Redirecting RIS Client Requests

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

You can perform RIS-based operating system installations across routers and domains. You can also perform RIS installations across Active Directory forests, providing that you configure trusts across forests. If you need RIS-based installations to cross routers in your organization, you must determine if your routers must be upgraded to support the data transmission rate. Also, for PXE-enabled clients to contact RIS servers located across routers, you must configure the RIS server IP address in the router IP helper tables. By configuring the router in this manner, a PXE-enabled client that broadcasts an IP address request is redirected to the specific RIS server listed in the DHCP scope. As a result, the client does not need to broadcast another DHCP discover packet to locate a RIS server.

DHCP allows you to configure options 60, 66, and 67 for directing PXE-enabled clients to a RIS server without having to update routers with the IP address of the RIS server. However, for reliable RIS service, avoid this configuration because it is known to not function properly for PXE 1.0 and RIS boot floppy disk clients. This configuration also has other drawbacks.

For more information about using options to redirect PXE-enabled clients, see article Q259670, "Using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Options 60, 66, 67 to Direct PXE Clients to RIS Servers May Fail" in the Microsoft Knowledge Base. To find this article, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base link on the Web Resources page at https://www.microsoft.com/windows/reskits/webresources.

For this part of your planning process, use job aid "Planning the RIS Network Configuration" (ACIRIS_04.doc) on the Windows Server 2003 Deployment Kit companion CD (or see "Planning the RIS Network Configuration" on the Web at https://www.microsoft.com/reskit) to indicate whether you plan to update your router address tables with the IP addresses of RIS servers.