debops.netboot_assistant

Debian supports installation through PXE network booting. One way to implement this is to use a DHCP server and TFTP server to offer Debian Installer images to hosts over the network.

To maintain the local Debian Installer images and update them on point releases, users can utilize the di-netboot-assistant Debian package. It contains the scripts and logic to download specific Debian or Ubuntu netboot images and veriy their authenticity, as well as add optional non-free firmware to be available in the installer.

The debops.netboot_assistant Ansible role provides a convenient way to use the package and configure a set of Debian Installer "netinst" images on a TFTP server. The role also includes a refresh script which will handle the planned point releases as they occur so that the images can be kept up to date automatically.

The role integrates with the debops.ipxe role to provide a convenient iPXE boot menu and debops.preseed role which manages a set of Debian Preseed scripts for the installer to use.

• Getting started
  • Default configuration
  • Support for non-free firmware
  • Refresh script
  • Additional useful services
  • Example dnsmasq configuration
  • Example inventory
  • Example playbook
  • Role entry points
  • Ansible tags
  • Other resources
• debops.netboot_assistant default variables
  • General configuration
  • TFTP server configuration
  • Automatic netboot refresh
  • Global options for default netboot installs
  • Debian-Installer netboot installs
  • D-I Netboot Assistant configuration
• Default variables: configuration
  • netboot_assistant__installs
  • netboot_assistant__configuration

Copyright

debops.netboot_assistant - Manage Debian-Installer netboot images

Copyright (C) 2026 Maciej Delmanowski <drybjed@gmail.com>
Copyright (C) 2026 DebOps https://debops.org/
SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later

This Ansible role is part of DebOps.

DebOps is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3, as
published by the Free Software Foundation.

DebOps is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with DebOps. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/.