Installing with PXE

Some NICs include the ability to boot using a Pre-Execution Environment (PXE). It works by sending out a broadcast request for a DHCP server on the network. If the DHCP server is configured to send the client the IP address or hostname of a tftp server and the location on that tftp server of the files needed to start the Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation, the client can start a network installation without having to boot from local media such as a CD.

This method can also be used with kickstart to perform an automated network installation; it allows the administrator to boot multiple systems and then walk away while the client received first the PXE boot information and then the kickstart file to perform the installation.