DHCP PXE

Any details of how to do it or where I could look for some good info, seen the info somewhere but can't remember where?

[sparkeh]

Any details of how to do it or where I could look for some good info, seen the info somewhere but can't remember where?

Sure, details at the FOG wiki

[SimpleSi]

I am looking to do the same thing - use a VM on my laptop as the fog server for all my schools so I don't have to have say 6 separate NC10 images (if I can ever get it to work that is )

please let me know if you get it working

regards

Simon

[TechSupp]

Just started to play around on FOG at hoem and just got a follow up question which is probab;y just a misunderstanding of the technology. The FOG server is set up on my network at home with my router as the DHCP, when a client wants to boot from FOG I have to turn on the FOG server DHCP service, therefor having two DHCP servers on the network. Is that correct, I know when I use this in a school I'm going to have to tell our normal server that FOG is the pxe dhcp server, but will having DHCP running on the FOG server cause problems...if so what should I do about it? As I said probably just a misunderstanding of how it works on my part

[sparkeh]

when a client wants to boot from FOG I have to turn on the FOG server DHCP service, therefor having two DHCP servers on the network. Is that correct

Noooo no no you don't want to have both DHCP servers running. Turn FOGs DHCP off and configure your existing DHCP for PXE booting using FOG.