NetBoot Through Self Service Policy

[majedian21]

Anybody have any successful experience NetBooting a client using a JSS Self Service policy?

We have a policy in the JSS called "Boot to NetBoot Server" which has "Restart Options" configured.

Configuration options set to the following:
Startup Disk: NetBoot
Boot Computers To: Specific NetBoot server
NetBoot Server: <netboot-server>
Both restart options are "Restart immediately"

I see the policy in Self Service and, after executing it, the computer reboots as expected, blinks the netboot globe splash screen for about a minute, and then boots to the current startup disk (as if booting up normally to the login screen). If I log into the local OS, I see in "Startup Items" that the NetBoot image is chosen to boot up to, but still does not NetBoot after clicking "Restart" in that window. The client is on the same subnet as the NetBoot server while the policy is executed and the NetBoot is attempted.

Disclaimer: This same NetBoot image typically boots normally and we have not seen any problems NetBooting before this (holding option or choosing the Startup Disk in System Preferences)

Client: Macbook Air
Client OS: OS X 10.8.4
JSS: 9.30
NetBoot Image: 10.8.5 (built on an MacBook Air)
NetBoot Server: Xserve running 10.6.8
Server Admin version: 10.6.5

[tomt]

I use this command pushed out via ARD to have machines net boot on their next reboot only. Maybe you can leverage that into a script triggered via self service?

bless --netboot --nextonly --server bsdp://your.server.address.here

In my environment I use the IP address of the server but I imagine the FQDN would work as well.

--Tom

[justinrummel]

question, when you say "Disclaimer: This same NetBoot image typically boots normally"... are you saying normally in that other devices work or specifically this MacBook Air.

Netboot does not work Wirelessly. You would need a Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter to get Netboot to work on an Air (or MBP Retina).

- Justin

[rhysforrester]

I use the same method tomt does, only i've made it a policy trigger techies can use.

I'm still trying to get selection of a particular netboot image to work (staff/student) which would be cool.

[majedian21]

@justinrummel this NBI works both on other devices and used to work on this particular MBA, too.

@tomt Substituting the restart options configuration with the command
bless --netboot --nextonly --server bsdp://your.server.address.here
still does not work. I tried on the Terminal command line, too, with no luck.

[justinrummel]

@majedian21 OK, next question when you say "bsdp://your.server.address.here" are you using the IP address? The bless command only understands IP (vs. your FQDN of your netboot server).

- Justin

[Joseph_Morris]

Your selection of the staff/student image would be based on Autorun data in the JSS....unless you were needing to reconfigure them after they had been previously imaged. You should be able to set the autorun data in the JSS to specify a configuration based on staff or student as needed.