What is a necessary step for deployment automation using PXE?

For deployment automation using PXE (Preboot Execution Environment), configuring DHCP options is a necessary step because DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is essential for providing network configuration information to devices that are booting up over the network.

When a client machine is powered on and attempts to boot using PXE, it first needs an IP address and other critical network information, which are provided by the DHCP server. The DHCP options specifically guide the PXE client on where to find the boot server – the TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) server where the boot files are stored. Without correctly configured DHCP options, the PXE client would not be able to locate the server to download the necessary files to continue the boot process.

By setting up DHCP options correctly, administrators can facilitate a smooth and efficient deployment process, allowing multiple machines to be booted and configured similarly without manual intervention, which is the goal of deployment automation.