NetBoot Support for OS X Virtual Machines

NetBoot is a technology from Apple that allows to boot a Mac computer from a network. Parallels Desktop Enterprise provides NetBoot support for OS X virtual machines. Using this functionality, you can boot a virtual machine from a network and install (or reinstall) a desired version of OS X on it.

To NetBoot an OS X virtual machine, the following requirements must be met:

1. A NetBoot server hosting a NetBoot or NetInstall image must be set up and running on your network. If you don't know how to do it, read the NetBoot documentation from Apple first.
2. Parallels virtual machines can boot from the default image only, which means that the default image on the NetBoot server must be the one you want your VMs to boot from.
3. A virtual machine must be of the Mac OS X type. When creating a new virtual machine, select Mac OS X as the operating system.
4. Unlike physical Macs, a virtual machine will NOT boot from a network if you hold down the N key. A virtual machine will choose a boot device (hard disk, CD/DVD, network) according to its boot order list. The following scenarios need to be considered:
   • If a virtual machine is blank (OS X is not installed on it yet), it will try to boot from the hard disk first, then the CD/DVD, and then the network (the default boot order). Since there's no OS X on either the hard disk or the CD/DVD, the boot from these devices will fail and the VM will boot from the network (NetBoot).
   • If a virtual machine has a bootable disk but you want it to boot from a network instead, Network must be specified as the first item in the VM's boot order list. To make this modification, open the virtual machine configuration dialog, select Hardware > Boot Order , and then move the Network item to the top of the boot order list.
5. When the virtual machine boots from the network, you can use the standard OS X utilities to install or reinstall the operating system on it.