Netboot.xyz

The “netboot.xyz” example shows how to have Tinkerbell boot a machine with a custom iPXE script and into the netboot.xyz installer menu. This example does not require creating a template or a workflow.

Prerequisites

You have a Tinkerbell stack installed, configured, and up and running. This can be done locally with Vagrant, on Equinix Metal, or on any other environment that you have configured.
You have a Worker that has not yet been brought up, or can be restarted.

Hardware Data

This is the only Tinkerbell resource you’ll need to create. Use the example below as a template. At a minimum update the "mac", "address", "netmask", and "gateway" fields for your targeted machine and network. Setting the “ipxe_script_url”, “distro”, and “slug” are what tell boots to load into the netboot.xyz iPXE menu.

Usage

Modify the example hardware data below
Save the hardware data to a file, e.x. hardware.json
Push the hardware data to Tink server using the Tink cli

docker exec -i deploy_tink-cli_1 tink hardware push < ./hardware.json

{
  "id": "ce2e62ed-826f-4485-a39f-a82bb74338e3",
  "metadata": {
    "facility": {
      "facility_code": "onprem",
      "plan_slug": "c2.medium.x86",
      "plan_version_slug": ""
    },
    "instance": {
      "ipxe_script_url": "https://boot.netboot.xyz/ipxe/netboot.xyz.lkrn",
      "operating_system": {
        "distro": "custom_ipxe",
        "slug": "custom_ipxe"
      }
    },
    "state": ""
  },
  "network": {
    "interfaces": [
      {
        "dhcp": {
          "mac": "00:50:56:25:11:0e",
          "name_servers": ["1.1.1.1", "8.8.8.8"],
          "arch": "x86_64",
          "ip": {
            "address": "192.168.2.130",
            "netmask": "255.255.255.0",
            "gateway": "192.168.2.1"
          }
        },
        "netboot": {
          "allow_pxe": true,
          "allow_workflow": true
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Boot the machine

Now you can set the machine to pxe boot and either reboot or start it up. The machine will boot into the netboot.xyz menu.