NetBoot won't serve more than SEVEN clients at a time
I'm running OS X Server 10.5.8 to configure a lab via DeployStudio. There have been no changes to the server or network since configuring it for the same purpose in 2009.
But when using the current version of DeployStudio (1.0rc133) to restore 10.7.4 to client workstations (iMac 12,1), only seven (7) at a time will successfully NetBoot. Any remaining clients give up NetBooting after a few minutes and boot to internal hard drives (regardless of whether booting with "N" key, "option" key selection of NetBoot volume, or setting NetBoot volume in Startup Disk).
CLUE: If I interrupt any of the seven currently NetBooted iMacs while they are restoring via DeployStudio (by powering them off), any other machines on the network already attempting to NetBoot will be successful, up to the maximum number of seven. Left to run, seven DeployStudio sessions complete successfully.
The past two times I've done network restoration of Mac labs (with NetRestore in 2006 and DeployStudio in 2009), I did not encounter this behavior.
Among other things, I've tried restarting NetBoot service and the whole G4 Server. I tried switching from the external DHCP server to OS X Server's "DHCP server" service. Tried this "Reset NetBoot" suggestion:
. . . no change in symptoms at all.
Suggestions?
Same as 2009 (when it worked successfully):
- OS X Server 10.5.8
- PowerMac G4 Dual 1.0 GHz
- Network hardware and topology
- DHCP server is via simple hardware router, and NOT from OS X Server
- NetBoot images in default directory for OS X Server
- DeployStudio images are served via AFP on same G4 Server
Differences from 2009:
- New client workstations: iMac12,1
(Old workstations iMac 8,1)
- DeployStudio current build
(rather than build in 2009)
- DeployStudio Client Master Images are OS 10.7.4
(vs. 10.5.8 on iMac 8,1)
- NetBoot images (build by DeployStudio Assistant) from iMac 12,1 running 10.7.4
(vs. 10.5.8 on iMac 8,1)