Test your Citrix knowledge…
True or False: Citrix Provisioning Services requires PXE
Answer: False
When using Provisioning Services, which is an optional component of XenDesktop, the target device utilizes a bootstrap file, which initializes the Provisioning Services stream. The target device must be able to obtain that bootstrap file, or else the stream will never begin.
Unfortunately, I still hear people saying that the only way to accomplish this is with PXE, which is incorrect.
Provisioning Services has a few different options for delivering the bootstrap file (these have been the most common approaches for many years):
- The DHCP Method:
Target device boots and sends DHCP discover broadcast
DHCP server responds with a client IP, Option 66 & 67
Target device uses the IP and contacts the server identified in Option 66 requesting the file from option 67.
The PVS server sends the requests bootstrap file via TFTP to the target device. - The PXE Method:
Target device boots and sends DHCP discover broadcast with Option 60 PXE Client
DHCP server responds with IP
PVS Servers, which are running PXE Services, respond with Boot Server
Client uses the IP and picks one of the PVS responses and requests more information
PVS responds with boot server/file name information
Target device contacts the boot server and requests the file name.
The PVS server sends the requests bootstrap file via TFTP to the target device. - The Local Method: An local file is created with the Boot Device Manager, a component of Provisioning Services. The local file is the bootstrap file, which tells the target how to contact the Provisioning Services farm. It is assigned to each target device either as an ISO attached to the target deices DVD drive, a USB drive, or as a small attached virtual hard disk drive.
It is a pretty good mix of organizations opting for DHCP or Local, much less using the PXE method. Both work, but DHCP and PXE requires more integration with your current environment than the Local method.
Daniel – Lead Architect
Thanks for this clarification.
-Karim
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Thanks Dan for the clarification !! A small query, if you are new to an already existing PVS setup, how do we know which method the target devices are using, if you dont have access to the DHCP servers.
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You would have to look at the VM. BDM would have a small VHD attached. ISO would be an ISO Attached as a DVD. PXE would show up during boot of the VM.
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Thanks Dan, I guessed so. I was also checking the NIC properties of VM and if it says “Get IP automatically” then will it be DHCP with PXE or DHCP without PXE ?
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Neither. DHCP is a separate network service from PXE. It is just that PXE waits until the VM receives a DHCP assigned IP
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