iPXE Anywhere Web Service Install
Pre Requisites
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2.
The user account executing the installation (installation account) must have Administrator rights on the server in which the web service will be installed.
License file (optional at this point)
SQL Database - This database stores info about PXE booted computers and their capabilities. Traffic to this database is very small and, if necessary, it may be hosted on SQL Express. The SQL Database does not have to be installed on the same server as the iPXE Anywhere Web Service, but the service requires access to and permissions on the SQL Server in order to create the database and also to interact with it.
Note: The installation software checks if the user executing the installation has sufficient privileges to create the SQL database, but does not actually create the database. The database is created by the Service at service startup. Once the installation is complete, SQL permissions granted to the installation account can be removed, but the service must retain permissions in case the database structure needs to be modified during normal operations.
iPXE Anywhere Installation
Start the installation by executing the correct installer (x64 for x64 systems). Ensure you have the License.cab available for the installer to access. The Welcome dialog will appear: | |
After you click the Next button the EULA page appears. After you read through this and, assuming that you agree to all the terms of the EULA, click Next | |
Next you should see the Licensing dialog. Here you must supply the path to the license file for the installer to access. Click on the “…” button and browse for the License.cab file. Select a valid License.cab file and click ‘Open’ The path to the license file will now be updated and the ‘Next’ button will be available |
NOTE: The installer does not validate the license file so if you select an old/expired license file the installer will continue but the iPXE Anywhere service will stop soon after starting!
Next, configure the account under which you would like the iPXE Anywhere service to run, either LocalSystem (recommended), or using a specific domain account. Note that if you are using a domain or local user account, the account must have the ‘Logon as a Service’ right and ideally the ability to create the SQL database (see “DataBase Creation Credentials” step below) | |
Next, you have the option to configure the Port over which the iPXE Anywhere Web Service will communicate with client computers. The default is 8051. You must Click the ‘Test Port’ button and assuming it works then click Next. | |
Next, select the SQL database server that will host the iPXE Anywhere Database. If you are running iPXE Anywhere on the local server, you can select (local). Otherwise, enter the server name and SQL instance Click next to continue. | |
The installer should then connect to that server and fill out the iPXEAnywhere Database name for you. Check this, and if it’s correct, click next to continue. Otherwise enter the correct name. | |
At this screen you must enter an account that will be used to create and update the iPXE Anywhere SQL Database at Service start up. We recommend that you use the same account that you specified for the service, but you can choose a separate account if you wish. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.. You must then test the connection to verify that the account has the required security rights to access the SQL Server and create the database. | |
Next you can customize where you want to install the iPXE Anywhere service. Configure as required or accept the default and click Next. | |
You are now ready to unleash the iPXE Anywhere magic, so go ahead, click on Install button and then sit back and enjoy a cup of tea. |
2PXE Post Installation Configuration
Installation Files
iPXE Anywhere can be installed to any location, but we recommend it to be installed to the default directory. Once the service is installed, the installation folder should contain the following:
Main Service Executable - iPXE Anywhere Service.exe
Configuration File - iPXE Anywhere Service.exe.config
Main DLL - iPXEAnywhere.Persistence.EF.dll
License file - License.cab
License file - License.nfo extracted from License.cab
Microsoft .net dependency dll’s
PowerShell script - RequestActionScript.ps1
Readme.txt
End User License Agreement file
Folder – Reporting
Folder - SRSS 2014 Reports
Reports - .rdl files
Powershell Script – Import-2PSReports.ps1
Folder- SRSS 2016 Mobile Reporting
Reports - .rsmobile and .rsd files
Important: Ensure that the License.nfo file has been created. Use notepad to open this file and check that your license information is correct.
Service
The Windows Installer file will install a service called “iPXE Anywhere Service” which is started during the install. In the event that it is not started the first thing to check is the License.nfo file followed by the Port that iPXE Anywhere is configured to use.
Installing the iPXE Anywhere Reports
Pre-Requisite
The reports require an installation of Microsoft SSRS.
Create an iPXE Anywhere DataSource
It is necessary to create a Data Source in order for the reports to connect to the correct Database and tables within the reports.
Start Report Manager (SSRS Native Mode).
In Report Manager, navigate to the Contents page.
Click New Data Source. The New Data Source page opens.
Type a name for the item. A name must contain at least one character and it must start with a letter. It can also include certain symbols, but not spaces or the characters ; ? : @ & = + , $ / * < > | " /.
Optionally type a description to provide users with information about the connection. This description will appear on the Contents page in Report Manager.
In the Data source type list, specify the data processing extension that is used to process data from the data source.
For Connection string, specify the connection string that the report server uses to connect to the data source. It is recommended that you do not specify credentials in the connection string.
The following example illustrates a connection string for connecting to the local SQL Server iPXE Anywhere database:
data source=<SQLservername>; initial catalog=ipxeanywhereDB
For ‘Connect using’, specify how credentials are obtained when the report runs:
If you want to prompt the user for a logon name and password, click Credentials supplied by the user running the report. To use the credentials that the user enters as Windows credentials, click Use as Windows credentials when connecting to the data source. If the user name and password are database credentials, do not select this option.
If you intend to use the data source as a shared data source with saved credentials that are managed by the owner of the data source, or for reports that support subscriptions or other scheduled operations (such as automated report history generation), click Credentials stored securely in the report server.
If the database server supports impersonation or delegation, you can select Impersonate the authenticated user after a connection has been made to the data source.
If you want the report server to pass the credentials of the user accessing the report to the server hosting the external data source, click Windows Integrated Security. In this case, the user is not prompted to type a user name or password.
Installing the Reports
Once the Data Source is created in the step above, import the SSRS Reports using the PowerShell Script that is included with the iPXE Anywhere Files, named Import-2PSReports.PS1. The only required argument for this is the name of the SSRS Reporting Server where the files are to be imported and the Data Source resides.
Example: .\Import-2PSReports.ps1 –ReportServer MYSERVER
Using the iPXE Anywhere Web Service
The iPXE Anywhere Service is configured via the 2PXE Server Configuration File – which is covered in full in the 2PXE Server Manual document as below:
There are 2 settings to consider within the 2PXE Configuration file:
ENABLEIPXEANYWHEREWEBSERVICE="0” Specifies to use iPXE Anywhere Web Service. 0 to disable, 1 to use reporting functionality only, 2 to move the entire request over to the web service + reporting. 3 is 1+2 and the ability to execute cmdline from iPXE WS in WiNPE
BootRequest = 1,
Syslog = 2
Using the resolved IPv4 Addresss of the iPXE Anywhere Web Service unless overridden by adding the <add key="iPXEAnywhereWebServiceIP" value="192.168.xxx.yyy"/> setting in this config.
ReportBootConfiguration = 4,
ReportDLStart = 8,
ReportDLComplete = 16,
ReportDLBoot = 32,
RunCmdLineWinPE = 64
For example:
A value of 62 (2+4+8+16+32=62) gives you all but BootRequest and RunCmdLineWinPE. Therefore
for iPXE and StifleR Integration you would have to set it to a minimum of; 2+4+8+16+32 = 62
IPXEANYWHEREWEBSERVICEURI=http://url:Port Specifies the address and Port for the iPXE Anywhere Web Service
Pretty simple – but be sure to enter the FQDN of the server and Port number that you chose when you installed the iPXE Anywhere Web Service correctly.
IMPORTANT: After setting the above parameters, you will then need to restart the 2PXE service.
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